On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
No. 1 athlete in the nation narrows down choices to two powerhouses
Brandon Arrington is a blue-chip 2026 recruit, without a doubt. He's a five-star from Spring Valley, California, (Mount Miguel High School) and is the consensus No. 1 athlete in the nation and a top-10 recruit overall.
He's a two-sport athlete — he's also an elite sprinter on the track and field side of things. On the gridiron, he's a two-way player for Mount Miguel. He caught 57 passes for 527 yards and five touchdowns as a junior, averaging 17 yards per catch. On defense, at corner, he notched 26 tackles, three passes broken up and an interception.
As the rankings and stats suggest, he's an elite athlete. It's worth noting that On3 ranks him as the No. 1 corner in the 2026 class, so he very well could end up on the defensive side of the ball in college.
Speaking of where he'll end up, just about every big-time program in the country has offered Arrington, but his recruitment is coming down to two schools.
It's going to be a battle between Oregon and Texas A&M. This is a decision that's going to be coming sooner rather than later for the elite recruit as well. According to what he put on social media, he's going to make an announcement on Thursday, June 19.
Gods plan‼️ pic.twitter.com/OKIoV0oEGX
— Brandon “Dash”Arrington jr 5 (@brandonjubie2) June 17, 2025
Which way is the five-star leaning? It's tough to say. He has an official visit scheduled to Texas A&M this weekend, which could be telling. The Aggies have also done a great job of steadily recruiting him ever since offering back in January 2024.
“It is the people at A&M,” Arrington had previously told On3’s Chad Simmons. “They all want me and they recruit me hard. From the start, it never changed with A&M. They recruited me the same, they built relationships and how consistent they have been stands out.”
Don't count the Ducks out, though. Arrington took an official visit to Oregon early in June, and he has good relationships with co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Chris Hampton as well as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi. That's not to mention head coach Dan Lanning.
“With Oregon, it is about the relationships I have with coach Hampton and coach Tosh,” Arrington told Simmons of On3 in early May. “We are close and I am so cool with coach Hampton. Coach Lanning always checks up on me and that bond I have with the staff is so good.”
This really feels like a recruiting battle that could go either way, which means neither program likely feels certain heading into the 19th.
There is one thing that is certain, though, whether it's Texas A&M or Oregon, one of these programs will be getting a big-time commitment.
More must-reads:
- Texas A&M steals standout recruit away from bitter rival in shocking turn of events
- Five nonconference games that will impact the College Football Playoff
- The 'Division 1 Texas football teams' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners lose yet another elite defensive recruit to an inferior program
Shocking Accusation: 2025 Notre Dame Opponent Allegedly Leaked Playbook Last Season
Colorado Buffaloes Win Total Projections For Deion Sanders' Third Season
The Colorado Buffaloes have once again been met with outside expectations lower than their own entering a new season. Both analytically and from the mouths of pundits, many are expecting coach Deion Sanders' squad to take a mini step back from last year's nine-win campaign. Losing quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter to the NFL is the biggest reason why those outside of Boulder anticipate a more average season ahead. Either Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter or incoming freshman Julian "JuJu" Lewis will start at quarterback, and it may take several playmakers to match Hunter's production. With Colorado set to open its preseason training camp on Monday, below is a look at what the analytics expect from the 2025 Buffs. ESPN's Football Power Index Projected Win Total: 6.5 ESPN's Football Power Index predicts Colorado to just barely qualify for a bowl game, tabbing the Buffs with a projected record of 6.5-5.5. In 69.5 percent of the simulations, Colorado reaches a bowl game, the 10th-highest mark in the Big 12 Conference. Colorado wins the Big 12 in only 2.4 percent of the simulations and reaches the College Football Playoff in only 3.1 percent. The Buffs reached the national championship game in 0.1 percent of the simulations. Sports Analytics Expert Parker Fleming Projected Average Win Total: 6.1 Sports analytics expert Parker Fleming isn't quite as high on the Buffs compared to ESPN's FPI. Six wins would still give the Buffs their second straight bowl game, but a .500 season would likely be considered a failure by "Coach Prime" and his staff. Fleming's model uses 10,000 simulations based on his preseason priors. Kelley Ford Ratings Projected Average Big 12 Win Total: 3.8 Another respected analytics outlet, Kelley Ford projects the Buffs to win 3.8 of their nine Big 12 games, a drastic decrease from the seven conference games Colorado won last season. If the projection holds, Colorado would finish 11th in the 16-team conference. The Kansas State Wildcats were projected to finish first in the Big 12 Conference (6.2 average wins), followed by the Arizona State Sun Devils (5.8), BYU Cougars (5.5) and Texas Tech Red Raiders (5.5). Colorado Football's Complete 2025 Regular Season Schedule (All Times MT) Aug. 29 vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6 p.m., ESPN) Sept. 6 vs. Delaware Blue Hens (1:30 p.m., Fox) Sept. 12 at Houston Cougars (5:30 p.m., ESPN) Sept. 20 vs. Wyoming Cowboys (TBA) Sept. 27 vs. BYU Cougars (8:15 p.m., ESPN) Oct. 4 at TCU Horned Frogs (TBA) Oct. 11 vs. Iowa State Cyclones (TBA) Oct. 25 at Utah Utes (TBA) Nov. 1 vs. Arizona Wildcats (TBA) Nov. 8 at West Virginia Mountaineers (TBA) Nov. 22 vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (TBA) Nov. 29 at Kansas State Wildcats (TBA)
Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
New report suggests Christian Wilkins release related to 'incident' with teammate
There may be more to Christian Wilkins’ recent surprise release from the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported Saturday that "some sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in-part into the Raiders' fatigue and release" of Wilkins. The nature of the incident is not clear. However, many believe the Raiders had a very good reason to move on from Wilkins considering the money they had invested in him. It also suggests the Raiders saw no alternative if they went straight to a release. Wilkins was dumped by the Raiders just one year into a four-year, $110 million deal. The Raiders suggested Wilkins failed to take rehab seriously as he tries to work his way back from a foot injury. Other teams do not appear to have the same concerns about Wilkins as the Raiders did, and he should find a new landing spot fairly easily. That is one of the reasons some suspect there is more to the Raiders’ decision than they are publicly saying.
Mets Make Mark Vientos Decision After Luis Robert Jr. Trade Report
Right-handed slugger Mark Vientos is in his fourth season with the New York Mets after making his debut in 2022. The 24-year-old emerged as a rising star for New York last year, playing 111 games and posting career highs with a .266 batting average and an .837 OPS. He also elevated his performance in the 2024 postseason, batting .327 with 18 hits, five home runs, 14 RBIs and eight runs scored in 13 games, leading the Mets to an NLCS appearance. Vientos recently recovered from a right hamstring strain that sidelined him for a few weeks in June, but since then he has really struggled to return to form and regain his production at the plate. Ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants, the Mets decided to bench Vientos (the second time in the last three games). The decision to leave him out of the lineup came after Bob Nightengale reported that the Chicago White Sox require Vientos to be involved in any trade for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. Mets general manager David Stearns recently said the Mets will be “engaged” when it comes to possibly adding a center fielder, so addressing that outfield need and Vientos losing playing time may push the organization to part ways with him. In 2025, Vientos is hitting .226 with a .638 OPS, six home runs and 27 RBIs, a steep drop-off in production after his breakout year. He will remain under team control for five more seasons after 2025 and will not hit free agency until 2030.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
