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As it turned out, Wednesday was a nice day for the Kansas State football program.
Safety Dominic Mitchell became the second defensive player to verbally commit to the Wildcats on the day. Mitchell, 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, Brophy Prep in Arizona, joined linebacker Maguire Richman, becoming the ninth and 10th high school football players to join K-State’s 2025 recruiting class.
The list of schools that offered Mitchell a scholarship is impressive. He demonstrates the credentials of one day being a leader in the Wildcats football program. Air Force, Army, Navy and Princeton were some of the schools Mitchell could have committed to.
On his X page, Mitchell said he is 1000 percent committed to K-State.
“I’m home. Manhattan,” Mitchell added.
1000% COMMITTED‼️‼️ I’M HOME
— Dominic Mitchell (@dommitchell_) June 19, 2024
MANHATTAN#AGTG #EMAW #BST @KStateFB @BrophyFootball @jason247scout @CoachKlanderman @CoachKli pic.twitter.com/Uc2eXFHHv4
Ranked as a three-star player by Rivals.com, Brophy recorded 72 tackles, including 5.5 for losses. He also experienced winning. Brophy Prep went 10-3 a year ago.
Mitchell is the eighth defensive player to commit to K-State.
Overall, Mitchell becomes the 10th high school player to commit to K-State this spring, joining Dillon Duff, 6-2, 200-pound quarterback Desmet (Missouri), Will Kemna-5, 260 defensive tackle, Helias Catholic (Missouri.), Weston Polk, 6-2, 210 linebacker, Coppell (Texas) and Martel Jackson, 6-2, 175 cornerback, Derby (Kansas), Adonis Moise, 6-oot-1, 180-pounds wide receiver from IMG Academy (Florida), Dalton Knapp, 6-5, 225-pounds defensive end, All Saints Episcopal (Texas), Sawyer Schilke, 6-3, 230-pounds linebacker, Kearney, (Nebraska), JoJo Scott, 6-2, 175-pounds, Victory Christian Academy, Lakeland (Florida), and Maguire Richman, 6-2, 210-pounds linebacker, Blue Valley (Kansas).
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Yankees' unlikely answer emerges from depth chart to save season — for now
One out, seventh inning, 2-2 tie in Arlington. Ben Rice watched from the dugout as manager Aaron Boone called Paul Goldschmidt to pinch-hit for Austin Wells. When Goldschmidt crushed a 0-2 fastball over the left-field wall for the go-ahead run, the New York Yankees had their first lead since the fifth inning. More importantly, they had it because Rice's catching ability made the crucial substitution possible. The 26-year-old's emergence as a multi-position weapon couldn't be more timely. The Yankees entered Wednesday's Texas series finale having blown a seven-game AL East lead since May 28, sitting 6.5 games behind Toronto and 3.5 behind Boston for the first wild card. They'd started August 0-5, desperate for any break before facing Houston at home. Rice represents the internal solution they've needed. His .779 OPS sits well above the .719 MLB average, powered by 16 home runs and elite contact metrics. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 95th percentile or higher in hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, expected slugging and expected weighted on-base average. Those numbers seem impossible considering where Rice started. The 2021 12th-round Dartmouth pick hit .171 in 178 plate appearances last season. But knowing he'd catch in 2025, Rice added 10 pounds to his frame and worked relentlessly on his receiving skills. The defensive flexibility pays dividends beyond Wednesday's game. Rice has posted a +2 fielding run value across 84 innings caught and 180 innings at first base. Not spectacular, but competent enough to create the matchup advantages Boone exploited against the Rangers. Rice embodies exactly what championship teams find within their system. Aaron Judge remains the Yankees' best player, but Rice may be their most valuable in pure utility terms. His ability to produce above-average offense while handling two premium positions creates strategic options other teams lack. Wednesday's sequence proved the point. Without Rice's catching ability, Boone couldn't have pinch-hit Goldschmidt in that crucial spot. The move worked because Rice had spent months building trust through consistent performance at both positions. The Yankees still trail Toronto by 6.5 games with the Astros series looming next. Their playoff chances remain fragile yet likely, per FanGraphs, after months of disappointing baseball. But Rice's ascension from .171 hitter to essential depth piece shows what's possible when overlooked talent meets opportunity. If the Yankees accomplish anything meaningful this season, they'll trace it back to moments like Wednesday's seventh inning. Not because of Goldschmidt's clutch homer, but because Ben Rice made that moment possible.
Gap between star WR Terry McLaurin, Commanders revealed
As of Thursday morning, the Washington Commanders and Terry McLaurin remained in a contract stalemate after the 29-year-old wide receiver in the final year of his current deal requested a trade. During Thursday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler noted that the Commanders and McLaurin are locked in "a classic standoff" as McLaurin allegedly looks to secure "parts" of the five-year, $150M deal that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave DK Metcalf this past March. "They have been far apart," Fowler said about the negotiations between the Commanders and McLaurin, as shared by Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report. "...[McLaurin] has wanted metrics of the DK Metcalf contract, which is $32M. I'm told the Washington Commanders have only been slightly above where he was before, which is $23M. So take that gap, that's $7M to 8M that they have to bridge." Fowler added that Washington "has got some calls about McLaurin" this summer because "there's some interest league-wide" in learning whether or not the wideout could become available. For what it's worth, numerous reporters have said since McLaurin went public with his trade request that he likely won't go anywhere before Washington opens the season with a home game against the New York Giants on Sept. 7. ESPN's John Keim mentioned that Washington's joint practice with the New England Patriots on Wednesday showed that the Commanders "need McLaurin back on the field" as soon as possible. That's understandable, as McLaurin recorded team highs of 117 targets, 82 receptions and 1,096 receiving yards to help quarterback Jayden Daniels become the Offensive Rookie of the Year for the 2024 season. Additionally, McLaurin finished the 2024 campaign ranked second in the entire NFL with 13 touchdown catches. As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook continued to list a Washington team coming off a trip to this year's NFC Championship Game sixth among the betting favorites at +1800 odds to win Super Bowl LX. Perhaps Wednesday's joint practice will spark more positive conversations between McLaurin's camp and the Commanders that will result in the playmaker rejoining summer practices as soon as early next week.
Manchester United aims to deal fresh blow to Newcastle in striker chase
Manchester United is reportedly closing in on a major coup in the striker transfer market, aiming to deal a fresh blow to Newcastle United in the pursuit of RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko. The highly rated Slovenian striker has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest prospects, sparking a fierce bidding war between the two Premier League clubs. Newcastle initially led the race, submitting a bid just under £70 million (around $92 million), viewing the 22-year-old as the ideal long-term replacement for departing star striker Alexander Isak. The second offer reportedly stood at £69.7 million plus add-ons, but an agreement has yet to be secured. Isak, who is a target for Liverpool, has expressed a desire to leave St James’ Park, prompting Newcastle to prioritize finding a worthy successor in Sesko. However, Manchester United has since joined the chase with a competitive bid just under £74 million, £65 million plus £8.9 million in add-ons. The Red Devils have reportedly agreed on personal terms with the striker and are continuing negotiations with the German club. Despite Newcastle’s higher bid, Sesko is understood to prefer a move to Old Trafford, influenced by United’s historic stature, the club’s vision under current management and the greater exposure the club offers despite missing out on this season’s Champions League. This development leaves Newcastle in a difficult position. Failing to land Sesko forces it to seek alternatives to replace Isak, with names like Ollie Watkins and Yoane Wissa reportedly on the radar. Securing a talent of Sesko’s caliber would have provided a clear path forward for its attacking ambitions. Newcastle has faced criticism this summer after missing out on several targets, including Hugo Ekitike and James Trafford, who have joined Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively, in significant deals. This raises questions about the Saudi-owned club’s transfer strategy despite its financial muscle. For Manchester United, signing Sesko would strengthen its frontline and send a message to rivals that it remains a formidable force in the transfer market, despite its record-low 15th-place finish last season. The club’s focus on youth investment aligns with its broader rebuilding plan. As talks continue, United reportedly holds the upper hand in this high-stakes striker chase.
Green Bay Packers: MarShawn Lloyd Makes 1 Promise Amid Frustrating Setbacks
The Green Bay Packers are excited to find out what a whole healthy season from running back MarShawn Lloyd can contribute to their offense. Sure, the Packers have an elite running back as the top option on the ground in the form of Josh Jacobs, but Lloyd presents an exciting potential that remains untapped, in large part because of health setbacks. Lloyd played in only one game in 2024, his first season in the NFL. In the 2024 offseason, he dealt with hip and hamstring injuries. In Week 1 of the 2024 season, the former USC Trojans star running back suffered an ankle injury that landed him on the injured reserve. Just when he was about to get back to action, he was hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy. Lloyd looked forward to the 2025 offseason and was among the most noticeable players in training camp until suffering a non-contact injury that has since sidelined him. Despite all that he’s gone through, Lloyd remains optimistic. Lloyd determined to make an impact in Year 2 with Green Bay Packers “It did. It does,” Lloyd said when asked about whether the setbacks had bothered him (h/t a video posted by Dominique Yates of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft by the Packers, Lloyd knows that it’s “going to be fun” once he gets unleashed on the field again. “But at the end of the day, I just got to stay in my face, you know, I feel like everything happens for a reason when, you know, when it’s time, you know, like I said, God’s gonna give me the strength to be able to do things I need to do. And when he lets me loose, it’s going to be a fun one. It’s going to be a good one. I’m excited to play with, you know, guys like Josh Jacobs, guys like Amalia Wilson, and guys like Chris Brooks. So it’s going to be, it’s going to be fun. I’m excited.” It remains to be seen whether Lloyd will get the green light to see some snaps in this coming Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Jets at Lambeau Field. But at least he’s already started rehabbing, which is a good sign for his chances to play in the Packers’ 2025 season opener at home against the Detroit Lions.
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