
Jackson Payne
Sportswriter at Deseret News
Sportswriter @deseret | Believer | Orioles and Commanders diehard | Undefeated against cancer | Email: [email protected]
Articles
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1 week ago |
deseret.com | Jackson Payne
It's no secret that Utah boasts a great deal of football talent, but one outlet believes two Beehive State products to be among the NFL's best young players. Pro Football Focus released its ranking of the top 25 players in the league under the age of 25, and a pair of Utah natives were chosen for the top two spots: Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell came in at No. 1, with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua finishing right behind at No. 2.
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1 week ago |
deseret.com | Jackson Payne
In just over a month, Egor Demin will be an NBA Draft selection. But where he winds up in the league has become an interesting mystery within draft discourse. As previously reported by the Deseret News, Demin has been projected by experts to be drafted anywhere from inside the lottery to the end of the first round. His NBA Combine performance - particularly his shooting - proved strong, further thickening the plot and turning the BYU star into one of the year's most intriguing prospects.
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2 weeks ago |
deseret.com | Jackson Payne
BYU continues to bolster its 2026 recruiting class. Three-star athlete Sefanaia Alatini has committed to the Cougars, he announced Tuesday morning via social media. Alatini's 0.865 composite score from 247 Sports places him as the No. 84-ranked recruit in the state of California. The rising senior plays for St. Francis High in Mountain View, California, where he was a teammate of 2024 BYU signee Kingston Keanaaina, a running back.
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2 weeks ago |
deseret.com | Jackson Payne
Spencer Johnson's first year of professional basketball just ended with a bang. The former BYU star, who is now playing overseas in England, was part of the Leicester Riders squad that won the British Super League playoff championship on Sunday. The Riders thumped rival Newcastle 105-74 at London's O2 Arena to earn their 20th trophy in club history. "Built to win. Love this team. Go Riders!" Johnson wrote in an Instagram post following the championship game.
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2 weeks ago |
sports.yahoo.com | Jackson Payne
Spencer Johnson’s first year of professional basketball just ended with a bang. The former BYU star, who is now playing overseas in England, was part of the Leicester Riders squad that won the British Super League playoff championship on Sunday. The Riders thumped rival Newcastle 105-74 at London’s O2 Arena to earn their 20th trophy in club history. Advertisement“Built to win. Love this team. Go Riders!” Johnson wrote in an Instagram post following the championship game.
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Brian Santiago has helped get a lot done at BYU, especially in the last few years. He was Tom Holmoe’s right hand man for a reason. The hire makes sense and honestly felt inevitable. It’ll be interesting and exciting to see how this new era of Cougar athletics unfolds.

@jackson5payne what are your thoughts on Santiago as the new AD?

RT @desnewssports: BYU names Brian Santiago as its new director of athletics Story by @jackson5payne https://t.co/9ujIWWvmHJ

RT @BYUCougars: We are pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Santiago as the next director of athletics at Brigham Young University.…