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Giants take BC’s Williams with 4th-round pick

By WTOP Staff

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants selected Boston College running back Andre Williams and San Diego State safety Nat Berhe on the final day of the NFL draft on Saturday.

Williams led the nation in rushing, carrying the ball 355 times for a school-record 2,177 yards — 6.1 yards per carry — and 18 touchdowns. He won the Doak Walker award, given to the nation’s top running back, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

“We came in and had Andre Williams in a good spot,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “We had him going in the second round. Some guys had first round grades on him. We had this young man graded very high and we were fortunate to get him. He came at the right spot and fell to us.”

Berhe had 94 tackles last season for the Aztecs. He was the first San Diego State defensive back since 1999 to earn All-Mountain West honors three consecutive years.

The 6-foot-0, 227-pound Williams rushed for 267 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Army last October. He had three consecutive memorable games in November, tallying 295 yards on 30 carries and two touchdowns in a win over New Mexico State, 339 yards on 42 carries and two touchdowns in a victory against North Carolina State and 263 yards on 32 carries and two TDs in a win over Maryland.

A native of Pennsylvania, Williams played all four years at Boston College. However, the durable Williams caught only 10 passes during his career and failed to register a single reception in 13 games in 2013.

But Scouts were impressed with his size and strength, plus decent speed and an extra gear when breaking into the open.

Williams rushed for 3,574 career yards, the most in school history, and 11th-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Berhe had 60 solo stops and two fumble recoveries. While he didn’t have an interception as a senior, he had five over the previous three years.

Berhe is a solid pursuit player who can play both the free safety and strong safety slots. He’ll get a chance to compete for playing time because starting free safety Will Hill is facing a possible third suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

“I try to be the biggest and baddest thing out there,” Berhe said. “It’s how I play. I play with a lot of emotion and I hit everything.”

However, there were questions about 5-foot-10, 200-pound Berhe’s size and whether he could handle the rigors of being full-time safety because of his frame.

“He’s a tackling machine,” Giants general manager Jerry Reese. “He’s just a football player who is all over the place.”

With their second pick in the fifth round, the Giants selected outside linebacker Devon Kennard of USC and ended their draft by taking cornerback Bennett Jackson of Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Kennard played defensive end, middle linebacker and outside linebacker during his playing days at USC.

Last season, Kennard started all 14 games at outside linebacker and led the Trojans with nine sacks. He has overcome surgery for a torn pectoral muscle and torn hip cartilage in 2011 and 2010, but has remained healthy ever since. He also had knee surgery in high school. His father, Derek, was an 11-year NFL veteran offensive lineman who played with the Saints, Cardinals and Cowboys.

Kennard also fits the mold of other players the Giants drafted: He’s a good student who was a team captain in college. Five of their seven draft picks were captains.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Jackson was recruited as a wide receiver out of Raritan High School in central New Jersey. He was moved to defensive back as a sophomore and flourished over the last two seasons, collecting six interceptions. He was tops among Notre Dame defensive backs with 59 tackles.

The Giants did not own a seventh round selection, trading it to Carolina last year for linebacker Jon Beason.

“I expect all of the rookies to come in and contribute right away,” Coughlin said. “They have a maturity level already with most of them being captains and leaders. We will have a group that is a little bit ahead of the rest.”

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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