Tag: Class of 2023

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis lead Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Posted on | by Field Level Media

First-time Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists Joe Thomas and Darrelle Revis lead the nine-member Class of 2023 that will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, in August.

The results of voting were announced Thursday night during the NFL Honors show in Phoenix. Players needed 80 percent approval from the Selection Committee, which met online this week.

The class also includes three finalists from the Seniors category: Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko and Ken Riley, along with Don Coryell, a finalist in the coach/contributor category.

Also elected were DeMarcus Ware, Ronde Barber and Zach Thomas. It was Ware’s second year as a finalist, Barber’s third and Zach Thomas’ fourth.

Joe Thomas was an offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns from 2007-17. Revis, a cornerback, played two stints with the New York Jets and one each with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Kansas Chiefs from 2007-17.

Howley, a linebacker, played two seasons for the Chicago Bears and 13 for the Dallas Cowboys in a career that ended in 1973. Klecko spent 11 years with the Jets and a final season with the Indianapolis Colts in 1988. Riley, elected posthumously, spent his entire 15-season career with the Bengals, from 1969-83.

Coryell was a head coach for 14 seasons, first with the then-St. Louis Cardinals from 1973-77 and then from 1978-86 as the architect of “Air Coryell” for the then-San Diego Chargers.

Ware, a linebacker/defensive end, played for the Cowboys and Denver Broncos in a career that ran from 2005-16. Barber spent his entire 16-season career with the Buccaneers, 1997-2012. Zach Thomas played 13 seasons, the first 12 with the Miami Dolphins before finishing with the Cowboys in 2008.

–Field Level Media

Detroit King quarterback Dante Moore (5) runs against Mason during the second half of Division 3 state semifinal at John Glenn High School in Westland on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.

5-star QB Dante Moore flips from Oregon to UCLA

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Five-star quarterback Dante Moore changed his commitment from Oregon to UCLA on Monday.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior from Detroit’s Martin Luther King High is ranked No. 3 overall in the Class of 2023 by ESPN.

The decision comes one day after Ducks quarterback Bo Nix announced he will return to Oregon for a final season.

Moore told ESPN on Monday that he felt the Bruins program was best for his development.

“I went on a visit to UCLA,” Moore told ESPN. “I talked to God and my people and really within myself. I knew that UCLA was the right move for me.”

He said a major factor in his decision was former Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham leaving the Ducks to become the head coach at Arizona State.

“It’s a spot that I truly love still,” Moore said of Oregon. “No love lost at all. I appreciate them recruiting me and taking my commitment and understanding my position.”

Moore led King to a Michigan state title earlier this month. He passed for 135 touchdowns and nearly 10,000 yards during his four-year prep career.

The only players ahead of him in the ESPN 300 rankings for 2023 are fellow quarterbacks Malachi Nelson (Southern California) and Arch Manning (Texas).

Moore told ESPN he plans to graduate high school early and enroll at UCLA in January. He will compete with recent Kent State transfer Collin Schlee, among others, to replace departing fifth-year senior Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

–Field Level Media

Dwight Freeney, Ring of Honor recipient, Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019. Dolphins At Colts

Dwight Freeney, Darrelle Revis headline Pro Football HOF nominees

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Darrelle Revis, Dwight Freeney and Joe Thomas headline the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 list of eligible first-year semifinalists.

James Harrison and offensive lineman Jahri Evans round out the five players eligible for the first time since retiring five years ago after the 2017 season.

The five players are among the 28 modern-era semifinalists, pared down from 129 nominees. The list will get pared down to 15 finalists.

Henry Ellard (1998) and London Fletcher (2013) are both semifinalists for the first time. Ellard and Albert Lewis are in their final year of eligibility as modern-era players.

Revis played 11 seasons with four different teams (New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs) from 2007-17. While his career total of 29 interceptions was not eye-popping, the man policed his coverage area known as “Revis Island” where opposing quarterbacks often tried to avoid.

Thomas made Pro Bowls in each of his first 10 seasons from 2007-16 while spending his 11 years with the Cleveland Browns. He did not miss a snap, let alone a start, in any of his first 167 career games until suffering a torn triceps that ended his final campaign in 2017.

Harrison finished with 84.5 sacks and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection.

The full list of semifinalists:

Eric Allen
Jared Allen
Willie Anderson
Ronde Barber
Anquan Boldin
Henry Ellard
Jahri Evans
London Fletcher
Dwight Freeney
James Harrison
Rodney Harrison
Devin Hester
Torry Holt
Andre Johnson
Albert Lewis
Robert Mathis
Darrelle Revis
Steve Smith Sr.
Fred Taylor
Joe Thomas
Zach Thomas
Hines Ward
Ricky Watters
Reggie Wayne
Patrick Willis
Darren Woodson

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Bryan Harsin greets fans during Tiger Walk with the team before the game against the San Jose State Spartans at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn lands 4-star WR Adam Hopkins

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Auburn went into enemy territory and claimed a commitment from four-star wide receiver Adam Hopkins, a blue-chip wideout from the state of Georgia in the Class of 2023, on Thursday.

Hopkins chose Auburn over Arkansas, Kansas State, Florida State and Texas A&M among his 20 offers.

The 6-foot recruit out of Thomasville, Ga., is rated the 24th-best wide receiver in the country and 17th best prospect overall in the state, per the 247Sports composite rankings.

The commitment comes a day after Auburn lost four-star WR Karmello English, who decommitted from the program.

–Field Level Media

Sep 22, 2018; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders take the field before the game against the Tulane Green Wave at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State adds to recruiting haul with TE Jelani Thurman

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Ohio State landed a commitment Sunday from Jelani Thurman of Georgia, a top 10 tight end in the Class of 2023.

The addition of Thurman, ranked No. 9 in the nation by the 247Sports composite, led the Buckeyes to overtake Notre Dame for the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

Thurman is joining a class already full of pass catchers. The Buckeyes have commitments from three of the top nine wide receivers in the nation: Brandon Inniss (American Heritage High School, Plantation, Fla.); Carnell Tate (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.); and Noah Rogers, Rolesville High School (Rolesville, N.C.)

Thurman reportedly selected Ohio State over Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi and Tennessee, per the Columbus Dispatch.

Thurman, from Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Ga., is joining a class that also includes the nation’s No. 8 tight end — Ty Lockwood from Independence High School in Thompson’s Station, Tenn.

Thurman said he plans to catch his share of passes.

“If you can catch the ball, the quarterback is going to find a way to highlight you. That’s what I like about Ohio State. They know if they got a dog, they going to find a way to get you the ball,” he told 247Sports.com. “I just feel like I can go up there and play my first year. Obviously, win. And just practice with the top guys and play against the top guys.”

–Field Level Media

Detroit King's Dante Moore throws a pass against DeWitt during the third quarter on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, at Ford Field in Detroit. 211127 Dewitt Detroit King 069a

5-star QB Dante Moore commits to Oregon

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Five-star quarterback Dante Moore announced his commitment to Oregon on Friday.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound pocket passer from Detroit’s Martin Luther King High is ranked No. 8 overall in the ESPN 300 for the Class of 2023.

Moore becomes the highest-ranked commitment to date for new Ducks head coach Dan Lanning, the former Georgia defensive coordinator who was hired to replace Mario Cristobal in December.

“Coach Lanning is going to be a great head coach, because he knows what it takes to get to a national championship, of course being at Georgia,” Moore told ESPN. “Coach (Kenny) Dillingham as the offensive coordinator, I know I can trust in the coming years. The playmakers and the team they’re building around them will be great for me in the future.”

Moore selected Oregon over Notre Dame, Texas A&M, LSU and Miami.

–Field Level Media

Quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws a pass as Newman takes on Lafayette Christian Academy in the LHSAA Division III semifinals on Nov. 24, 2021. Arch Manning

Top 2023 prospect QB Arch Manning commits to Texas

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Five-star quarterback Arch Manning, widely considered the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023, committed to Texas on Thursday.

Manning is the nephew of former NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning. He is the son of Cooper Manning.

Manning selected the Longhorns over a slew of powerhouses, including Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Clemson. He visited Alabama on June 10 and went to Georgia on June 3. He paid a visit to Austin last Friday.

The 6-foot-4 native of New Orleans is ranked as the top overall player in the 2023 class by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals. In his junior season at Isidore Newman High School, he threw for 26 touchdowns and rushed for seven.

Manning could be the starting quarterback for Texas in 2025, the year the Longhorns enter the SEC.

–Field Level Media

Zachary quarterback Eli Holstein (10) leaps in for a 1-yard score in the third quarter of the Class 5A State Championship game between Ponchatoula and Zachary at the Caesars Superdome on Saturday, December 11, 2021. (Michael DeMocker) Class5achamp07

Four-star QB Eli Holstein commits to Alabama

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Alabama picked up a four-star quarterback out of enemy territory on Tuesday.

Eli Holstein, from Zachary, La., and rated the nation’s eighth-ranked QB in the Class of 2023, committed to the Crimson Tide over LSU, Florida, Texas A&M and Oregon, to name a few.

The 6-foot-4 Holstein is the 54th best recruit overall, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

“I’m very excited and excited to be over with it,” Holstein told On3 Sports. “Now, I know where I’m going and it feels like home and I’m excited for my future and what I can do at Alabama.”

Quarterback Arch Manning, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class, still has Alabama on his radar. It is one of three schools — Georgia and Texas are the other two — he has scheduled for an official visit in June.

–Field Level Media

Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama lands 4-star edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre

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Alabama landed an in-state four-star pass rusher, getting a commitment from Yhonzae Pierre in the Class of 2023.

Pierre chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn, Georgia, Florida and Florida State, among others.

The 6-foot-4 Pierre hails from Eufaula, Ala., playing at Eufaula High School. He was credited with seven sacks during the 2021 season.

“I want to get good development and get developed right,” Pierre told BamaOnLine of why he chose Alabama on Thursday. “I’m going to be flying around people that are getting me better … the competition.”

Pierre is the second commitment for Alabama in-state and the third overall.

–Field Level Media

Quarterback Arch Manning 16 throws a pass as Newman takes on Lafayette Christian Academy in the LHSAA Div III semi finals. Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021. Arch Manning Lca Vs Newman Football 5185

QB Arch Manning adds Florida, LSU to list

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Five-star Class of 2023 quarterback Arch Manning has added Florida and LSU to his list of potential schools.

The father of 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect, Cooper Manning, recently confirmed the additions to 247Sports.

Manning is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the nation in the 2023 class by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN.

He is also considering Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas, schools he already visited along with Clemson, which is no longer under consideration.

He passed for 1,947 yards with 26 touchdowns and four interceptions and added seven rushing TDs as a junior at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans.

Manning’s uncles (Peyton and Eli) and grandfather (Archie) all starred at quarterback in the NFL. Both Archie and Eli played at Ole Miss.

–Field Level Media