Manny Navarro

Florida

Columnist and Writer at The Athletic

Husband. Father. The Athletic/NY Times. ESPN+. Podcast: @WideRightPod Insider: @7SportsXtra & @BigOShow. Journalist since 1995. Email: [email protected]

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Articles

Why 15-year-old Miami Northwestern QB Neimann Lawrence could be the next big thing

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

It didn't take Neimann Lawrence long to earn a nickname when he started playing football at Gwen Cherry Park in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami. "When he was growing up from 3 to age 7, he was a little chunky. So they called him 'The Big Show,'" his mother, Angela, said this week as she watched her 15-year-old son take quarterback reps at Miami Northwestern High under the watchful eye of former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Are they any good?

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Grace Raynor |Manny Navarro

Bill Belichick has a new book, a 24-year-old girlfriend drawing lots of attention and a new football team he's coaching this fall. His roster is in flux, with more than 70 players from last year's team gone and 30-plus additions via the transfer portal. General manager Michael Lombardi said recently he's trying to make North Carolina look like an SEC team. The Tar Heels went 6-7 in Mack Brown's final season and have struggled on defense for several years.
Jackson Cantwell's decision to pick Miami a win for the ACC

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

Jackson Cantwell and his parents once drove 1,200 miles through the heart of SEC Country to visit LSU, Georgia and Alabama. "We had a pretty cool setup," the Missouri native who is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 247Sports Composite said in December before the Under Armour All-American game.
Girlfriend Jordon Hudson 'doesn't have anything to do with UNC football'

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

Bill Belichick went on "SportsCenter" Tuesday to talk about North Carolina football, and, yes, the show asked him about his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson and whether she is impacting his ability to coach the Tar Heels. "That's really off to the side, it's a personal relationship and she doesn't have anything to do with UNC football," Belichick told ESPN anchor Christine Williamson at the ACC Spring Meetings in Amelia Island, Fla.
Jaxson Dart, Caleb Williams headline 23 first-rounders from Class of 2021, but who remains?

4 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

Not every top-ranked recruit has their NFL Draft dreams play out the way they envisioned. Quinn Ewers certainly did not. Texas' starting quarterback went from being a prospect with a perfect score in the 247Sports Composite to the 233rd selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, a far cry from what was expected when he graduated high school early to sign with Ohio State. Ewers, however, avoided becoming the second No. 1 recruit in the modern era to go undrafted.
Travis Hunter lived up to the hype, but what about the rest of the Class of 2022?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

Travis Hunter lived up to the hype. The No. 1 recruit in the 2022 cycle won the Heisman Trophy and was selected second in last weekend's NFL Draft. Dating to 2010, nine of the 13 recruits who were ranked No. 1 in their respective classes went on to become first-round picks. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (Class of 2018) and South Carolina edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (Class of 2011) were the only two drafted higher than Hunter.
Why isn’t the state of Florida producing highly ranked quarterback recruits?

1 month ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Manny Navarro

Share When it comes to producing NFL quarterbacks, the state of Florida ranks at the top with Texas and California.Dating to 2016, 11 quarterbacks from the Sunshine State have been drafted, third most behind Texas (15) and California (13), and five have been selected in the first round, second most behind California (eight).Yet, when it comes to high school recruiting rankings, it’s been hard to find the state’s best quarterbacks high up on any national lists.
Why isn't the state of Florida producing highly ranked quarterback recruits?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

When it comes to producing NFL quarterbacks, the state of Florida ranks at the top with Texas and California. Dating to 2016, 11 quarterbacks from the Sunshine State have been drafted, third most behind Texas (15) and California (13), and five have been selected in the first round, second most behind California (eight). Yet, when it comes to high school recruiting rankings, it's been hard to find the state's best quarterbacks high up on any national lists.
Which Power 4 programs lost the most talent in the spring transfer portal window?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

The 10-day spring transfer portal window traditionally is not as loaded with talent as the winter window. Most Power 4 rosters have had position needs met by now, and NIL budgets are usually tapped out by the time April rolls around. Yet, we've continued to see movement as players look for a boost in pay or a fresh start on a depth chart elsewhere.
Why are so many former top-100 recruits hitting the transfer portal so quickly?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

In case you missed it, there was a bit of drama over Easter weekend in Norman, Okla., involving a former five-star defensive tackle recruit and the transfer portal. On Friday, David Stone became one of the biggest free agents of the spring window when he entered his name into the portal. Less than 48 hours later, Stone - the No. 9 overall prospect in the Class of 2024 - announced he was staying put. Sooner Nation after taking the necessary time & examining my options...