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Broncos select WR Latimer, RT Schofield

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway took a break from his defensive rebuilding project Friday night to give Peyton Manning another big target and an athletic right tackle.

Denver’s general manager selected Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer in the second round of the NFL draft and Michigan offensive lineman Michael Schofield in the third round.

“By the time we get through tomorrow, they’re going to call us the Big Ten Broncos,” said Elway, who welcomed first-round pick Bradley Roby of Ohio State to team headquarters earlier in the day.

With a run on wide receivers taking place and the Broncos anticipating as many as four compensatory picks next season, Elway moved up seven spots in a trade with San Francisco to take Latimer, a 6-foot-2½-inch, 215-pounder, with the 56th overall pick.

Latimer’s draft stock soared when he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash and posted a vertical jump of 39 inches on his pro day, then added 23 reps on the bench press at the combine.

He brings speed, size and strength to an offense intent on adding toughness and balance with a stouter ground game in 2014.

“He was the best-blocking wide receiver by far in the draft,” Elway said.

Latimer is a two-time All-Big Ten selection who finished his three-year college career with 135 catches, 2,152 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s the perfect present for Manning, who set NFL records last season by throwing for 55 touchdowns and 5,447 yards with the highest-scoring team in league history.

“This is going to be awesome (to) get to play with a record-setting offense,” Latimer said. “I came from an offense that was powerful and record-setting at IU. I hope to add on to this offense, contribute the best way I can.”

Like Latimer, Schofield was thrilled to join a Super Bowl contender.

“That’s the best possible situation for anyone,” Schofield said. “That’s a dream coming into the NFL, a team right in Super Bowl contention.”

And in Schofield, the Broncos have the right tackle they coveted.

Elway is shuffling his offensive line, which was manhandled by the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, putting a damper on an otherwise spectacular season. He let Zane Beadles go in free agency and moved right tackle Orlando Franklin to left guard.

With star left tackle Ryan Clady returning from the foot surgery that sidelined him almost all of last season, Chris Clark moves over to right tackle and now will vie with Schofield, a 6-foot-7, 305-pounder who can also play guard, for the starting job.

Despite becoming the first team in league history to score more than 600 points, the Broncos surrendered a whopping 24.9 points a game — 25.3 if you count the playoffs — and Elway focused on fixing his defense this offseason.

But after adding marquee free agents T.J. Ward, DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib, he signed Emmanuel Sanders to replace Eric Decker in a receiving corps that also features Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Bubba Caldwell and tight end Julius Thomas.

Now, Latimer joins that impressive group, adding an uncommon mix of size and speed.

“There’s a bunch of other really good wide receivers, but what really got our attention was the way he took pride in what he did as far as blocking and then he’s got great hands,” Elway said. “He’s got great speed. He’s big and he’s tough. He’s a complete wide receiver.”

Latimer said he’s looking forward to playing with the notoriously demanding Manning.

“He’s going to make sure I’m in the right place to make plays and I’m going to make the plays for him,” Latimer said. “It’s going to be a great combination. I’m happy to be a part of this.”

Latimer isn’t only big, he’s brash.

After tearing up the Big Ten, he said, “I’m going to do the same thing, come in and dominate in the NFL.”

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Online:

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

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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