Barlow selected to TSWA All-State Wrestling Team

Broncos first-round QB Bo Nix signs rookie contract

Giants sign first-round pick Malik Nabers to reported $29.2M deal

New York Giants first-round draft pick Malik Nabers signed his four-year rookie contract Friday ahead of the start of rookie camp. The team announced the signing but not the terms. Multiple reports said the fully guaranteed deal is worth $29.2 million with a signing bonus of $18.1 million and includes the standard team option for a fifth season. "Surreal," Nabers said of signing his contract. "When I put my name on that paper, I was kind of shaking a little bit and I got emotional because the job is not done, but another stage in my life was done. For me to make it to this part of my life and part of my journey, it was a pat on my back in that moment." Nabers, a wide receiver, was selected by the Giants with the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU. Nabers had 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games last season while playing with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. Nabers, who turns 21 in July, said he isn't worried about what kind of numbers he can put up as a rookie. "Right now, it's just learning the playbook, interacting with my teammates and the rookies here," Nabers said. "Trying to learn how to be a Giant, following the instructions, rules they have here. It's just being a pro at the end of the day." Giants coach Brian Daboll said deciphering the team's offensive system is something Nabers needs to tackle. "He's got a lot to learn," Daboll said, "and I would say learning the information and how we do things is the most important right now." Nabers was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which honors the nation's best receiver. That award ultimately went to Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State. Running back Tyrone Tracy, a fifth-round draft choice from Purdue, also signed his rookie contract. Tracy rushed for 716 yards and eight touchdowns last season for the Boilermakers. --Field Level Media

The Arizona Cardinals brought more help for quarterback Kyler Murray, agreeing to terms Friday with free agent receiver Zay Jones, according to multiple reports. Arizona selected top wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall at the NFL draft last month. Multiple reports peg the one-year deal with Jones to be worth $4.25 million. After three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones was released April 30 following the draft, in which the Jaguars selected LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall. Jones, 29, reportedly also drew interest from the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys. Selected by the Buffalo Bills 37th overall pick in 2017, Jones also played for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders before spending the past two seasons in Jacksonville. Jones caught 47 passes for the Raiders in 2021 and 82 for 823 yards in 2022 with the AFC South champion Jaguars. He started 15 of the 16 games he played in 2022. Injuries and misdemeanor domestic battery charges were among Jones' troubles last season, though the court case was subsequently dropped. Jones played in only nine games in 2023, catching 34 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns. Over his eight NFL seasons (104 games, 67 starts), Jones has 287 receptions, 3.028 yards and 18 touchdowns.. -Field Level Media

Former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. will stand trial for first-degree felony rape and felony sexual aggravated battery next month, a Kansas judge ruled Friday. The decision came at Shannon's preliminary hearing in Douglas County, Kansas. Judge Sally Pokorny ruled there was probably cause for the case to go to trial. The trial is slated to start June 10. "Our legal team is neither shocked nor disappointed by the outcome of this event," Mark Sutter, one of Shannon's attorneys, said in a statement. "A preliminary hearing is a procedural process that merely speaks to the threshold of evidence and whether a question of fact may exist for a jury. It has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. Those issues will be decided at trial, and we continue to look forward to our day in court." A woman accused Shannon of sexually penetrating her with his fingers at a bar in Lawrence, Kan., on Sept. 9. The woman identified Shannon through pictures she saw online and informed police he was her assaulter. Shannon was arrested and charged in the case. After a warrant was issued in late December, Illinois suspended Shannon indefinitely. He missed six games before gaining a restraining order by a federal judge allowed him to rejoin the Illini. Shannon stood out for Illinois with a 23.0 scoring average in 32 games (31 starts) this season. He led the team in scoring and 3-point baskets (77). Shannon guided Illinois to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before it lost to eventual national champion UConn. The university dropped its investigation into Shannon in April. Shannon is hopeful of being selected in the NBA Draft, slated for June 26-27. He has been projected as a lottery pick by some draft entities. --Field Level Media

Ex-Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. to stand trial for rape

Aidan O'Connell started 10 games as a rookie for the Las Vegas Raiders and has shown further progression in the offseason. So despite the addition of veteran Gardner Minshew, O'Connell is the early leader in the club's quarterback battle. "Aidan's earned the right to go out there and earn the first snap," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Friday. "What he's done this offseason -- changing his body, his work ethic, being here every day, blocking out the outside noise. He's not worried about anything. I'm excited. "Then you bring Gardner in here ... talk about personality. ... It's great. It's great for our building. It's great for our quarterback room. And if you got competition in the quarterback room, what does every other room look at?" O'Connell, 25, completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games last season after being a fourth-round pick out of Purdue. He was 5-5 in his 10 starts. He was especially good late in the season, firing eight touchdown passes against no interceptions over the final four games. Minshew, who turns 28 next Thursday, was signed in the offseason as a free agent after spending last season with the Indianapolis Colts. He passed for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 17 games (13 starts) and was a Pro Bowler for the first time. But with the Colts committed to Anthony Richardson as their long-term option at quarterback, Minshew departed and chose the Raiders as his best option to get on the field in 2024. Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco says his team has two good options at quarterback competing for the job. "That's the plan is to have both those guys really compete through the offseason program, but more so in training camp, and we'll see how it plays out," Telesco said. "I thought Aidan did an excellent job last year in a really difficult situation where the head coach changed, the (offensive) coordinator changed and he played really good football down the stretch. I've had a chance to be around him a little bit more in the building and you kind of see the quarterback intangibles that are there, which is nice to have, that you have to have as a franchise quarterback. "And then with Gardner, you know, Gardner played well last year with the Colts. I mean, he was in the Pro Bowl, so obviously had a pretty good year. He's always performed at a high level when he's given that opportunity, so to have both those guys here competing for the job, we'll see how it goes." Pierce is in his first full season as Raiders coach after replacing the fired Josh McDaniels at midseason and guiding Las Vegas to a 5-4 record over the final nine games. And he likes what he sees, while understanding that the season is still four months away. "What I see is guys getting out there early," Pierce said. "Aidan is already kind of taking the bull by the horn and he's leading the way, and Minshew's right there doing it as well. "Two guys that played against each other last year, they went neck to neck. But I'm really excited to see what happens. I think it's going to be a process. We're going to stick to the process." --Field Level Media