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Colts find more help for Luck in NFL draft

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts might have had more glaring needs. But general manager Ryan Grigson was still looking for a couple of guys who could help his biggest asset, Andrew Luck.

After spending one full day watching other teams make picks and waiting another 2½ more hours after the draft resumed Friday night, Grigson made two selections in about two hours, both of whom will help Luck — versatile offensive lineman Jack Mewhort of Ohio State and Mississippi receiver Donte Moncrief.

“I think that as long as he (Luck) is healthy and upright and he’s got great protection and he’s got enough weapons surrounding him, he’ll probably be here for a long time,” coach Chuck Pagano said, referring to Luck. “Our goal, since Day 1, that vision has never changed — that is to build a program for sustained success. These are just two more pieces of the puzzle that will get us there.”

The Colts’ greatest need might have been safety where they must replace Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea, who signed with San Francisco in free agency, and the other starter, LaRon Landry, has struggled with injuries.

But with the top four safeties going in the first round, Grigson went to his next best option — helping Luck.

The 6-foot-6, 309-pound Mewhort played both guard spots at Ohio State before moving to left tackle in 2012. In 2013, he was a second-team All-American in 2013. The Senior Bowl coaches then used him at right tackle and guard, completing the conversion from one of the nation’s top high school centers. That unusual combination made Mewhort an attractive target for a team looking to improve the interior line and that become precariously thin at center following the surprise retirement of newly signed free agent Phil Costa last month.

Mewhort can’t wait to meet his new teammates, especially Luck.

“He’s the best young quarterback in the game right now and to get an opportunity to go to work with him every day I think is going to be very exciting,” Mewhort said. “I’m ready to get to work and start going.”

Taking an offensive lineman at No. 59 overall also filled another part of Indy’s grand plan.

Last year, Grigson said his top offseason priority was finding more protection for Luck. A series of injuries, however, forced the Colts to constantly juggle lineups and Luck still found himself under too much duress.

Grigson thought Costa could become of part of the fix. Now that job will fall to Mewhort, who continued taking snaps as the Buckeyes’ emergency center the past two seasons. He could even compete with last year’s fourth-round pick, Khaled Holmes, for the starting job.

“We wanted to get someone like Jack to help solidify our offensive line,” Grigson said. “I forget the stat that we had about the number of times we even had our regular starters play together last year. But the teams that go deep into the playoffs have incredible flexibility.”

They also have multiple receivers who can be productive — and the Colts are counting on Moncrief to help in that area, too.

The 6-1½, 224-pound receiver from Ole Miss caught 59 passes for 938 yards with six touchdowns last season. He was clocked at 4.40 in the 40-yard dash and now will team with a receiving corps that includes two previous first-round picks, Wayne and Hakeem Nicks, and three youngsters in T.Y. Hilton, LaVon Brazill and Da’Rick Rogers.

“We’re anxious to get him here and see his big body moving around,” Grigson said. “We had high, high grades on him across the board and we thought getting him as almost a fourth-round pick was a great value at that spot.”

Indy starts Saturday with three more picks.

There was even bigger news behind closed doors at the team complex — Jim Irsay was back in the middle of the draft process after a nearly two-month absence.

The Colts owner had been out of the public eye since a mid-March arrest near his suburban Indy home. He was preliminarily charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and four felony counts of possession of a controlled drug substance. Two days after the arrest, the team said Irsay had entered a treatment facility.

On Thursday, he reappeared on Twitter to thank fans for their support while he was away from the team.

And Friday, he was right back in the middle of the draft war room.

“It was great,” Grigson said. “He knows how to push my buttons to see if I’m really feeling it (with a pick). Same thing with Chuck. He (Irsay) wants to feel that passion.”

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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