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HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 327

HAND: 10¼”

ARM: 32½”

WINGSPAN: 78⅛”

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40-YARD DASH: 5.15

3-CONE: 7.65

SHUTTLE: 4.85

VERTICAL: 27.5"

BROAD: 8'9"

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POSITIVES

— Good upper body strength to stand up offensive linemen at the line of scrimmage and gain control of the block.

— Takes on blocks with good knee bend and a sturdy base, hard to move one-on-one and is solid at staying in his gap versus double teams.

— Quick to recognize down blocks, shifting his eyes and hands to take on the block and avoid getting washed inside.

— Decent athlete for his size and runs his feet well to avoid getting reached against outside zone runs.

— Can make tackles in his gap with offensive linemen hanging onto him.

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NEGATIVES

— Minimal pass-rush production, doesn't have any moves he can win with and has a sub-par motor to get coverage sacks.

— Often false steps out of his stance, hurting his get-off and bull rush.

— Hand placement is a little wide as a run defender, exposing his chest.

— Not violent when shedding or getting off blocks which can lead to him getting stuck.

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NOTES

— Born April 18, 2002

— 4-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

— 2023: Second-Team All-SEC

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OVERALL

Nazir Stackhouse is a solid run-defending interior defensive line prospect who can plug gaps. He's strong at the point of attack to gain control of blocks and hard to move one-on-one. Against double teams, he attacks and can defeat the man he's lined up across from. He has good knee bends and a sturdy base to absorb contact from the second blocker to stay in his gap.

Stackhouse also has solid quickness and lateral movement skills for his size which, combined with good block recognition, allows him to avoid getting reached or scooped out of his gap.

However, the Georiga product is more of a "do your job" type of player than someone who is going to make a lot of tackles and post flashy stats. He'll be in the right spot consistently but can struggle to disengage and get off blocks. Also, he offers nothing as a pass rusher, evidenced by his three career sacks in five seasons.

Overall, Stackhouse is a reliable backup defensive tackle in the NFL who can line up as a nose tackle or 2i-technique.

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GRADE: 5.6 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 289

POSITION RANK: DL31

PRO COMPARISON: Nick Eason

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

Anthony Davis caused some concern among Dallas Mavericks fans after exiting his debut Saturday against the Houston Rockets with a lower-body injury.

However, Davis told reporters after a 116-105 win over Houston that he exited after feeling "a little spasm" in his groin/quad area and that the ailment is "nothing serious," per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Davis added that he is "very confident" he didn't suffer a setback in his recovery from the abdominal injury he suffered while with the Los Angeles Lakers, per Stein.

Davis on his injury after the early emotion of the afternoon. Says he feels confident that injury not significant. pic.twitter.com/DpVKtRL0Wo

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) February 8, 2025

Davis exited the game in the third quarter after going down with the non-contact injury. He put together an impressive statline in his Mavs debut before exiting, notching 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.

Anthony Davis went to the locker room with a non-contact injury pic.twitter.com/uq4671SOJG

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 8, 2025

The 31-year-old averaged 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in 42 contests for the Los Angeles Lakers this season before L.A. traded him on Feb. 1 in a blockbuster deal that landed the team five-time All-NBA First Teamer Luka Dončić.

At the time, Davis was sidelined with an abdominal strain suffered against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 28.

Davis has been one of the NBA's most dominant big men on both ends for a decade. His resume includes nine All-Star honors, five All-NBA teams and five spots on All-NBA Defensive Teams. Unsurprisingly, Davis easily found a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.

AD won a national championship for Kentucky in his lone season in Lexington (2011-12) before heading to the NBA. He played seven seasons for the New Orleans Pelicans before requesting a trade that landed him with the Lakers.

Davis won an immediate championship with the team in 2020 and ultimately fared well in town before his time ended abruptly.

Now he's in Dallas, where he's the co-star of the show with point guard Kyrie Irving.

The Dallas frontcourt has been hit hard with injuries. Second-year pro Dereck Lively II is out with a right ankle stress fracture, and Dwight Powell is out with a right hip strain.

Davis, of course, is an invaluable member of this team now, especially with its previous top scorer and superstar now a Laker. So the Mavs can't really afford to lose him for any time as they hope to excel in this new era.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards has played his way into a full-time NBA deal.

After joining the Sixers on a two-way contract this summer, Edwards will finish out the season on a standard contract with a team option for 2025-26, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

According to Pompey, both Edwards and the Sixers "are interested in exploring a longer-term deal in the offseason."

The #Sixers will sign two-way forward Justin Edwards to a standard contract for the remainder of the season with a team option for the 2025-26 season, according to league sources. Both sides are interested in exploring a longer-term deal in the offseason, the sources say. pic.twitter.com/wjHxVGxHp3

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) February 8, 2025

After joining the league as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky, Edwards has slotted into the Sixers' starting rotation over the team's last seven games.

Edwards played fewer than 10 minutes in four games while making sporadic starts for the Sixers in November and early January.

He first entered the rotation against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 4 as the depleted Sixers looked to find replacements for injured players, including Joel Embiid, Jared McCain, Kelly Oubre Jr. and KJ Martin.

Edwards enjoyed a breakout game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 14, when he went 9-for-16 from the field to put up 25 points against one of the strongest defenses in the league.

That success, as well as the Sixers' myriad injuries, combined to earn Edwards the first start of his NBA career against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 28.

the rook over the vet. pic.twitter.com/ag07HwoVqX

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 29, 2025

In seven starts since then, Edwards has earned praise from Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and Nick Nurse while recording more than 31 minutes per game. Over that span, he has averaged 10.3 points and contributed 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

The injuries that have plagued the Sixers this season have contributed to a 20-31 record that has left the team outside the play-in bubble after the trade deadline.

On the bright side, they have also opened up playing time for Edwards— and the Philadelphia native has used the opportunity to play his way into the rotation and a standard contract.

Canelo Álvarez is set to face off against William Scull in an undisputed fight on May 3.

Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, revealed the news on Saturday.

💥💥💥 https://t.co/Ux1MwXUUuZ

— Canelo Alvarez (@Canelo) February 8, 2025

ESPN's Mike Coppinger reported Friday that Álvarez was initially finalizing a deal to clash with Jake Paul on May 3, but he changed his mind and completed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season instead.

Coppinger noted that the bout involving Álvarez and Paul had a "formal announcement imminent" before the change.

Most Valuable Promotions, Paul's company, released a statement criticizing the decision.

"MVP operates with integrity, transparency and respect for the sport, its athletes and the fans," the promotion said. "Unfortunately not everyone in the boxing world shares those values."

Official statement from MVP regarding Jake Paul and Canelo Alvarez. pic.twitter.com/wSgHiKJ4Ia

— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) February 7, 2025

Álvarez is now scheduled to fight Scull, the IBF super middleweight champion.

Scull owns an undefeated 23-0 record with nine knockouts. His last fight was a victory over Vladimir Shishkin in a 12-round bout in Oct. 2024, claiming the IBF super middleweight title.

As for Álvarez, he's won five consecutive fights to improve his record to 62-2-2 with 39 knockouts. His last victory came against Edgar Berlanga in Sept. 2024 to retain his WBC, WBA, and WBO super middleweight titles.

While the fight between Álvarez and Scull wasn't confirmed until Saturday, it has reportedly been brewing for a while. Ring Magazine's Jake Donovan revealed on Jan. 2 that Canelo's team had contacted Scull's team regarding a possible fight.

After the fight between Álvarez and Paul didn't materialize, Canelo is now preparing to battle with Scull in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for a chance to regain undisputed champion status.

The Philadelphia Eagles have activated defensive end Brandon Graham off injured reserve in advance of the team's Super Bowl LIX matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

We have activated DE Brandon Graham from Injured Reserve, elevated FB Khari Blasingame and LB Nicholas Morrow for the game, and have placed OL Nick Gates on Injured Reserve. pic.twitter.com/TAUgGubARE

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 8, 2025

Graham tore his triceps in the Eagles' 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 24 and was placed on IR. He played 11 regular season games (starting one), posting 3.5 sacks, 20 tackles and seven quarterback hits.

On Jan. 30, Philadelphia announced Graham's practice window had been opened, leading to the possibility of him playing in his third Super Bowl.

The Eagles' final practice report leading up to Sunday featured Graham as a full participant. He is officially questionable for the contest, but all indications point to him being active.

Super Bowl BG 🔜 pic.twitter.com/1J3JNqFQP9

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 8, 2025

The 36-year-old has played his entire 15-year career with the Eagles, amassing 76.5 sacks, 487 tackles and 153 quarterback hits. He's fulfilled his promise and then some after Philadelphia selected the ex-Michigan star with the 13th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

He's best known for a clutch strip-sack of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII just before the final two-minute warning en route to a 41-33 victory.

It's possible that Sunday will be Graham's final NFL game. He told reporters last July that he planned for 2024 to be his final season, though it remains to be seen if the triceps injury changes that calculus.

Either way, Graham will forever be a franchise legend, both for his incredible play and his perseverance.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald expressed his support for Geno Smith to remain the team's starting quarterback moving forward.

"It's pretty obvious this guy is a heck of a quarterback," Macdonald told Fox 13 Seattle's Aaron Levine. "He's our quarterback. We love him. Can't wait to go to work with him."

"And we can win a championship with Geno Smith," he added.

Smith has received Pro Bowl recognition in two of the past three years, helping lead the Seahawks to a playoff appearance during the 2022 season.

Seattle finished 9-8 and 10-7 with Smith under center in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The team narrowly missed the playoffs in both seasons.

In 17 starts during Smith's 2024 campaign, he completed a career-high 70.4 percent of his passes for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns. He struggled with turnovers, as his 15 interceptions were the third-most among all quarterbacks.

Smith improved down the stretch of the season, throwing for 697 yards and seven touchdowns while getting picked off twice over his final three appearances.

Geno to JSN again! @Seahawks score with 20 seconds left in the half.

📺: #MINvsSEA on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/4fE9HWNE6f

— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024

He has one season remaining on a three-year, $75 million contract that he signed with Seattle in March 2023 (via Spotrac). Smith's hefty $44.5 million cap hit for the 2025 season can be lowered with a new extension, but it's understandable that the Seahawks may have some concerns regarding a long-term commitment.

It's unknown if the signal-caller will remain as effective compared to past years in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's system. Smith will also be turning 35 years old during the 2025 regular season.

Still, Macdonald has repeatedly backed the passer as Seattle's top option moving forward.

"I want Geno to be here,'' Macdonald said earlier in the offseason, via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. "I think he's a heck of a player. The first thing it always comes back to is what's best for the team. I feel like Geno is the best for the team right now.''

As Smith searches for an extension with the Seahawks, he has the support of his head coach.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will look to rebound in 2025 after reportedly agreeing to a new one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The 40-year-old is coming off the worst season of his career.

He didn't make his 2024 debut until mid-June thanks to offseason surgery on a herniated disc and then a nerve problem in his right arm. Then he was sidelined in August due to right shoulder fatigue.

Scherzer wound up logging just 43.1 innings, going 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA and a 4.18 FIP.

The right-hander has nothing to prove at this point. An eight-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion, he's in all likelihood headed for the Hall of Fame and could go in on the first ballot.

But Scherzer made it clear to the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant in August he wanted to keep going for another year.

"When I'm out there, I've been able to compete," he said. "I can still pitch at a high level. I look at things like my slider, which I went into the season wanting to fix, and it's been really good. I still see myself as able to compete and win."

If anything, having such a disappointing campaign might've motivated him to stick around and end his time on the mound on a relative high point rather than walk away now.

As you'd expect, the advanced numbers from 2024 aren't kind to Scherzer.

According to Baseball Savant, his .248 expected batting average and .408 expected slugging percentage were both his second-highest dating back to 2015. He also had his lowest strikeout rate (22.6 percent) and had a whiff rate (29.2 percent) below his career average. His four-seam fastball averaged just 92.5 mph as well.

Those numbers require plenty of caveats thanks to Scherzer having his offseason preparations disrupted and putting together such a small sample before another arm issue arose.

Injuries haven't been a common theme across his MLB run, either. Excluding the pandemic-shortened season in 2020, he threw at least 140 innings every year between 2009 and 2023.

There was little doubt about Scherzer's ability to land on his feet with the Rangers or another team this winter. He has earned the benefit of the doubt to prove he remains an effective starting pitcher.

The Blue Jays being the one to give him a chance is a little surprising, though, when they aren't shaping up to be a major contender in the American League East. They lost 88 games in 2024 and haven't made any significant upgrades after trying and failing to sign Juan Soto, Rōki Sasaki and Corbin Burnes.

But this might be the last season Toronto has a playoff window of any kind with stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette becoming free agents next winter. In that sense, signing Scherzer is a gambit that aligns with the franchise's priorities now and carries no long-term commitments.