After the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to play one in 2021 which ended with Baylor spoiling Gonzaga’s hopes of an undefeated season. Despite the start to the 2021 college basketball season being over six months away, that isn’t stopping preseason rankings projections and 2021 NCAA Tournament bracketology projections from flowing in. On Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi updated his bracketology projection for 2021, which means he made projections for each of the four top seeds. In Lunardi’s most recent update, the top seeds are Gonzaga (West Region), UCLA (South), Alabama (East) and Kansas (Midwest). The big news for Gonzaga lately was Monday’s commitment of No. 1 overall recruit Chet Holmgren . A 7-foot, 190-pound prospect out of Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, Holmgren has been one of the top-coveted prospects in basketball for quite some time now. He had offers from countless blue-blood schools, but Michigan, … [Read more...] about Joe Lunardi projects the four top seeds for 2021 NCAA Tournament
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Villanova stars Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels return for 2021-2022 season
Two key members of the Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball team will return for the 2021-2022 season . Wildcats’ standouts Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels are heading back to campus. Both players were a part of a quartet that averaged double-figures last season. Gillespie scored 14.0 points per game and shot 42.8% from the field. Samuels averaged 12.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. With their return, Villanova will have three of their four top scorers back in the fold. They will join Justin Moore back in the starting lineup. Gillespie will provide a veteran presence once full healthy. He suffered torn MCL in his left knee last season that kept him out of the NCAA Tournament. The co-BIG EAST Player of the Year is excited to play another season with the Wildcats as a senior. Gillespie said he spoke with his family and got valuable feedback before making his decision. He plans to take advantage of the extra year and return to form on the court. “It is going … [Read more...] about Villanova stars Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels return for 2021-2022 season
Rasul Douglas signs with Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed NFL veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas to a free-agent deal for the upcoming season. Douglas has spent four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers. Douglas shined as a starter with the Panthers in 2020. He started 11 of 14 games and recorded 62 tackles and nine passes defended. In his career, Douglas has played in 60 NFL games after being drafted in the third round out of West Virginia. The Raiders have looked for additional secondary help this offseason. Douglas will prove depth and a veteran presence for young corners in Damon Arnette , Trayvon Mullen and Amik Robertson . Douglas also has NFL playoff experience. He was a part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run during the 2017 season. He has played in six career playoff games and should provide consistent production on the outside. The Raiders will pair Douglas alongside fellow NFL veteran Karl Joseph as well. Both players will replace the experience lost by … [Read more...] about Rasul Douglas signs with Las Vegas Raiders
Paul Finebaum shares how Nick Saban finds value in former NFL coaches
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban always seems to reload his program at each level when needed. Just as top players enter the NFL ranks each season, Saban also sees assistants receive new coaching jobs. This season, it was offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian leaving to take the Texas Longhorns head coaching job . Saban replaced Sarkisian with former Houston Texans and Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien . He also added former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone as the new offensive line coach. So how does Saban do it? ESPN host and college football analyst Paul Finebaum explored that question on ESPN’s Get Up! on Friday. Finebaum explained that Saban is always looking two steps ahead and that his efforts have rewarded the program. “ Nick Saban had to replace a bunch of coaches this year,” Finebaum said. “What did he do? He brought in Doug Marrone who got fired from Jacksonville as his OL coach, and then what did he do for OC after Steve … [Read more...] about Paul Finebaum shares how Nick Saban finds value in former NFL coaches
Jim Nagy says Josh Palmer deserves more attention ahead of NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is filled with hyped prospects that drive headlines. Several NFL evaluators boost the draft stock of players through countless mock drafts and interviews with media outlets in the lead up to the annual event. It often leads to some prospects getting overlooked. Ultimately, those players become sleepers in the NFL Draft as they likely outperform their draft position. One name that can fit in that category is Tennessee receiver Josh Palmer . Palmer did not record big numbers in his Tennessee tenure. He had 33 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns in 2020. He averaged 14.4 yards per catch despite being a top option for the Volunteers. However, NFL scouts must look at the game film. According to Reese’s Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy, Palmer is someone that deserves more praise heading into the 2021 NFL Draft. “We’ve been talking too much about some WRs in this class and not nearly enough about Tennessee Football receiver Josh Palmer ,” Nagy said. … [Read more...] about Jim Nagy says Josh Palmer deserves more attention ahead of NFL Draft