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Dolphins add WR and OL in draft

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins made several dozen phone calls and traded picks three times to add a receiver and an offensive lineman in the NFL draft Friday.

New general manager Dennis Hickey traded down twice in the second round before selecting Louisiana State receiver Jarvis Landry. Hickey then traded up to acquire North Dakota State tackle Billy Turner in the third round.

Hickey said he made the moves with plenty of help in the Dolphins draft room.

“For every trade that’s consummated, there are about 12 to 15 calls, so it’s a lot of work,” he said. “There was a lot of movement we felt was beneficial.”

With the selections, the Dolphins further upgraded an offense that added Tennessee right tackle Ja’Wuan James in the first round Thursday. Miami has five picks in the final three rounds Saturday.

While the Dolphins wanted Landry, they were able to trade down because a poor 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine hurt his stock. He ran a 4.77, the slowest of 45 receivers there.

Hickey’s reaction at the time?

“I thought, ‘Opportunity,'” the GM said. “Whenever someone doesn’t run as fast as you think they run, you go back to the tape and see how fast he plays. Jarvis Landry played fast at the highest level versus excellent corners and safeties and produced. He was able to get open.”

Landry blamed a right hamstring injury for his time at the combine. He later ran a 4.51 at Louisiana State’s pro day.

Landry and his close friend Odell Beckham Jr., a first-round pick by the Giants, made up the most prolific receiving tandem in LSU history. Was Landry the more physical of the two, and Beckham the speed guy?

“I was the reliable guy,” Landry said with a chuckle.

Before acquiring Landry, the Dolphins sent the 50th overall pick to the San Diego Chargers for their 57th pick. Then they traded that pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the 63rd overall pick.

A short time later, the Dolphins made their third trade of the night to move up and select Turner with the 67th overall pick. Miami traded a third- and fourth-round pick to the Oakland Raiders to move up.

Turner played on three consecutive Championship Subdivision championship teams at North Dakota State. His father, Maurice, played for five years in the NFL with the Vikings, Packers and Jets, and brother Bryan was drafted by the Giants in 2008.

The Dolphins have only one returning starter on an offensive line that was woeful last year. Turner is expected to compete for a No. 1 job at guard, but his versatility will give coach Joe Philbin some flexibility.

“I see myself playing wherever the team needs me to play,” Turner said. “I can play on the left side, the right side, I can play guard, tackle or center. Whenever they want to plug me in is where I’ll be.”

James is projected to start at right tackle. He visited the team complex Friday and said he hadn’t slept since being drafted.

“My life dream came true last night,” he said. “This feels right, and I’m glad to be here, and I’m supposed to be here.”

While Landry is unlikely to crack the starting lineup right away, he will give new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor more depth at receiver. Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson and Armon Binns are coming off knee injuries last year.

Landry made 77 receptions as a junior last season for 1,193 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he has played on special teams.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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