SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #5 Bobby Wagner

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #5 Bobby Wagner

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by | Aug 31, 2019 | Featured, NFL

5. Bobby Wagner

Team: Seattle Seahawks

Position: MLB

Experience: 7 Years

The SneakerReporter’s highest rated inside linebacker and the best in the business, Bobby Wagner. Wagner came into the league in 2012 and his career took off as the Legion of Boom dominated the NFL, leading the Hawks to the 2014 Super Bowl Title. Although most of the recognition went elsewhere, Wagner patrolled the middle of the field, while also shutting down runs with ease. Without him, the Legion of Boom looks a lot different and may never win a championship.

When the Seahawks drafted Wagner in the 2nd round of the 2012 NFL Draft, the scouting report on him was that he plays with a terrific motor but could be undersized at the NFL level. The scouts weren’t wrong about the motor at all, as Wagner has an uncanny sense of reading plays and blowing up running backs in the backfield. In his rookie season he had over 130 combined tackles, three INTs, and 9 tackles for loss. Wagner quickly put the concerns about his size to rest. 

The Seahawks Super Bowl run in 2014 really catapulted Wagner into the elite category, finally receiving some well earned recognition. He made his first Pro-Bowl and First Team All-Pro in 2014. Since then, he has yet to miss a Pro-Bowl and has earned First Team All-Pro honors three more times (2016, 2017, 2018). Wagner’s versatility is what makes him so special. He is quick enough to stay with receivers over the middle but also strong enough to shed linemen on the interior. 

Bobby Wagner has all the ideal qualities for an inside linebacker. At 6’0” 240 lbs., Wagner is an absolute wrecking ball. His explosion and hit power are some of the best in the NFL today. But perhaps Wagner’s best trait of all, he never misses tackles. Wagner and Kuechly are known as some of the best form tacklers in the league, but Wagner took it to a whole new level in 2018 when he only missed one tackle the entire season. Wagner already owns real estate in the Seahawks Record book as the All Time leader in Solo Tackles, as well as the most tackles in a single season, with 168 in 2016. 

Wagner holds his spot as one of the last members of the Super Bowl winning squad in 2014. Wagner has been healthy for the majority of his career, hopefully foreshadowing many more years of dominance. At only 29 years old, expect Wagner to keep producing elite numbers. Bobby Wagner is truly an underappreciated star in today’s league. He isn’t about the fame and antics, he strictly gets the job done. 

Aug 31, 2019 No Comments
BREAKING NEWS: Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks Agree On Deal Involving Jadeveon Clowney

BREAKING NEWS: Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks Agree On Deal Involving Jadeveon Clowney

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by | Aug 31, 2019 | Featured, NFL

The Houston Texans and Jadeveon Clowney have been at an impasse ever since the two sides couldn’t agree on a new contract. The franchise tag was ultimately applied to edge rusher but he refused to sign the tender or report to camp.

As the offseason progressed into training camp, it seemed less likely that Clowney would ever suit up for the Texans again.

Once he made it known that he was willing to miss games the conversation changed from how they could keep him to who they could deal him for.

The Miami Dolphins were often rumored but Clowney wanted to play for a contender if he was to be moved. According to FOX’s Jay Glazer, the Texans and Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a trade pending all players involved passing their physicals—at this time Clowney is the only player we know for sure is part of the deal. The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson reports that a Seattle is sending a third-round pick and two players to the Texans.

Pete Carroll gets as good of a replacement as possible for Frank Clark.

Clowney, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, has spent his time away training in Florida and is reportedly in the best shape of his career.

Aug 31, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #6 DeAndre Hopkins

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #6 DeAndre Hopkins

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by | Aug 30, 2019 | Featured, NFL

6. DeAndre Hopkins

Team: Houston Texans

Position: WR

Experience: 6 Years

Simply put, DeAndre Hopkins is the best wide receiver in the NFL. Debate if you want but the job of the receiver is to catch passes and last season, Hopkins did not drop a single ball. That’s right, he was thrown 115 catchable passes last year and he finished with 115 receptions. He was an offense all to himself. No matter how opponents chose to defend him if the ball was within his catch radius it was going to come down in his possession. Hopkins has gotten better each season and it is scary to think what the next step in his progression will be.

Even before Andrew Luck decided to retire, the Houston Texans were considered a team that not only could win the AFC South but also be a threat to the New England Patriots in the AFC. Part of the reason is the connection that Hopkins and Deshaun Watson have developed. Their production is equal to or better than any other quarterback and wide receiver duo currently in the league. Capitalizing on this pair is important, As long as both remain healthy this franchise will surely be in the discussion for the playoffs.

For his part, Hopkins is truly a complete receiver. He can run a complete route tree. He has the speed to burst past taller cornerbacks and the size to jump over smaller cornerbacks. Unless he lines up against an All-Pro defensive back (sometimes even that isn’ enough) you can pencil him in with a catch if Houston runs a passing play. If the team success can match the stats that Hopkins routinely puts up then by this time next year he could be the clear-cut answer for the question of who’s the best wideout in the NFL.

He’s coming off of back-to-back First-Team All-Pro selections and looks on the path to repeat everything we saw from him last season. The Texans have added Will Fuller V and Keke Coutee to their receiver room in hopes of opening the field for Hopkins even more. However, the two of them have rarely been able to stay on the field as they have piled up injury after injury over the course of their short times in the league to date. If the supporting pieces are available Hopkins overall numbers may dip some but he could be even more efficient–if it is even possible to be more efficient than not dropping a single pass.

At the end of the day, regardless of who’s out there with him and who’s throwing him the ball, Hopkins has the talent to dominate. He has done just that over the last two seasons. If he continues, there’s a chance that his name will land even higher on this list when it comes out next year.

Aug 30, 2019 No Comments
Pistons guard Reggie Jackson says he was close to retiring from the NBA

Pistons guard Reggie Jackson says he was close to retiring from the NBA

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by | Aug 30, 2019 | Featured, NBA

In recent years one of the biggest uncertainties when it came to the Detroit Pistons was if Reggie Jackson would be healthy enough to play the whole season. These questions & uncertainties took a toll on optimistic Pistons fans as they hoped for their team to go into each season at a hundred percent. Reggie Jackson recently did an interview with The Detroit News, where he detailed the toll that his reoccurring injuries had placed on him. Getting so bad that he even contemplated retirement once his contract was up.

“A few years back, I thought (my future) was retirement after this season,” Jackson said in his interview with The Detroit News. “I’m just happy to be in a good state of mind and playing ball this year. We’ll figure (the future) out from there. I’m excited about what we can possibly do this year… I was just getting injured too much and I had hit basketball depression and it was a point in time that I really didn’t want to deal with the game anymore. It was more the injuries that started to have that (retirement) thought creep in my head.” 

Hopefully, this is the end of Reggie Jackson injury woes, and he can get back to the high level of basketball he’s so accustomed to playing at. After playing 82 games last season averaging 15.4 points & 4.2 assists on 42% FG shooting, he may be ready to do just that.

Aug 30, 2019 No Comments
Top 10 Most “Swagged Out” Teams of College Football

Top 10 Most “Swagged Out” Teams of College Football

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by | Aug 29, 2019 | Featured, uncategorised

The 2019 college football season is underway, with teams officially kicking off last weekend. Most teams, however, will play their first games this coming weekend. In high-profile Division I football, new seasons mean new uniforms. For a lot of teams, it’s unexpected to keep the same uniform combo for more than a few years. For the flagship sponsored schools, they get special edition or new uniforms almost every season. Let’s face it, in today’s world a “cool” uniform can mean getting one more prized recruit, and getting 17-year-olds to pay attention to your program. We compiled a list of the Top 10 Most “Swagged Out” Teams of College Football – when it comes to uniforms, cleats, gear, helmets, and color schemes. Sorry to schools like Alabama, Auburn, USC, Penn State, Texas, and Georgia – you guys can have all the wins, national championships and bowl victories, but your “traditional” uniforms just aren’t going to cut it for this article. What also should be noted is that we ranked these “swagged out” schools not only by their uniforms and gear from this season, but the last handful of seasons as well. Take a look below for this Top 10 list and there should be no surprise as to who is #1.

 

 

10. TEXAS TECH (Under Armour) – Big 12

 

                              

9. TCU (Nike) – Big 12

                             

 

8. ARIZONA STATE (Adidas) – PAC-12

 

                             

 

7. KENTUCKY (Nike) – SEC

 

                             

 

6. LOUISVILLE (Adidas) – ACC

 

                             

 

5. MICHIGAN (Jordan Brand) – Big Ten

 

                                          

 

4. OKLAHOMA STATE (Nike) – Big 12

 

                             

 

3. BOISE STATE (Nike) – Mountain West

 

                             

 

2. NORTH CAROLINA (Jordan Brand) – ACC

 

                                         

 

1. OREGON (Nike) – Pac-12

 

                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aug 29, 2019 No Comments
The UNDFTD X KOBE 4 Collection Continues With A ‘Black Mamba’ Colorway

The UNDFTD X KOBE 4 Collection Continues With A ‘Black Mamba’ Colorway

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by | Aug 29, 2019 | Featured, Sneaker Releases, Sneakers

After a collection celebrating Kobe’s acolytes (DeRozan, Booker, Antetokounmpo, & Kuzma) the Undefeated Kobe Protro 4 returns with a pair honoring the man himself.

This slick black colorway maintains the iridescent shimmer of the other four with the matching UNDFTD and Nike branding as well. These shimmering black kicks represents Kobe’s nom DE guerre “The Black Mamba” and are set to release September 13th.

Are these a cop? Which did you grab out of the UNDFTD X Nike Kobe 4 collection? Let us know.

Aug 29, 2019 No Comments