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49ers cap busy Day 2 of draft with five trades

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Trent Baalke found that coveted, experienced wide receiver for San Francisco in the first of five trades he pulled off during a whirlwind Day 2 of the NFL draft, acquiring Stevie Johnson from Buffalo.

“I’m exhausted,” the general manager said.

Try keeping up with the maddening crush of 49ers moves from outside the draft room.

Determined to stick with — and, ultimately, surpass — the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the talented NFC West, San Francisco addressed key positions on offense for the near future and the long haul.

That included adding second-round running back Carlos Hyde and a pair of offensive linemen in the third round.

The day started with adding Johnson after the Bills reached out Thursday with some possibilities.

San Francisco gave up an undisclosed 2015 draft pick. Johnson is expected to fill a key spot as San Francisco’s likely No. 3 receiver behind Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin.

“Three of the last four years he’s been a 1,000-yard receiver in the National Football League, which isn’t easy to do,” Baalke said.

While Boldin received a new $12 million, two-year deal in March, Crabtree is entering the final season of his contract and San Francisco lost Mario Manningham in free agency.

Johnson spent the past four seasons as a starter in Buffalo. He became the Bills’ first player to break 1,000 yards receiving in consecutive seasons in 2010-11, and extended the streak in 2012.

“It’s good,” Crabtree offered with a thumbs up and smile as he departed the facility Friday night, referring to Johnson’s addition.

Hyde has long admired Frank Gore, and now he wants to compete against the veteran running back for San Francisco’s starting job.

The 49ers selected Hyde with 57th overall pick. They acquired Miami’s choice that came via San Diego after sending the 56th pick to Denver only minutes earlier. San Francisco added a potent runner to complement Gore and join Thursday’s first-round pick, Jimmie Ward.

“I’m going to definitely get in there and compete to get that starting job and keep that running game alive that Frank Gore brought to the Niners,” said Hyde, who ran for 1,521 yards for the Buckeyes in 2013. “They felt like my skill set can really help them out, what I do, what I bring to the game, I think personally they feel that can really help them get to that next level, get that trophy.”

The 30-year-old Gore is entering the final year of his contract. He is coming off his seventh 1,000-yard season and third straight in his nine-year career.

“I think you can look at it that way in some respects, but the bottom line is, and I’ve said it, it was the best player available,” Baalke said.

In 20 career starts for Ohio State and 41 games that also included playing fullback, Hyde generated 3,516 all-purpose yards, rushing for 3,198 yards on 523 carries.

San Francisco selected USC center Marcus Martin at No. 70 and Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland at 77th. Martin was the final player in the green room at draft headquarters in New York.

“It was nerve-wracking,” said Martin, who will compete for the starting center job. “I’m coming in with a chip on my shoulder.”

Ward, selected 30th overall Thursday night, arrived at team headquarters and made the rounds. He met some players, including quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“He said, ‘Good luck, man, enjoy the weather,'” Ward said.

Coach Jim Harbaugh has praised the tackling ability of Ward, who said he learned from his father and regularly hit two older brothers.

“I was just taught to not be that guy that missed a tackle and slapped his hands, hit the ground,” Ward said. “That’s the sign of a loser, so I don’t like that.”

He flew in from Alabama ready to get to work, with only one bag that included the suit he wore for his introductory press conference and other appearances. Ward posed with his new No. 25 jersey — departed cornerback Tarell Brown’s old number — with Levi’s Stadium in the background.

“I’m going to be wearing San Francisco sweats everywhere and take pride in it. Red’s my favorite color,” Ward said.

Adding depth at linebacker gives the 49ers some reinforcements given All-Pro NaVorro Bowman is recovering from a serious left knee injury sustained during the NFC championship game loss at Seattle. In addition, Aldon Smith could face an NFL suspension for his legal trouble over the past eight months.

Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas was taken at No. 100, and is recovering from ACL surgery on his right knee. He got injured in an April workout.

___

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

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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