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Cards draft TE Niklas, then DE Martin, WR Brown

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Troy Niklas is still learning to play tight end, and that’s what made him so enticing to the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals chose the 6-foot-6, 279-pound player out of Notre Dame in the second round of Friday’s NFL draft, the 52nd player taken overall.

“He’s a guy that in our mind has just started to scratch the surface on what he can become,” Arizona general manager Steve Keim said.

It is the first time the Cardinals have drafted a tight end this high since they selected Doug Marsh of Michigan with the 33rd pick in 1980.

“This, to me, is a guy who could really transcend into being one of the top all-around tight ends at some point in his career,” Keim said.

With their two third-round picks, the Cardinals went with defensive strength and offensive speed. They used the 84th pick to select defensive end Kareem Martin of North Carolina. With the 91st pick, obtained from New Orleans when they traded down in the first round, Arizona chose wide receiver John Brown of NCAA Division II Pittsburg State of Kansas.

With those selections and drafting Washington State safety Deone Bucannon in the first round, Arizona has addressed areas of need.

Niklas is considered the best blocking tight end in this year’s draft crop, but the Cardinals see him as more than that.

“The trend is you find either the pass-catching tight end that can stretch the seam and create some mismatches,” Keim said, “or you have sluggo that sits on the line of scrimmage, which is really your third tackle. It has been hard to find the tight end that is the dual threat, that can do both things and do both things well. That’s what this guy is.”

Niklas converted from outside linebacker after his freshman season and chose to enter the NFL draft after his junior year. In his 26 games at tight end, including starts in all 13 last season, Niklas caught 37 passes for 573 yards and six touchdowns. The bulk of those catches came last season, when he had 32 receptions for 498 yards and five scores, including a 66-yard scoring play in the season opener against Temple.

“I’ve still got a lot to learn,” Niklas said, “and that’s something that I didn’t hide from teams.”

Niklas has an impressive football lineage.

Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews is his uncle and current NFL players Clay and Casey Matthews are cousins. Another cousin, Jake Matthews, was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round on Thursday.

Although he is primarily a blocker, Niklas has had some effective performances as a receiver. He caught six passes for 76 yards against Michigan and four for 76 yards in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers.

Keim said his team’s draft board was “pretty well picked clean” but that Niklas was “a guy that we’ve followed for quite some time now.”

Niklas was a highly recruited player out of Servite High School in Anaheim, California, choosing Notre Dame over USC. He said he was thrilled to be playing in the West.

“My family can come to the games. It’s within driving distance,” he said. “I’m unbelievably happy that I’m going there.”

Arizona coach Bruce Arians said that had Niklas gone back to Notre Dame for his senior season, he probably “would have been a top 10 pick, with that skill set.”

Niklas said the decision to leave was a difficult one.

“A lot of teams need a tight end,” he said. “I just had a good feeling. Everything looked so bright I just went ahead and came out.”

Martin played on the line in a 4-2-5 scheme at North Carolina but the Cardinals would like to use him at outside linebacker.

Asked about the difficulty of such a transition, Arians said one outside linebacker is essentially a defensive end and the other linebacker just has to stand up rather than go down in a stance.

“I think he’s more comfortable with the hand in its dirt, so we’ll see,” Arians said.

The 5-foot-10 Brown, a three-time Division II All-American, ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash, third-fastest at the NFL combine. Arizona also had a private workout with him.

Arians coached two other small receivers in T.Y. Hilton and Antonio Brown.

“He’s kind of a combination of those two guys,” Arians said, “very explosive but fearless going over the middle.”

___

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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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