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Titans take 1st RB of draft in Bishop Sankey

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans finally ended the record wait for the first running back selected in the NFL draft grabbing Bishop Sankey of Washington with the 54th pick overall.

How well they do in place of Chris Johnson remains to be seen.

It’s the latest in any draft for the first running back to be taken, and the Titans made the move Friday night after releasing Johnson in April after six seasons l to avoid paying him $8 million. They already had Shonn Greene and signed Dexter McCluster in March, but Sankey brings versatility and the ability to play all three downs in new coach Ken Whisenhunt’s offense.

“I think this guy is solid and will handle that really well and just completely different as a back,” general manager Ruston Webster said. “Their skill set is not the same, so when you see them on the field, it’s not going to look anything like Chris and he’ll make his own mark.”

Tennessee originally was slotted to draft at No. 42 overall but traded with Philadelphia sliding down 12 spots swapping positions. The Titans also picked up the Eagles’ fourth-round pick, giving them seven in this draft and helping make up for the third round pick traded last year to draft receiver Justin Hunter.

The Titans’ move for Sankey started a run on the position, and Sankey said it felt awesome being the first running back drafted. He said he had a feeling Tennessee would take him after being the only team to fly him in for a visit.

Asked about Johnson, Sankey called the man called CJ2K a tough act to follow.

“We’ll see,” Sankey said. “Only time will tell. No one really knows what tomorrow is going to bring. It’s up to us to prepare the day for whatever situation we’re put in. that’s something that I’m going to do. Just worry about myself and control that I can control and be the best football player that I can be.”

The 5-foot-9, 203-pound Sankey did most of his work in his past two seasons at Washington with 3,309 of his 3,496 yards rushing coming in that time. He scored 37 touchdowns and averaged 5.43 yards per carry overall. His two-year total is the best back-to-back total at Washington since Napoleon Kaufman had 2,689 yards in 1993 and 1994.

“Really what he brings to us is a great deal of versatility, vision, feet, ability to catch the football, which is what we’re looking for,” Webster said. “The important thing for us in picking one of these backs was to get the right fit for coach’s offense and versatility, the ability to play on three downs was really one of the main criteria.”

The Titans now have used their top two selections on offense after selecting left tackle Taylor Lewan of Michigan at No. 11 overall, and they went into this draft looking for a running back after releasing Johnson in April. Johnson ranked second for most yards rushing in the NFL during his six seasons with 7,965 yards, and he left as the franchise’s third-leading all-time rusher. He also never missed a game due to injury.

Scout Marv Sunderland praised Sankey for not missing practices, being a leader and his ability to run both inside the tackles and break long runs. Sankey had a long run of at least 60 yards in each of his last two seasons. But Sankey will be limited this offseason to the Titans’ rookie minicamp this offseason because his class will not be wrapped up at Washington.

Whisenhunt said Sankey will be able to keep up with his team-issued iPad that the running back can take with him, which also will allow the rookie to access video from practices.

“So hopefully that’ll help,” Whisenhunt said.

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Online:

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

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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