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Bills bulk up offense by drafting OT Kouandjio

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills general manager Doug Whaley did what he set out to do: surround quarterback EJ Manuel with more talent from the early rounds of the NFL draft.

A day after making a big splash by trading up to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins with the fourth pick, Whaley provided Manuel some big-bodied protection in the form of Alabama offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio in the second round on Friday.

“When I do say something, I do it, and I mean it and I try to fulfill it,” said Whaley, who is overseeing his first draft in Buffalo after Buddy Nix stepped down last year. “We wanted to improve the offense, and we think, outside, we brought some weapons in. But we also needed to solidify the line. And that’s the plan with drafting Cyrus.”

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 322 pounds, Kouandjio was selected with the 44th pick, after the Bills traded down three spots in a deal with St. Louis. They also acquired the Rams’ fifth-round pick (153rd overall).

Kouandjio started 26 of 35 games in three seasons at Alabama. In Buffalo, he addresses a need at tackle, and will be given a chance to compete for the starting job on the right side.

“We expect him to be contributing early. Opening day? Not sure. I can’t put a timetable on it,” Whaley said. “But your first- and second-round picks have to contribute early. Even your third.”

In the third round, Buffalo turned its attention to defense by selecting Louisville linebacker Preston Brown with the 73rd pick.

The 6-1, 251-pound Brown started 36 of 52 games over four seasons. He’s versatile enough to play the outside and middle positions. He finished with seven career sacks, including a career-best 4-1/2 last season, and 21-1/2 tackles for a loss.

Brown provides depth to a revamped group of linebackers with the Bills making the switch to a 4-3 scheme under new coordinator Jim Schwartz. The former Lions coach was hired by the Bills in January after Mike Pettine took over the Cleveland Browns’ head coach.

The defense will feature two new starting linebackers after Buffalo signed Brandon Spikes and Keith Rivers in free agency. And Kiko Alonso is shifting outside after a solid rookie season last year.

The Bills have four selections left over the final four rounds to be held on Saturday.

Kouandjio’s stock dropped in the months leading up to the draft after questions were raised about a lingering left knee injury.

Whaley said the player was cleared by the Bills medical staff, and also noted the Kouandjio missed minimal playing and practice time in college.

Last year, he was credited with allowing 1-1/2 sacks on 365 pass attempts.

Kouandjio is from Cameroon. He was five, when his family moved to the United States and settled in Maryland.

His addition comes after the Bills added Watkins, who was regarded as one of the draft’s most dynamic playmakers.

Watkins’ addition prompted Buffalo to trade receiver Stevie Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers hours before the second round began. In return, Buffalo picked up an undisclosed pick in next year’s draft.

After six seasons in Buffalo, Johnson became the odd-man out in what has emerged as a new-look passing attack. Whaley acquired receiver Mike Williams in a trade with Tampa Bay last month. Last year, Manuel was the first quarterback taken in the draft, and the Bills followed up by selecting receivers Robert Woods and Marquise Grissom in the second and third rounds.

Manuel oversaw an inconsistent offense that contributed to 6-10 finish and extend the NFL’s longest active playoff drought to 14 seasons. His development was also slowed by three separate knee injuries that caused him to miss six regular season and two preseason games.

Though their running game was among the NFL’s best behind Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, the Bills passing attack sputtered.

Manuel finished with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Overall, the Bills finished 22nd in the NFL by scoring 339 points, and their offense was limited to scoring two or fewer touchdowns 11 times.

“We’ve got to win games, and to win games, you’ve got to score more points,” Whaley said. “So we wanted to improve the offense.”

___

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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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