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INDIANAPOLIS -- The 49ers aren't in the market for a starting quarterback, but they definitely need a backup.
Both Brandon Allen and Joshua Dobbs will be free agents in a few weeks and the 49ers should re-sign neither of them. They're not good enough. Instead, the 49ers should draft a quarterback in the late rounds, preferably someone similar to their starter, Brock Purdy. And the quarterback in this year's draft who has the most in common with Purdy probably is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
"All Gabriel has ever done between UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon in his six collegiate seasons is play darn good football," writes CBS Sports' Mike Renner. "He stepped on the field as a true freshman in 2019 and averaged 9.2 yards per attempt with 29 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions.
"As a sixth-year at Oregon, he led the No. 1 team in the nation, and I'd put his tape against Ohio State in the regular season up against any other quarterback's best game this last fall. He's short, yes (5-feet-10½), but the man has played more football entering the NFL (63 career starts) than anyone else in college football history.
"I'd bet good money he lands somewhere on the Russell Wilson to Brock Purdy spectrum of undersized quarterbacks in the NFL."
Gabriel will turn 25 in December, so he doesn't have a ton of potential. But he completed 72.9 percent of his passes, threw 30 touchdown passes and ran for 7 TDs in 2024. When he played at Oklahoma in 2023, he completed 69.3 percent of his passes, threw 30 touchdown passes ran for 12 touchdowns. So he's a bit of a dual threat. And he's a lefty, which is kind of cool.
Gabriel would be a terrific fit and a great value in the later rounds.
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Ohio State Buckeyes are dealing with a major SEC program trying to take a key recruit right out of Columbus
USC Trojans Will Be In A Battle With UCLA Bruins For Top Local Recruit
I’m not sure if I’m ready to transition to the 2027 recruiting class yet, but here we are. The USC Trojans have a historic 2026 class, currently with 32 total commits. The plan is to finish the class with 35 total commitments, which means that the 2027 class will likely be half that number. A smaller 2027 class means that the coaching staff will be a bit more selective and picky in who they offer. One of those players is elite defensive lineman George Toia. He is one of the most sought-after defensive linemen in the entire class. USC Trojans In Heavy Competition For George Toia The 6’2, 300-pound tackle is currently the 2nd-ranked DL in the 2027 class, according to Rivals Industry Rankings, and the 42nd-ranked overall player. He transferred from Fontana to Torrance (Bishop Montgomery) for his upcoming junior season. The Trojans will have an opportunity to land him, and will likely be someone who Coach Henderson could end up prioritizing, but they will have stout competition. Check Out Our USC Trojans Merch In The LAFB Locker Room! According to an interview with Rivals, Oklahoma and Miami have been making waves in his recruitment. On Miami specifically, Toia said: “Miami is a great school. I like the private education, and they’re pretty high up on the charts for me as well. I talk to the coaches there almost every day.” The USC Trojans’ biggest rival, the UCLA Bruins, is the school to watch and the one that will likely compete with SC the most. “It’s really the coaches,” Toia told Rivals about UCLA. Coach Malloe and I have a great relationship, and we talk almost every day. He checks up on me and we talk about d-line work. He’s a great coach and UCLA is a great school.” George’s brother, Jay, was enrolled at USC for about a semester before transferring and playing his entire career with the Bruins. He was a stalwart on the defensive line and a key player in Malloe’s defense. He did, however, play a season with the Trojans’ current DC, D’Anton Lynn, while Lynn was the DC in Westwood. The process is just getting started for all of these 2027 recruits, and George Toia will be one whom Trojans’ fans will want to keep an eye on.
Cubs catcher lost to horrific-looking injury on same day he returns from IL
After working to return to the Chicago Cubs' lineup following an oblique injury, Miguel Amaya suffered a gruesome-looking injury in his first game back with the Cubs on Wednesday night. Running to first base, Amaya just beat out an infield single on a slow dribbler to shortstop when his left foot landed forcefully on the base, causing his leg to buckle and sending Amaya flying down the first base line. Following the injury, Amaya was carted off the field in Toronto with a towel over his face. The emotions shown by Amaya as he was carted off indicated he knew already he would miss more time in a season that has been marred by injuries. After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed Amaya would be going back on the injured list with what was diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. X-rays, however, were negative. The 26-year-old Amaya had just told reporters after being activated from the 60-day injured list that he was thankful he was healthy. Just three at-bats later, Amaya was once again injured. Amaya's three at-bats against the Blue Jays on Wednesday represented his first game action since May 24, when he recorded just two at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds before leaving the game with an oblique injury. In just 96 at-bats this season, Amaya is slashing .281/.314/.500 with four home runs and 25 RBI. Amaya's injury is another blow for the Cubs, who have seen their lead in the National League Central evaporate as the Milwaukee Brewers have now won 12 consecutive games and are 20-4 since the All-Star break. As has been the case in Amaya's absence, Carson Kelly and Reese McGuire will continue to be the dominant presences behind the plate for the Cubs. Joining with Amaya, the duo has helped the Cubs record a 2.8 Wins Above Average (WAA) at catcher, the highest mark of any MLB team. After Amaya's injury, the Cubs would go on to post a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
Patriots have big Drake Maye concern surface at Vikings' joint practice
Defense ruled the day during the joint practice between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, the Patriots defense did a masterful job of disrupting Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Wednesday's practice. However, New England's offensive line was unable to allow Drake Maye to have enough time to finish plays. "Even with four new expected starters up front following last year’s debacle, Wednesday suggested that there will likely be some bumps ahead for this offensive line," Graff wrote. "Sure, going up against the Vikings was always going to be a difficult task. Greenard has been wrecking his own team’s practices in training camp, and everyone in New England knows how good Flores’ scheme can be. But the domination was so thorough by the Vikings’ front seven that three straight plays at one point would’ve resulted in a sack." Maye showed flashes of promise when he had time to throw downfield or was able to use his legs to buy time or scramble when pressure came. The concern is that the offensive line won't allow Maye enough time to even scramble, so he can make throws. Graff has noticed the same issues that happened on Wednesday have been a constant at training camp against the Patriots defense. With a new-look offensive line that includes first-round pick Will Campbell at left tackle, the Patriots are expected to have some bumps at training camp and in September. New England's offense probably won't look great out of the gate while the offensive line develops in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' scheme. If and when the offensive line improves, Maye will have a chance to show off the arm that made him the No. 3 pick in 2024. For now, the offensive line is a concern much like it was last season.
Steelers May Be Lying About Crucial Injury That Could Seriously Affect Pittsburgh's Offense
The Pittsburgh Steelers don't have much of a choice when it comes to the organization's offense in 2025. The unit has struggled for years, but the arrival of four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers is expected to change the trajectory of the group. The front office made a huge move to acquire DK Metcalf before the new league year, and he is expected to be the top target in the passing game. It will be fascinating to see who emerges as the second-most targeted individual, which is a role that many believe could belong to wide receiver Calvin Austin III. General Manager Omar Khan has been very aggressive throughout the 2025 offseason, but he also decided to trade George Pickens, who was thought to be the second piece of a dynamic duo that would have included Metcalf. After the deal that sent Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, Austin was the first name to pop up as the second wideout on the depth chart. Unfortunately, the pass-catcher, who is entering a contract year, has been on the sidelines for nearly two weeks while battling a mysterious injury. Respected team insider, Mark Kaboly, recently gave his analysis regarding the practices in Latrobe, and he labeled Austin as the number one loser out of everyone that attended the highly-anticipated training camp. "I am not ready to dismiss Austin because I know how good he can be, but missing close to two weeks with an undisclosed injury isn’t good," Kaboly wrote. "The Steelers being vague about the injury more and more by the day makes it even more concerning. With Austin pretty much penciled in as the WR2 before camp, there is no way to label the past three weeks other than disappointing." The mystery when it comes to Austin continues to baffle fans and reporters, but gives a little bit of a reminder to how the wide receiver's first professional season went. He was labeled as injured early on in the camp of 2022, but eventually landed on Injured Reserve without playing a single regular season snap. It's concerning to think that this ailment could be much more serious than the team is letting on, as Kaboly suggested. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has consistently been saying that Austin is day-to-day, but he typically does not admit to the media that something more serious is going on, unless it's absolutely necessary. There could be something else brewing that not many people know about, so fans shouldn't be surprised if something ends up coming to the surface about Austin's situation sooner rather than later. The regular season is now around the corner, and the Steelers can't afford not to have a plethora of weapons for Rodgers on the offensive side of the ball. Kaboly recently reported that the organization may be back in the mix for a wide receiver addition, which only fuels the fire to his theory about something significant going on with Austin. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith needs weapons, and the absence of Austin is hurting the development of an important positional group. Pittsburgh needs its offense to have a more dominating presence if a playoff run is the goal in 2025, so any kind of injury to Metcalf could seriously affect the unit's ability to put points on the scoreboard. Austin was envisioned to be a prominent and up-and-coming playmaker, but that notion may slow down very soon, if it hasn't already. The team needs someone who can be relied on if Metcalf is double-teamed, injured, or simply not having a good day. Steelers Could Make 1 More Splash Before 2025 Regular Season If Austin has more going on than many know about, the front office in Pittsburgh could certainly be looking at bringing in someone else to contribute. The tricky part is that Austin was allegedly going to be the number two option in the passing game. If the franchise truly believes the Super Bowl is within reach with Rodgers under center, it can't afford to acquire someone that won't contribute much.
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