Head Coach Steve Sarkisian has had great success recruiting and developing star quarterbacks at Texas, with Quinn Ewers being drafted and Arch Manning poised to be a Heisman candidate this upcoming season.
While Arch is the QB1 for now, Sarkisian and quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee are continuously looking at who will be starting for the Longhorns in the future.
Several talented recruits will visit Austin for an Elite Camp, allowing the Texas coaching staff to work with up-and-coming prospects and get a jump start on building relationships and evaluating future talent.
According to On3 , one of the players that will be in attendance is Gunner Rivers, a class of 2027 quarterback who is starting for St. Michael's Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama. He is the son of eight time pro bowler and former NC State quarterback Philip Rivers, who is now St. Michael's Catholic head football coach.
Rivers currently measures at six foot two inches and 175 pounds. The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the 57th overall, 7th overall quarterback, and 1st overall player from the state of Alabama in his class.
The four-star prospect completed 267 passes out of 424 for 3947 yards, throwing 36 touchdowns in the 2024 season, while only having six interceptions. He has 65 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns over his two year high school career.
The Texas staff is no stranger to recruiting and coaching quarterbacks from NFL families, formerly mentioned Arch Manning being one of them. Perhaps this will give them a leg up against teams like Auburn, NC State, Georgia, Miami, South Carolina, and Missouri, who are also in contact with Rivers.
More must-reads:
Lincoln Riley is entering a pivotal fourth season as the head coach of the USC Trojans football program. He got off to a good start in 2022 by winning 11 games, but is a combined 15-11 over the last two seasons. Riley's overall record in Southern California is 26-14. That's not going to cut it, given the Trojan fans' high expectations. They expect to win, especially since Riley went 55-10 as the Oklahoma Sooners head coach, taking them to the College Football Playoff three times. Riley knows he has to win this year and told FS1's Colin Cowherd that he made some "alterations" when building this year's team. He also issued a warning regarding the Trojans' trenches. "We did, and I think some of that is in response to the Big Ten, but also I think a lot of it is just a response to our natural growth as a program," Riley said. "We want to be a team that is a national championship contender every single year, like you should expect at USC, and to do that, you have to be great on the line of scrimmage, and so, we have certainly tried to build that throughout the years. I think this group coming up on both fronts has a chance to be the very best we've had and certainly see a major difference, especially on the defensive line that I know will pay dividends this year." Trojans fans will get to see the new-look offensive and defensive lines in action when their team opens the 2025 season on August 30 against the Missouri State Bears. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Damion Baugh spent his rookie season in the NBA playing for the Charlotte Hornets. The 24-year-old had averages of 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 32.3% from the field in 15 games. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hornets will now waive Baugh. Via Scotto: "The Charlotte Hornets are waiving two-way player Damion Baugh, league sources told @hoopshype . Charlotte is waiving Baugh to clear a spot for the addition of Antonio Reeves on a two-way contract." ESPN's Shams Charania had first reported that the Hornets were signing Reeves. Via Charania: "The Charlotte Hornets are signing guard Antonio Reeves to a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. The 2024 Pelicans second-round pick averaged 6.9 points and 40% 3-point shooting in 44 games as a rookie last season."
Among multiple big moves this offseason, the New York Giants decided to sign 10-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson to be their starting QB in 2025. Although Wilson has undoubtedly taken a step back over the past couple of years, for the Giants, this looks like a significant upgrade compared to what they endured at quarterback for most of last season. In addition to his on-field play, Wilson's successful career lends a status that seems like a perfect fit for the New York market. It didn't take long for the Giants to put that status to work, either, with Wilson taking part in a free agent WR's visit with the team earlier this offseason. Russell Wilson joined in on WR Gabe Davis' free agent visit with the Giants Former Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars WR Gabe Davis had a free agency visit with the Giants earlier this offseason, back in May. His experience playing under now Giants head coach Brian Daboll, when he was his offensive coordinator with the Bills, led many to believe that this pairing could make a lot of sense for both sides. Months have gone by, and many are still wondering if the Giant will choose to sign the deep threat WR. Davis recently appeared on the "Up and Adams" show hosted by Kay Adams. He spoke about his visit with the Giants and how it was pretty awesome to have dinner with Wilson, along with other team personnel. Davis shared that he believes Wilson is "a legend" and that they had "a good dinner, a good night for sure." Adams then brought up how much she liked the idea of Wilson and Davis connecting on a deep ball, which led Davis to share his thoughts on the pairing, "Yeah, that's me and Russ' game for sure, a deep ball threat, and Russ knows how to sling it downfield. It's something I've looked into for sure."
Practices have started in Florham Park, and the Aaron Glenn era has officially begun. While it’s still very early, there are already plenty of storylines taking shape. From injuries and position battles to coaching changes, here are five takeaways from Jets Training Camp so far. 1. Justin Fields Injury Update and the Quarterback Depth Justin Fields left practice on Day Two with a toe injury during team drills. The initial scare had him carted off the field (as a front seat passenger), but an update from the team indicates the injury is minor and that Fields is considered day-to-day. In the meantime, veteran Tyrod Taylor stepped in with the starters. His experience makes him a reliable option, and undrafted rookie Adrian Martinez has also gotten some work. Rookie Brady Cook has seen action as well, though we can tell you he’s struggled during the first few practices. 2. Is There a True Competition at Center? Josh Myers took first-team reps at center on Day Two. This raises the question: Is there an actual competition brewing? Myers has experience snapping to Fields from their Ohio State days, so the early reps may have been based on familiarity. Still, it’s something to monitor as the Jets look to stabilize the interior of the offensive line. 3. Defense Sets the Tone Early According to KRL’s Day Two camp report, the defense made a strong impression by disrupting passing lanes and applying pressure throughout team drills. Quincy Williams stood out with physical coverage, and the unit as a whole seemed to be flying around with purpose. It’s still early, and players are not in full pads, but the defensive energy has been noticeable. With Glenn’s aggressive philosophy and returning talent across the board, the defense looks ready to carry its weight again in 2025. 4. A New Practice Structure Under Aaron Glenn Day One of camp revealed a different structure under Aaron Glenn. The Jets opened team drills by splitting the roster across parallel fields. The first-team offense and defense worked on one field, while the second, third, and fourth units rotated on another. It allowed for a faster pace, more reps for younger players, and a more efficient use of time. Glenn and his staff are focused on evaluation, and this format gives them a broader look at the full roster. 5. Special Teams Spots Up for Grabs With Greg Zuerlein and Thomas Morstead no longer on the roster, special teams is wide open. Neither kicker got reps during day one, but punters Austin McNamara and Matt Hayball were both active on Day One. It’s unclear who has the edge in either competition yet, but those positions will be key in preseason games. For now, it’s a true evaluation period. Final Thoughts The pads haven’t come on yet, but early in Jets training camp, we’re already seeing how this new coaching staff is putting their stamp on the team. There’s a long way to go before final rosters are set, but these early takeaways are setting the tone for what’s shaping up to be an interesting summer in Florham Park. Want more Jets insight? Join the conversation in our JetNation forums, the largest independent community of New York Jets fans. The post 5 (Early) Takeaways from Jets Training Camp So Far appeared first on JetNation.com - New York Jets Blog Forum.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!