THIBODAUX — Georgia’s Carson Beck is the top-rated NFL quarterback prospect for the 2025 draft.
But he wasn’t the only Manning Passing Academy counselor putting on an impressive show at the Friday Night Lights competition that’s always a highlight of the annual three-day event which ended here Saturday.
According to On3, while the competition — throwing at moving targets on a golf cart and a 30-yard attempt at a basketball hoop without leaving the pocket, played to Beck’s strengths, the most-impressive performer Friday was Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard.
Leonard, who transferred from Duke, won the moving target event, edging Conner Weigman of Texas A&M and Dillon Gabriel of Oregon in the finals. Leonard’s mobility skills were already on display during his time at Duke.
Others making a strong impression were Quinn Ewers of Texas for his accuracy on timing throws and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier with his deep ball ability.
Lesser-known names who looked good included Jaylen Raynor of Arkansas State, Garrett Greene of West Virginia and Dequan Finn of Baylor.
Last year, Washington’s Michael Penix had a strong showing at the MPA, a precursor to his climbing from being a mid-round projection to going No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons.
As for Beck, his attention is on leading Georgia to a third national title in the past four years, especially after last season’s 27-24 loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game knocked the unbeaten, top-ranked Bulldogs out of the CFP playoffs.
“It was a big loss in a big game,” Beck said. “It eats at us every day.”
At least this year with the playoffs expanding to 12 teams, anyone in Georgia’s situation can afford to lose its conference championship game and still be alive to play again.
But Beck, whose team is ranked No. 1 in most preseason projections, isn’t seeing things that way.
“That’s not a good mindset to have,” he said. “We intend to wi every game.”
'A business decision'
After four years of mixed success at Kansas State, Will Howard decided it was time to move on.
And it’s a big move.
Howard has transferred to Ohio State where he earned the starting job in the spring and begins the season leading a storied program picked to win the Big Ten and contend for the national championship.
“Everything is elevated,” Howard said of the change. “You can tell how special football is to the Buckeyes fans.”
But Howard didn’t transfer just to play in a stadium twice as big as K-State’s.
“I felt like I had maxed out my potential at K-State,” he said. “If I was going to be a first-or-second round draft pick, I had to do it somewhere else.
“I know it can be looked on as a cold thing, but sometimes you’ve got to look out for yourself. This was a business decision.”
Mertz stays on
Florida has one of the toughest schedules in the country this season (nonconference games against Miami, UCF and Florida State plus a road trip to Texas) and a coach on the hot seat in Billy Napier.
Also, Gators senior quarterback Graham Mertz dabbled with the transfer portal, but ultimately decided to stay put.
“When you get beat up like we’ve been (11-14 in two years under Napier), there’s a big sense of urgency to get things right,” said Mertz, who led the SEC in completion percentage. “We’re taking them one game at a time, but when you open against Miami it gives you plenty to get excited about from the get-go.
“It’s time that the Gators are back to what they used to be.”
Fired up at Grambling
Mickey Joseph has definitely made a strong impression on Grambling quarterback Myles Cawley during Joseph’s short time as the Tigers’ new head coach.
“There’s been a lot more energy,” Cawley, who served as a MPA counselor, said of Joseph, who began his football career as a prep star at Archbishop Shaw. “He’s really enforcing the discipline, too.
“The guys love it because there’s so much competition within the team again.”
Beck, a fifth year senior who will be going into his second year as a starter, said he never considered transferring after the firing of second-year coach Hue Jackson after last season.
“I want to finish what I started,” he said. “And besides that, Grambling stands for something special.
“We want to bring the winning culture back to the ‘G.’ ”
Omaha, Thibodaux down - Paris next
Peyton Manning spent Monday night in the city he helped put on the map cheering his Tennessee Vols to victory against Texas A&M in the College World Series championship game.
And then he was here for the Manning Passing Academy.
Up next — a trip to Paris to serve as a commentator for NBC’s coverage of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.
“I went to Atlanta in 1996, but that was while I was still in college,” said Manning, who’s “on loan” from ESPN for the event. “And I was going to Tokyo in 2020, but COVID got in the way.
“So this is a thrill because the athletes are going to be sailing down the Seine and debarking at the Eiffel Tower. I’m very honored to be part of it.”
Peyton has a personal reason for going as well.
Along with wife Ashley and twins Marshall (a first-time MPA camper this year) and Mosely, he’s bringing mom Olivia to France.
“I took French in high school (at Newman), and I promised my mom that I would take her to Paris one day,” he said. “I’m finally going to make good on it.”