COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Old Dominion linebacker Jason Henderson and three William & Mary standouts — Charles Grant, Bronson Yoder and Marcus Barnes — are among the players selected to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000, which recognizes the nation’s top players who will be considered for the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Thirteen Virginia Tech players and eight UVA players made the list.
The Hokies players included: wide receivers Da’Quan Felton, Ali Jennings and Jaylin Lane, defensive linemen Aeneas Peebles and Josh Fuga, cornerback Dorian Strong, safety Jalen Stroman, running back Bhayshul Tuten, quarterback Kyron Drones, edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, offensive guard Kaden Moore and linebackers Keli Lawson and Sam Brumfield.
The Cavaliers players included: defensive ends Chico Bennett and Kam Butler, defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter, wide receivers Malachi Fields and Chris Tyree, tight end Tyler Neville, safety Jonas Sanker and punter Daniel Sparks.
Henderson was a first-team All-American in five publications and led the country in tackles per game with 14.2.
Grant, a consensus All-America selection last season, enters his fourth season as a starter and is considered one of the NFL’s top offensive lineman prospects.
Yoder enters his final season ranked among the Tribe’s career top-10 lists in rushing yards (2,660, eighth), rushing touchdowns (25, eighth) and all-purpose yards (4,322, fifth).
Barnes has been a starter for nearly his entire career and emerged as an all-conference selection last season.
James Madison had four players make the list: running back Ayo Adeyi, punter Ryan Hanson, edge rusher Eric O’Neill and linebacker Jacob Dobbs.
Other state players on the list include Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter and running back Quinton Cooley and Richmond wide receiver Nick Degennaro.
Liberty sweeps top C-USA awards
Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter and defensive end CJ Bazile Jr. have been named the Conference USA Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.
Salter passed for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns and rushed for 1,089 yards and 12 scores last season.
Bazile collected 49 tackles and led the Flames with 10.5 tackles for a loss last season.
The Flames went 8-0 in the conference and won the league’s title game last season.
Phoebus defender chooses Delaware
Phoebus strong safety/outside linebacker Noah Jefferson has committed to play for the University of Delaware in 2025, he announced on social media.
Jefferson was a second-team all-state selection and had 50 tackles, including 16 for a loss, and an interception return for a touchdown for the unbeaten Phantoms last season.
BASKETBALL
Nets’ Finney-Smith to host camp
Brooklyn Nets forward and Norcom High grad Dorian Finney-Smith will host his eighth annual Finney Family First Foundation Basketball Camp and Community Day on Saturday at Norfolk State University.
Finney-Smith has played nine seasons in the NBA, including seven with the Dallas Mavericks before joining the Nets in 2022.
For more information, send emails to finneyfamilyfoundation@gmail.com.
Briefly
- Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, a Petersburg native and former Virginia Tech star, has signed a four-year, $113 million contract extension with the team. It makes him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history in terms of average annual salary.
- Churchland High graduate Jonathan McEwen of Washington and Lee has been named the VaSID College Division All-State Men’s Golf Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Christopher Newport’s Aidan Baron made the men’s second team and Alex Delgado made the women’s second team.
- University of Virginia women’s basketball coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton announced the hiring of Jackson Kenyon as the program’s Director of Scouting and Player Development. Kenyon, a Deerfield, Illinois, native, served as video coordinator for Winthrop’s women’s team last season.
