Friday’s “First Call” features a blazing 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, the latest on Tom Brady’s future, a look at the Penguins’ next opponent and the college hoops calendar for the weekend.
Oh, Henry!
Henry Ruggs III nearly set the record for a 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine.
The Alabama wide receiver officially ran it in 4.27 seconds.
HENRY RUGGS III. 4.28u ???@AlabamaFTBL | @__RUGGS
— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2020
?: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/vCm6JC9T2s
John Ross, currently of the Cincinnati Bengals, ran a 4.22-second 40-yard dash in 2017. That is considered the record in the combine’s electronic timing format that began in 1999.
Ruggs finished this past season with 40 receptions for 746 yards and seven touchdowns.
Shopping around
Tom Brady’s representation reportedly gas talked to other teams at the combine besides the New England Patriots.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Don Yee and fellow agent Carter Chow were meeting with clubs this week during the NFL scouting combine. The Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts were on the list.
Meanwhile, one report from the Boston Herald says they have not yet spoken to Brady’s current team, the New England Patriots.
The Patriots still have not reached out to Tom Brady. According to a source, “it’s not looking good”
— Karen Guregian (@kguregian) February 27, 2020
That said, the Patriots are still the gambling favorite to have Brady on their team next year. The Action Network has the Pats as a -175 favorite (bet $175 to win $100) to re-sign their quarterback. They are the only team with negative wagering territory.
Not all they are quacked up to be
The Penguins play the Ducks at 10 a.m. Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
It’s been a struggle lately for Anaheim. The Ducks have only 58 points. That’s the third-lowest total in the Western Conference.
The San Jose Sharks (164) and Los Angeles Kings (158) are the only Western teams with fewer goals than Anaheim’s 165. Those are also the only teams with a worse goal differential than the Ducks’ minus-35.
Anaheim is particularly bad on the power play. They have a league-low 24 power-play goals.
However, they are dangerous on the penalty kill. Anaheim’s 10 short-handed goals are second-most in the NHL. Only Ottawa (14) has more.
Super Saturday
The local college basketball scene is busy Saturday.
Pitt (15-14) hopes to snap a five-game losing streak when they play N.C. State at noon. The Wolfpack have lost two in a row and have fallen to 17-11.
At the same time, No. 16 Penn State has a Top 25 battle at 18th-ranked Iowa. The Nittany Lions won the first meeting 89-86.
Robert Morris (12-5 in the NEC) has a key game against St. Francis (Pa.) at 1 p.m. A victory for RMU would pull the Colonials into a tie with the Red Flash (13-4) for second place in the NEC. The Flash have won eight straight games.
At 4 p.m., No. 20 West Virginia welcomes Oklahoma to Morgantown. The Sooners won the first battle between the teams 69-59 on Feb. 8. But they are just 2-8 on the road, and the Mountaineers are 13-1 at home.
Duquesne hosts George Mason at 7 p.m. Saturday at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center. The Dukes are in a three-way tie with Davidson and Saint Louis for fifth place in the Atlantic 10 at 9-6.
