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Ron Wolfley is stepping down as the Arizona Cardinals radio color analyst after 20 years on the microphone, he announced Friday.
Wolfley will continue to talk football and more every weekday on Arizona Sports 98.7’s Wolf & Luke from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. He will also continue to appear on Big Red Rage, which is produced by the Cardinals and airs every Thursday night from 6-7 p.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7 or ESPN 620 AM.
Wolfley gave a statement about his decision to walk away from the booth:
First, I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for His providence and provision in my life.
Having said that, it is with a thankful and grateful heart, I’d like to announce I’m stepping down as the Arizona Cardinals radio analyst.
I would like to thank my wife, Stephanie, my kids, Savannah and Vedder, and my football family for all of the support I have received throughout the years.
I’d like to thank Michael Bidwill and the Bidwill family for 27 incredible years within the organization as a player and broadcaster. In almost three decades, my time with the organization was filled with love, respect and professionalism.
The game of football is in my blood. I come from a football family. God used football in my life and I’m so grateful to Him for allowing me to “strap on the boots and bloody-up the knuckles.”
But it’s time to slow down, be a father, be present with my kids and serve my God and my family better.
The Wolf & Luke show will continue! Being able to put on the headphones and talk about the games I love makes me feel like I’m 22, in the tunnel and ready to go. Thank you, Bonneville Phoenix, for allowing me to broadcast and remember what it was like to play the greatest game at the highest level.
Wolfley said his desire to prioritize his children’s pursuits in high school was the driving factor in his decision to step away from his job providing in-game analysis of the Cardinals.
Wolfley’s son, Vedder, will be a sophomore next season playing for the Horizon High School football team. His daughter, Savannah, will be entering her senior year in the fall and is heavily involved in choir and performing arts.
Moving forward, he said sticking with his weekday job on Wolf & Luke will fill his love of talking football.
“I think the momentum of the show, I love,” Wolfley said. “I love where it’s going. I’m so excited that I get to continue to talk about the game that I love. I can’t emphasize that enough.
“Yes, it’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be very difficult to actually watch (the Cardinals) play and know that I’m not there. Yet at the same time, I also know my responsibility of being a dad and how important that is, and that pretty much puts everything into perspective for me.”
Wolfley played fullback for the St. Louis Cardinals after becoming a fourth-round pick out of West Virginia in 1985 and moved with the franchise as it became the Phoenix Cardinals and ultimately the Arizona Cardinals. He remained with the team through 1991 before finishing his career with the Cleveland Browns (1992-93) and St. Louis Rams (1995).
He returned to the Cardinals as a broadcaster and has been serving alongside play-by-play voice Dave Pasch, where his Wolfley-isms have captivated Arizona fans.
Calling NFL games as a color analyst is a “generational job,” in Wolfley’s words.
From his perspective, doing it right means having a relatable experience to the current game.
A few decades removed from his playing days, Wolfley believes the Cardinals can find a replacement who has a stronger understanding of the modern game.
“The way they train football players today to play in an NFL game, I have absolutely nothing in common with them,” he said. “I think they can bring somebody in much younger than I am and somebody who can really relate to what is going on. So for me, it’s a situation where I just am so grateful and thankful for the opportunity to talk about the game that I love, and I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for that very thing — that I was given the opportunity to go out and talk about the game that I love, the game that he allowed me to play.
“What I love the most about the game of football is talking about the game of football. And that’s why I’m so grateful: I’m going to be able to continue to talk about the game of football right here on Arizona Sports 98.7.”
SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Blaze Alexander suffered a right oblique strain while working in the batting cages on Wednesday and will miss time leading up to the regular season.
Manager Torey Lovullo said Alexander will be out “weeks, not days” with a grade 1 strain, and he may run out of time before Opening Day to make his case to compete for a roster spot.
“It’s unfortunate, it’s an untimely injury,” Lovullo said. “I know he worked hard. I could see his game and the improvements he made, and he had a real opportunity to show us what he could do.
“He will still get that opportunity when the time comes. He’s got to get healthy. Clearly, he will most likely run out of time to show us through the course of spring training, but that’s part of the game, and being adaptable, making adjustments is part of our culture.”
Alexander entered camp in a competition to win the bench, utility infield spot behind starting second baseman Ketel Marte, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and third baseman Eugenio Suarez.
The 25-year-old earned his first major league opportunity last season, making the Opening Day roster after a standout spring performance.
He finished his rookie year with 61 games played, a slash line of .247/.321/.343 and 10 extra-base hits. His defense at shortstop was inconsistent early on, which became an emphasis of his to improve. He’s athletic with a strong arm, and the Diamondbacks have tested his versatility.
“I’m working at third base, working at shortstop, second. There are talks about maybe a little outfield here. So definitely kind of embracing that super utility role and whatever the team needs,” Alexander told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday, before the injury. “Man, I just want to go out there. Want to be a big leaguer and help the Diamondbacks win.”
The Diamondbacks have brought in several external candidates to compete for that utility role, such as Garrett Hampson, Grae Kessinger and familiar face Ildemaro Vargas.
Shortstop prospect Jordan Lawlar is expected to earn a role on the big league club at some point, although when exactly and in what capacity is uncertain at this point.
Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan will not be participating in any of the 2025 NFL Draft Combine drills this week.
It’s unclear what McMillan’s plans are for Arizona’s pro day, though he is expected to attend the Big 12 Pro Day set for March 18-21.
McMillan entered the week of the combine with a first-round projection for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft after finishing off his college career with 84 catches for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned a First Team All-Big 12 nod for his efforts.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s latest mock ahead of the combine had McMillan landing with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 22 overall.
“People look at me as a big receiver, which I am. I’m physically dominant, but at the end of the day, I’m able to run every route in the route tree,” McMillan told reporters Friday. “I’m able to play inside or outside. I feel like a lot of people, a lot of teams are sleeping on that right now.”
McMillan said Friday that he has spoken with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots and New York Jets this week.
All but the Cowboys (No. 12 overall), own a top 10 first round pick this NFL Draft.
As far as who McMillan models his game after, you don’t have to travel too far up the road from Tucson.
“No one specifically currently that I looked up to or modeled my game after, but I can say in the past, it’s definitely been Larry Fitzgerald,” McMillan said.
Not a bad player to emulate!
In addition to McMillan, Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo told reporters Tuesday that he will only participate in the vertical and broad jumps this week.
Tempe Town Lake is only 110 miles north of Tucson, which makes the mistake ESPN+ made on Wednesday night quite ridiculous.
Utah squared off versus Arizona in Tucson, as a scenic shot of the lake was shown when the broadcast crew returned from halftime.
“A beautiful look at Tucson, Arizona,” play-by-play broadcaster Pete Souza said on the ESPN+ broadcast.
The only problem is that the lake is in Tempe and not Tucson.
@espn @Big12Conference Okay guys, who transported Tempe Town Lake and the Mill Ave Bridge all the way to Tucson? We're not mad, just wanna know. @TheSunDevils https://t.co/977hTp6d6g
— City of Tempe, AZ (@Tempegov) February 27, 2025
Both cities start with “T,” so close enough, right?
Tempe Town Lake is Arizona’s second-most visited public attraction, according to its website. It is a two-mile long lake that is approximately a seven-minute dive from ASU’s Desert Financial Arena.
Or maybe ESPN thought the shot of Tempe Town Lake was Santa Cruz River Park, which is a 10-minute drive from Arizona’s campus.
Even with that reasoning, the scenic lights on the Mill Avenue Bridge in Tempe do not resemble anything near what Santa Cruz River Park looks like.
In Souza’s defense, Arizona State tipped off against BYU at 7:30 p.m. at Desert Financial Arena, while the Utah versus Arizona game started at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ as well.
A mix-up of shots with the production crew probably took place in the control room.
Someone’s getting fired. OK, hopefully not. But folks, that is why it is important to double-check — maybe in this case triple-check — your work.
It is not the first time a mix-up between the two Arizona universities has happened.
A similar incident happened when ESPN analyst Sam Acho was talking about Arizona State’s Cinderella run in football when a U of A logo was shown on the graphic.
Can’t believe ESPN still gets this wrong…
BUT we can always count on @TheSamAcho to have the Valley’s back! @12SportsAZ pic.twitter.com/lN85GM41nz
— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) December 11, 2024
“We are talking about Arizona State,” Acho said. “We did not know who was going to be in the Big 12 — but that should be an ASU symbol. That’s how much of a Cinderella story it is.”
In 2023, Pac-12 Network showed ASU’s pitchfork logo on a first-and-10 drive for Arizona against UTEP in a football game.
Our own conference (on life support) disrespects the Arizona Wildcats by putting that abomination of a pitchfork graphic on the field??#BearDown pic.twitter.com/u8hzmelRLm
— Dan Spindle (@DanSpindleNews) September 17, 2023
In 2019, a Sun Bowl official messed up ASU’s mascot name when announcing that Arizona State would be playing Florida State.
He called ASU the “Arizona State Wildcats.”
It is not that difficult to differentiate two schools from the same state.
If Mississippi State and Ole Miss can do it, then surely networks can do the same for both Arizona schools.
The Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday announced that plans have been underway on a new $100 million training facility, Arizona Sports confirms.
In a team statement to Arizona Sports, the Cardinals revealed they are targeting a 2027 completion date for the new facility at the existing Tempe location.
“Our goal is to provide the best possible environment, facilities and resources and to give our team the greatest opportunity to succeed,” the team said. “We are working hard to achieve that. Last season, we shared with our players the plans for a new training facility at the existing Tempe location with a targeted completion date of 2027.
“We have hired Rossetti, a leading architecture firm that has worked with a number of NFL teams on their new facilities, and the design process is underway. We will continue to explore all the other ways — large and small — that we can get better in every single area of our operation.”
Word of the new training facility comes after Arizona graded 32nd in the third annual NFLPA report cards, which polled 77% of players from around the league on current conditions within the 32 franchises, released Wednesday.
Among the biggest complaints players had with Arizona centered around training facility amenities such as the weight room (31st in the NFL) and locker room (32nd), which received an F and F-, respectively.
The training room received a D- (32nd).
The Cardinals’ current training facility sits at Warner Road and Hardy Drive in Tempe. It includes two outdoor practice fields, a practice bubble, locker room and football offices.
The majority of the business side of the operation sits less than a half mile north of the facility after moving in 2024.
The Los Angeles Rams have made the difficult decision to move on from one of their cornerstone players this offseason, informing Cooper Kupp that they intend to trade him at some point soon. While no trade has come to fruition yet, all indications are that Kupp has played his last down with the Rams.
He announced the Rams’ plans on social media earlier this month and now three weeks later, Sean McVay has commented on it for the first time publicly. On the “Fitz and Whit” podcast with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth, he discussed the decision to move on from Kupp, which wasn’t an easy one.
He shared his love and appreciation for the eight-year veteran, calling him an “all-time Ram” no matter what.
“I’m a better human, I’m a better coach, I’m a better person because of my relationship and the influence Cooper Kupp’s had on me,” McVay said. “His legacy in my life and as a Ram is cemented forever. And we’ve had to have some honest conversations. And here’s the reality, too. I think you always preface it with, you have a responsibility to the collective and it doesn’t mean you’re right. I’ve been wrong before, I’ll be wrong again. Doesn’t change my love, my appreciation, my gratitude for everything that he’s meant.”
As great as Kupp has been for the Rams since being drafted in the third round in 2017, he’s become injury-prone and expensive. With a cap hit of $29.78 million in 2025, McVay and the Rams believe they can better allocate that money elsewhere – and potentially even get something in return for the receiver in a trade.
McVay has nothing but respect and appreciation for what Kupp has helped him accomplish as a head coach, but he no longer fits in the Rams’ plans.
“When you do look at putting together the puzzle, sometimes decisions that you try to be able to make for the collective don’t necessarily fit with people that are so special,” McVay said. “And no matter what he does, he’s an all-time Ram from this point on, whether he played another snap or not for the Rams – or wherever he goes on to have success for however many years he wants to continue to do it. But you try to say it’s business, it’s personal. It all is intermixed. I don’t think you can separate it. I think you acknowledge that tough decisions have to be made.”
Kupp was the MVP of Super Bowl LVI with the Rams, the Offensive Player of the Year and the triple crown winner that season. It was one of the greatest seasons ever by a wide receiver and though Kupp hasn’t come close to matching that production since, he’s still a valuable player in the NFL with his do-it-all skill set.
McVay is going to miss him in Los Angeles but he knows they can look back on the last eight years and feel good about all that they accomplished.
“I love him. He knows that I love him. I couldn’t have more respect for him, even in terms of the way that he handles some of those difficult conversations,” McVay said. “And that’s an inevitable part of it. And I do believe that even though this isn’t an ideal situation, I think there’s going to be a lot of gratitude that I think we both look back on for eight years that, man, what an incredible blessing he’s been. And I’ve always felt a real appreciation and gratitude from him, as well.”
How likely are the Arizona Cardinals to take a quote-unquote project with the 16th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?
If Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart is still sitting there, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. joins colleague Field Yates in believing it’s a possibility.
The summary on the Aggies prospect goes like so: He’s a physically imposing athlete at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds with the speed and power to play on the edge rather than the interior of the defensive line.
Does it translate to the NFL, though, if it only translated to 4.5 combined sacks over three years in college? The potential is there, which is why Kiper has Stewart going to Arizona in the first round of his pre-NFL Scouting Combine mock draft.
When I put together my first mock draft back in January, the board didn’t present much pass rush value at No. 16 for the Cardinals. Not ideal, considering this team was 28th in pass rush win rate at 33.3%. But this time around, the Cards would have their choice between Stewart and Georgia’s Mykel Williams. It’s close, but I like the ceiling for Stewart here. Thanks to his speed and power, he should test really well this week in Indianapolis. And Arizona would be able to slide him in opposite Zaven Collins and get him a lot of work early in his career.
In 2024, Stewart posted 31 tackles with two passes defensed.
Pro Football Focus actually grades him in the elite side (88.2) for his run defense, while his pass rush grade leaves a lot to be desired (67.2). PFF credits him with four quarterback hits and 33 hurries this past season.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein sees Stewart as a project, a player who can win on brute speed-to-power bullying but doesn’t have the hand usage or plan to counter.
For the Cardinals’ purposes, there’s a clear need on the edge. BJ Ojulari is coming off a serious knee injury, making Collins the only sure thing.
Stewart showed some versatility across his career under Jimbo Fischer and Mike Elko. He played as a standup true edge player but did get some occasional use on the interior.
PFF lists Stewart with 371 snaps outside the tackle and 117 over the opposing tackle last year. Many snaps of that latter designation had him attacking inside a tackle’s shoulder and blowing up protections in the B-gap — that appears to be where much of his run-stopping juice came from.
Point is, Arizona under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis loves getting wacky with his fronts, and Stewart causes problems when an opposing quarterback wonders if there’s a 290-pound missle attempting to bend around the edge of the offensive tackle or if he’s ready to blow up an inside run.
The Cardinals would just need to believe the potential to produce on the edge is there even though the college tape leaves a lot on the table — that Stewart can finish plays with the quarterback on the ground.
Pair him with a healthy Ojulari and last year’s first-round pick, defensive tackle Darius Robinson, and the Cardinals’ defensive front at least could look like a potentially imposing group if Stewart is the pick.
Every dynasty manager is looking for the next hidden gem in rookie drafts-players who fly under the radar but have the potential to deliver major fantasy football value. While top prospects steal the headlines, savvy managers know that mid-to-late-round picks can be league-winners. To help you find the best early dynasty rookie draft sleepers for 2025, we asked our Featured Pros experts to share their top under-the-radar prospects. Here’s a look at the rookies they believe could make a big impact at a bargain draft price.
Who is one rookie sleeper you’re targeting in early dynasty rookie drafts? Dynasty Rookie Rankings can be found here. Please try to pick someone outside the Top 25.
“The 2025 tight end draft class could produce multiple starting-caliber fantasy players in a few years. Elijah Arroyo is your prototypical one-year wonder prospect, totaling 35 receptions for 590 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season at Miami. By comparison, he had 11 receptions for 163 receiving yards and a touchdown over his first three years in college. However, the former Hurricane star had an impressive week at the Senior Bowl, pushing him into the first-round NFL Draft conversation. Arroyo is a raw prospect with significant potential. He will be one of my favorite rookies to draft because of his upside.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“Miami TE Elijah Arroyo’s ranking needs to change (51 in Superflex and 48 in Overall), and I think it will in the coming weeks. He dominated at the Senior Bowl to the point that most were surprised he even showed up for the last day of practice and the game itself. Consensus dynasty rankings have him at TE6 right now behind the likes of Harold Fannin Jr. (who did not impress in Mobile), Mason Taylor, and Gunnar Helm, but I think he could end up being the third TE off the board behind only Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland on draft day.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
“The easy answer here is ranked #26 as of writing this, and that’s QB Jaxson Dart. However, the landing spot will dictate whether or not this is a great value or not. If Dart ends up somewhere where he can run the offense right away, 26th is a steal. If he goes somewhere to ride the bench, I’d rather take him later. Having the third quarterback going in the third round shows how deep this class is at other positions and how shallow it is at quarterback.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
“Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart checks in as QB3 and 26th overall in dynasty rookie rankings and could steal rookie drafts. He seems to be forgotten as the 2025 NFL Combine approaches, with Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward receiving all of the hype at quarterback. Dart closed out his collegiate career with 4,269 passing yards and 23 touchdowns with only five interceptions and proved he has high-end accuracy that should easily translate to the next level. He has a wide range of outcomes, but the upside makes him a worthwhile gamble.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
“Damien Martinez – When you watch Martinez, it’s hard not to be impressed by his speed, which is lightning fast, and a good performance in the 40-yard dash at the combine might cause him to rise up rankings. Martinez isn’t a perfect prospect with a lack of ability in the receiving game, but he consistently runs hard and could be the type of player some coaches fall in love with. The landing spot will matter for Martinez, but with the right one, it’ll be wheels up for him.”
– Tom Strachan (NFL Best Ball)
“This offseason, expect to see plenty of change in the running back landscape in the NFL via the draft and free agency. With all of the moving parts, the one name that cannot be forgotten about in rookie drafts is running back Dylan Sampson. The former Tennessee Volunteer starred on the ground this season, finishing just shy of 1,500 rushing yards with 22 TDs on 258 carries. His burst is elite for running backs in this class, and he is super athletic. The downside is his frame; only 5’11, 190 pounds isn’t ideal for a workhorse NFL back, and ball security issues that Sampson exhibited last year with the Vols. However, this is the kind of running back NFL teams will want to get their hands on, and a selection in the 2nd round of rookie drafts is a no-brainer for someone with as great of a ceiling as Sampson has.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
“Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech – The 5-foot-8 and 211-pound RB capped off his college career on an extremely high note as a senior, even while dealing with a midseason ankle injury. He rushed for 1,150 yards and 15 TDs en route to a 37% dominator rating. Finished top-10 in the FBS in yards after contact per attempt (4.4) among RBs with at least 100 carries. Ranked 6th in the 2025 RB draft class in yards after contact per attempt and breakaway run percentage (54%). With great speed, tackle-breaking ability, and an underrated receiving profile, don’t be surprised when Tugboat Tuten gets drafted earlier than expected.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“Small, overaged RB prospects typically don’t get a lot of love, but I think it’s worth making an exception for R.J. Harvey. Absurdly productive at UCF the last two seasons (42 touchdowns, just under 3,000 rushing yards, more than 500 receiving yards), Harvey is 24 years old and stands 5-9, 208 pounds. Harvey has exceptional quickness and lateral agility. His jump cuts can break ankles, he has outstanding vision, and he’s a good pass catcher. Harvey is also known for being a hard worker and a high academic achiever. R.J. Harvey is a great third-round target in rookie drafts.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“I will continue to pound the table for Jaylin Noel. I know I might sound like a broken record since the Senior Bowl, but I don’t care. People need to hear the good word about Noel. Noel was a slot receiver in college (72.7% of his snaps), but that doesn’t mean that he can’t win from the outside. With a varied release package, underrated deep speed, and a solid set of hands (52% contested catch rate in 2024, per PFF), Noel is a fantastic pick in dynasty rookie drafts that will easily outplay his ADP. ”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
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The post Early Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers to Target (2025 Fantasy Football) appeared first on FantasyPros.
The Arizona Wildcats fell three spots and found themselves ranked 22nd in The Associated Press’ updated top 25 men’s college basketball rankings.
Tommy Lloyd’s team has lost three of its last four but stopped a two-game losing streak last Monday with a 74-67 victory at the Baylor Bears.
A 96-95 home loss to now-No. 25 BYU on Saturday dropped Arizona to 18-9 on the season.
The Wildcats (12-4 Big 12) remain tied for second in the Big 12 with the No. 10 Texas Tech Red Raiders. They are chasing the No. 4 Houston Cougars (15-1 Big 12).
The Associated Press — Auburn remained atop the AP Top 25 for the seventh straight week on Monday, while preseason No. 1 Kansas dropped out of the men’s basketball poll for the first time in nearly four years, ending the Jayhawks’ ranked run at 80 consecutive weeks.
The Tigers earned all 60 votes from the national media panel after beating Arkansas and Georgia last week. They were followed by Duke and Florida, which traded places in the poll, with Houston and Tennessee rounding out the top five. Houston has the nation’s longest active streak in the Top 25 at 102 weeks.
The Jayhawks were dropped from the poll for the first time since Feb. 8, 2021, when the season was played amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That had ended a record 231 consecutive weeks in the Top 25 for Kansas.
The Jayhawks’ were dropped this week after a 74-67 loss at Utah and a 91-57 blowout loss at BYU, the biggest margin of defeat in school history for a ranked Kansas team against an unranked opponent. BYU entered the poll at No. 25 this week.
Kansas took out its frustration on Oklahoma State on Saturday, rolling to a 96-64 victory in Allen Fieldhouse.
“We’re 1-0,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said afterward. “That’s what we’re talking about. And everybody’s stat sheet in what they’re averaging this year is exactly what happened today. And we’re not even gonna talk about the other stuff right now.”
Alabama fell two spots to No. 6 this week and was followed by St. John’s and Michigan State, which jumped six spots after back-to-back ranked wins over Purdue and Michigan. Iowa State and Texas Tech rounded out the top 10.
Kansas dropped out along with Ole Miss, which had been ranked the last 13 weeks and 15 of the last 16. That made room for Saint Mary’s, which beat Portland and Gonzaga to enter at No. 23, and BYU, which followed its win over the Jayhawks by beating then-No. 19 Arizona 96-95 on Saturday thanks to two free throws by Richie Saunders with 3.2 seconds left.
| Team | Record | Pts | Prv |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Auburn (60) | 25-2 | 1500 | 1 |
| 2. Duke | 24-3 | 1406 | 3 |
| 3. Florida | 24-3 | 1397 | 2 |
| 4. Houston | 23-4 | 1327 | 5 |
| 5. Tennessee | 22-5 | 1236 | 6 |
| 6. Alabama | 22-5 | 1198 | 4 |
| 7. St. John’s | 24-4 | 1132 | 10 |
| 8. Michigan St. | 22-5 | 1055 | 14 |
| 9. Iowa St. | 21-6 | 1004 | 8 |
| 10. Texas Tech | 21-6 | 915 | 9 |
| 11. Wisconsin | 21-6 | 800 | 11 |
| 12. Texas A&M | 20-7 | 797 | 7 |
| 13. Clemson | 22-5 | 712 | 18 |
| 14. Missouri | 20-7 | 683 | 15 |
| 15. Michigan | 20-6 | 657 | 12 |
| 16. Maryland | 21-6 | 630 | 20 |
| 17. Kentucky | 18-9 | 461 | 17 |
| 18. Memphis | 22-5 | 393 | 22 |
| 19. Louisville | 21-6 | 372 | 25 |
| 20. Purdue | 19-9 | 328 | 13 |
| 21. Marquette | 20-7 | 309 | 16 |
| 22. Arizona | 18-9 | 289 | 19 |
| 23. Saint Mary’s | 25-4 | 284 | – |
| 24. Mississippi St. | 19-8 | 264 | 21 |
| 25. BYU | 19-8 | 135 | – |
Others receiving votes: Creighton 53, Mississippi 28, Kansas 25, New Mexico 23, VCU 20, Oregon 20, UCLA 14, Drake 12, UC San Diego 8, Gonzaga 3, High Point 3, Illinois 3, Vanderbilt 2, Utah St. 1, Yale 1.
We’re less than a month away from the start of NFL free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 12. But the legal tampering window opens two days before that on March 10 at 12 p.m. ET, where teams will be able to negotiate with free agents before the official start of the new league year.
The 2025 salary cap hasn’t been set yet, but it will land between $277.5 and $281.5 million, according to NFL.com. A number of NFL teams have some work to do over the next month when it comes to building their 2025 rosters.
Our NFL Wire editors identified one pending free agent (at the time of publication) that each team should sign to help improve their roster. And it seems like guard Trey Lance and edge rusher Josh Sweat will be in high demand.
BJ Freeman is no longer with the Arizona State men’s basketball team due to conduct detrimental to the team, a team spokesperson confirmed to Arizona Sports on Sunday.
“He’s had a couple of conduct issues, and it was just too many, and it got to the point where we’re at right now,” coach Bobby Hurley said on the pregame radio show ahead of facing Kansas State on Sunday. “We’re going to be very supportive of him as he looks for his next opportunity.”
AZCentral’s Michelle Gardner first reported the dismissal.
Freeman was ejected in back-to-back games against Colorado (Jan. 28) and Arizona (Feb. 1) before later earning a one-game suspension that kept him out of a meeting with Oklahoma State (Feb. 9).
The senior ends his season as ASU’s leading scorer, averaging 13.7 points per game. He hit his stride when conference play arrived, averaging 15.6 points (39.4% 3-point shooting) and 2.6 assists over 14 games.
Beginning with Kansas State, ASU has five regular-season games remaining without a path to an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament.
Freeman landed at ASU as a transfer from UW-Milwaukee after averaging 25.8 points in his final Horizon League tournament, positioning himself as a potential force on offense for the 2024-25 Sun Devils.
His ASU season started poorly on the court with a 2-for-9 showing against Duke in an exhibition, leading him to come off the bench for his first three games once the regular season had gotten going.
Freeman scored in double digits each of the three games and carved out a central role in the ASU offense, which became even more so when freshman Joson Sanon injured his ankle and missed time.
His first ejection came as a flagrant 2 foul when fighting through a screen against Colorado and as a result hit an offensive player where people don’t like to be hit. He insisted postgame that he was only trying to fight through the screen in a show of effort, saying he knew Hurley would be on him if he didn’t.
The second came after he headbutted Arizona guard Caleb Love at the end of the Wildcats’ victory over ASU. The two teams, which did not shake hands afterward, will meet again on March 4.
Then came the suspension, which was never clarified beyond “conduct detrimental to the team.”
The Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback as badly as any team in the NFL. They’re desperate to find a franchise signal caller, especially with Pete Carroll taking over as the head coach.
They’ll be in the market for a quarterback this offseason, whether during the draft or in free agency – or even via trade. According to The Athletic, Matthew Stafford is “the name to watch” if the Rams end up trading him, putting them among the teams that could be vying for the veteran quarterback this offseason.
Of course, the Raiders will only have a shot to land Stafford if the Rams can’t sign him to an extension, but it sounds like they’d be interested if it comes to that.
Furthermore, with Tom Brady as a part owner of the franchise, his influence could help lure talent to Las Vegas. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “the persuasiveness of Tom Brady as a recruiter for the Raiders” is something to keep an eye on.
“It’s why you can’t rule out Matthew Stafford as an option,” he wrote.
Something to keep an eye on, per sources: the persuasiveness of Tom Brady as a recruiter for the @Raiders. It will make things interesting during free agency. And maybe even in the trade market. It’s why you can’t rule out Matthew Stafford as an option.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) February 23, 2025
Bonsignore also reported that the compensation in any trade for Stafford will be affected by how much money the acquiring team is going to pay Stafford. The Rams reportedly want at least a first-round pick, but interested teams will “try to keep it to” a second-rounder and maybe more.
Per source: Compensation will be affected by the amount of $ new team is giving on a new contract. But @RamsNFL would want 1+
Interested teams would try to keep it to 2+ https://t.co/dl5LEhc9Ix
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) February 23, 2025
The Raiders can now be considered one of the many teams that may be interested in Stafford if the Rams move their quarterback, along with the Giants and Steelers – two other teams that have been floated as potential landing spots.
None of this matters if the Rams sign him to a new contract, but that’s not guaranteed to happen.
Phoenix Suns point guard Monte Morris is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Raptors, and Cody Martin remains out.
The Raptors’ big trade deadline acquisition, Brandon Ingram, has not yet debuted for his new team and will not on Sunday (ankle sprain). He has been sidelined since Dec. 7 and has not played in at least three consecutive games since Nov. 19. He has not yet been ruled out for the teams’ second meeting on March 17.
Morris was not listed on previous injury reports and his listing for the game (lower back soreness) popped up having not played since Feb. 8.
His regular minutes began to diminish when Bradley Beal was first moved to the bench for a Jan. 6 game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Since then, he has appeared in half of the 22 possible games, averaging 2.5 points and 1.4 assists while never playing more than 18 minutes.
Beal started on Saturday for the first time since moving to the bench, and coach Mike Budenholzer gave the impression postgame it would continue.
Martin, like Ingram, was a trade deadline acquisition who has yet to debut for his new team.
He has been sidelined since suffering his injury (sports hernia) five minutes into a Jan. 24 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers while still a member of the Charlotte Hornets. He was traded seven games into what will be a 14-game absence after Sunday.
Two-way rookie Jalen Bridges is additionally out for Phoenix with the same G League designation as Toronto’s own two-way wing, A.J. Lawson.
The Raptors will likely be shorthanded in the frontcourt. In addition to Ingram, they will be without rookie big man Ulrich Chomche after he suffered a partially torn MCL in a recent G League game. Plus, starting center Jakob Poeltl is questionable (right hip pointer), and he has not played since Feb. 4.
Toronto could be left with just two-way Orlando Robinson, who played nearly 31 minutes on Friday, and Chris Boucher as center options.
Plus, longtime Suns wing P.J. Tucker (2012-17) has yet to report to Toronto after he was in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. The sides are in buyout negotiations, but he could be forced to sit out the rest of the year if no agreement is reached.
Suns-Raptors tips off at 4 p.m. MST and can be heard on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app or online.
Jerry Colangelo has a very simple rule for how he envisions professional sports in the Valley: All roads lead to downtown.
It was important for the team and its community benefits to be centralized, according to the figure who served as the Phoenix Suns’ first general manager before being instrumental in bringing two teams to the Valley, the Arizona Diamondbacks and then-Phoenix Coyotes.
It’s also the key reason he’s encouraged by recent developments in state legislature that have funding within reach for Chase Field renovations that would keep the Diamondbacks downtown.
“It’s very, very important (to keep the Diamondbacks downtown),” Colangelo said when he joined Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday. “Way back when, we could’ve gone to some other locations, but I insisted it was going to be downtown. I believe that’s where the team should play. Why? Because all roads lead to downtown.
“Also, I was really concerned about other businesses and people benefitting from having the team downtown, the restaurants, the bars, the retail. Some owners opted to go in the suburbs and have their own piece of property. Who gained anything from that, other than them? And that was not my mindset, it was more about what’s good for the community, along with where we thought it would be best.”
The Diamondbacks await the Arizona House vote on HB2704, which was approved by the House Commerce Committee last week. It will now go to a vote in the House before moving onto the Arizona Senate and then the desk of Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has told AZCentral.com she backs the legislation.
D-backs president Derrick Hall said earlier this week he was not sure when the vote will occur, hoping it will commence in the next couple weeks. There have been amendments adopted by the Commerce Committee, including penalties for the Diamondbacks if they relocate. They would have to pay the $10 million if they leave the state by Oct. 1, 2035.
“Years take a toll on facilities, they just do. … And here, with the sun, the heat, etc., I think that time table moves faster. So there’s a lot of work to be done on the building. The building, I believe, still belongs downtown for the Diamondbacks,” Colangelo said on the final day of Newsmakers Week. “I’m happy that they’re making some progress. And all I know is what I’ve read and what I’ve heard, nothing on the inside, but I think there are some people who are amenable to making things happen for them, and I think that’s good for everyone.”
Colangelo added he still wishes the Cardinals had built their stadium downtown, as opposed to Glendale, where they are approximately 18 miles away from Chase Field.
“I didn’t like the fact that we lost anything in terms of our community, and it’s unfortunate, the way the whole hockey thing … developed,” Colangelo said.
Similarly to how Colangelo led the charge for Phoenix to get an MLB expansion team, he was the key figure in bringing NHL hockey to the Valley, although this time it came as an already-existing franchise.
“I had interest in hockey before we built the arena, and I had conversation with (then-NHL president John Ziegler) and I said, ‘I need to know what’s the shot for NHL hockey in Phoenix?’ And he said, ‘Not in your lifetime.'” Colangelo retold. “If that’s not a possibility, I want to build the most intimate seating arrangement ever for basketball. Proximity to the court sells. Intimacy sells.
“As a result of what he told me, we were going to always put in an ice plant for the ice show and minor league hockey. So we go and build what we said we would do … and almost immediately we get a call from the NHL they want to play a few exhibition games, they liked it.”
Colangelo described how a connection to new commissioner Gary Bettman through their basketball ties led to then-owner of the Minnesota North Stars franchise asking what Colangelo could do for him while shopping the team to the Phoenix and Dallas markets. Upon hearing Colangelo’s suggestion of being his landlord, the owner took his team to Dallas instead.
Businessmen Steve Gluckstern and Richard Burke bought the Winnipeg Jets with the intention to have the franchise take the North Stars’ vacant place in Minnesota, but they were unable to reach a deal to share Target Center with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. The search turned back to Phoenix, where an agreement was reached with Colangelo.
Frustration arose when concerns were raised about obstructed viewing angles in the arena despite Colangelo saying he made the issues clear in the planning process, prompting the team to leave the downtown arena in 2003 for another in Glendale close to where the Cardinals would break ground on a home in the same year.
He noted the Coyotes had their heaviest fan support when calling downtown home.
The NFL released the press conference schedule for general managers and head coaches at the combine in Indianapolis next week and 30 teams will have at least one of the two speaking to the media.
The two teams absent from the schedule? The Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints.
Once again, Les Snead and Sean McVay are skipping the combine and will stay back home in Los Angeles where they will evaluate prospects from afar.
Unlike the Rams, the Saints typically have their GM and coach in attendance, they just don’t do press conferences from the podiums. So it’s likely that the Rams will be the only team without a GM or coach at the combine.
Below is the full schedule for coaches and GMs next week.
GM & HC podium schedule for Indianapolis. pic.twitter.com/wrViqnU7QD
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) February 21, 2025
McVay hasn’t attended the NFL combine since 2020 and even that year, he left Indianapolis early before on-field workouts. Snead was in attendance at the combine that year, too, but hasn’t been back since.
It’s not that the Rams don’t value the combine, they just feel they can be more productive evaluating with their team remotely rather than traveling to Indianapolis.
Welcome to Sleeper Picks. Sleeper’s newest offering promised plenty of entertainment and action, and they delivered. We will break down our top three picks for tonight’s NBA action. Sleeper is quickly becoming one of the most popular season-long fantasy platforms, and they are expanding into other areas based on demand. Each week in this space, we’ll talk about some strategy for the new platform while providing our favorite NBA more/less picks.
Tyrese Maxey took a game off after coming out flat against Toronto but should be back in his bag of tricks tonight against Boston. Maxey has scored 27 or more points in 18 of his last 19 games. Tyrese has had success against Boston already this season, dropping 33 and 34 points in his two contests against the division rival 76ers. Maxey should get all the touches he can handle again tonight, putting him in an excellent position to hit the 25 point mark needed for this alt line to click. Mash the More on Maxey for Thursday night’s NBA action.
Pick: More
Donovan Mitchell has been a difference maker for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season as both a scorer and a distributor. He is averaging 4.8 assists on the season and has dished out at least five assists in each of his last 10 games. Mitchell was a virtual non factor as a playmaker in his first game against Brooklyn this season, managing just one assist, but produced more in line with expectations in his second meeting against the Nets, handing out five dimes. Dap the More on Donovan for Thursday night basketball.
Pick: More
Matas has been impressive since the Zach LaVine trade, scoring in double figures in each of his last 11 games and averaging 15.0 points per game. His 24 point explosion against Miami was a glimpse of his potential, but he should continue to be more of a 12 to 14 ppg scorer. Buzelis is getting a steady diet of minutes and has flashed remarkable efficiency. He should be good for at least 12 points against New York. Bump the More on Buzelis for Thursday night at Sleeper Picks.
Pick: More
Writers note: The lines are constantly changing on Sleeper (and sometimes expiring), so there is a high probability that one or all of the numbers may no longer be the same when you open your app. There are excellent values when they are first posted, with the only catch being that they are not all released at the same time. Vigilance could provide a solid return on investment this season, literally.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
The post Thursday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Matas Buzelis (2/20) appeared first on FantasyPros.
