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Cardinals pick Va. Tech QB Thomas in 4th round

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals finally made their much-anticipated move at quarterback in the NFL draft, selecting Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas in the fourth round on Saturday.

At 6-foot-6, 248 pounds and with a strong arm, Thomas could be groomed as an eventual replacement for 34-year-old Carson Palmer.

Coach Bruce Arians had downplayed the idea of taking a quarterback in later rounds.

“I lie pretty good,” he said.

But the team had Thomas in mind all along.

“I didn’t want anybody jumping in front of us,” Arians said.

Thomas, in a conference call, said he “had a pretty good idea that I had a chance to go to the Cardinals and in all honesty this is what I was hoping. It just felt right from the first time meeting coach Arians and (quarterbacks) coach (Freddie) Kitchens. It just felt right from the very beginning.”

Thomas completed 55.5 percent of his passes for 9,003 career yards for the Hokies, with 53 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions. As a senior, he completed 56.5 percent for 2,907 yards and 16 TDs with 13 interceptions.

With their final two picks, the Cardinals drafted Alabama defensive end Ed Stinson in the fifth round and wide receiver Walt Powell of Murray State in the sixth. Arizona’s seventh-round pick went to Oakland in the trade that brought Palmer to the Cardinals.

Stinson, who said he was bothered by a sore groin all of last season after undergoing surgery in May, is a good friend of Arizona third-round pick Pittsburg State wide receiver John Brown. The two grew up together in Homestead, Florida.

Stinson was the second defensive end drafted by Arizona. The Cardinals got North Carolina’s Kareem Martin in the third round.

Arians, a Virginia Tech alumnus, said Thomas has “probably the best arm I’ve worked out in 10 years.”

But he is a player that needs development and must beat out current third-stringer Ryan Lindley.

“Nothing’s going to be handed to this guy,” Arians said. “He’s not the quarterback of the future ’til he earns it. He’s got to beat out a pretty good guy to get that No. 3 spot, and the No. 2 spot (Drew Stanton) ain’t changing.”

Thomas was the sixth quarterback selected in the draft and the 120th pick overall.

“When you’re sitting in the fourth through seventh round, if you think you’re finding Tom Brady, that’s not the case,” general manager Steve Keim said, “so you’re looking for redeeming qualities that excite you. He certainly has the physical skill set that excited you. He’s a good kid. So you can check all the boxes. Now it’s up to him on whether he pans out and develops.”

Thomas set Virginia Tech career records for yards passing, touchdowns, total offense (10,352 yards), completions (694) and attempts (1,249).

But there have been concerns about his accuracy and passing touch, things he said he has worked on this offseason with quarterback specialist George Woodfield.

“I’ve grown as a quarterback in this offseason,” Thomas said. “Everybody’s basing it off the season, which I understand. That’s what’s on film. But this offseason was a chance I was able to really go refine some things.”

Arians noted that Thomas had three offensive coordinators in three years and said the accuracy issues are “easily correctable stuff.”

As an assistant coach at Pittsburgh and Indianapolis and interim head coach with the Colts, Arians worked with Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck.

Thomas said “it means a ton” to get to play for someone with that pedigree.

“I think it kind of shows he’s willing to work with a guy and build him up,” he said, “and create him into pretty much a monster in the way they play football. For me, I couldn’t have gone into a better situation.”

Playing behind Palmer also is a benefit, Thomas said.

“Some guys get thrown into the fire off the start,” he said. “… I have the opportunity to sit and watch and learn from a guy who’s been in the league for a good amount of time and has had a lot of success in the league as well.”

Some teams thought Thomas would be better suited at tight end but Arians said the draftee would be a quarterback — period.

___

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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