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Ravens shore up defense by drafting 2 FSU stars

By WTOP Staff

DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome established an unmistakable pattern in this NFL draft: His first three selections were defensive players from successful, big-name schools.

The Ravens chose Florida State nose tackle Timmy Jernigan in the second round Friday night, less than 24 hours after taking Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley with the 17th overall pick.

“We stacked the board based on where guys played and all the information that we have, and we were just fortunate to get three players that have come out of national championship teams the last two or three years,” Newsome said. “We were just fortunate it happened that way.”

In the third round, Newsome picked one of Jernigan’s teammates on the national champion Seminoles, safety Terrence Brooks.

Newsome finally went after an offensive player with his third-round compensatory pick, nabbing tight end Crockett Gillmore of Colorado State.

“The whole board was stacked for the offense,” Newsome said, “but the way it fell for us was with defensive players.”

Jernigan, selected 48th overall, started only two games in his first two years with Florida State. Last season, however, he started all 14 games and had nine tackles against Auburn in the national championship game.

The 6-foot-2, 299-pounder finished with 63 tackles and 4½ sacks. He was tabbed in some mock drafts as a first-round pick, but his value might have dropped after he had a diluted drug test at the scouting combine.

“I was losing weight very fast, and it was causing me to cramp,” Jernigan said. “So my nutritionist, she wanted me to start drinking a lot more water. Even during my workouts, she would have to put salt in my Gatorade and different things to keep me from cramping.”

After receiving word from the NFL about his diluted drug test, Jernigan tried to get the specifics.

“I never got any answers,” he said. “And then this week all of this madness started. It’s just crazy.”

Newsome said, “We were very comfortable taking him.”

Brooks started 13 games at free safely in 2012 and last season split time between free safety and strong safety. He fills the void left by the departure of safety James Ihedigbo, who signed as a free agent with Detroit.

“He’s a versatile guy and has excellent range in the back end,” said Joe Hortiz, director of college scouting for the Ravens. “

Ideally, the Ravens would move free safety Matt Elam to strong safety and use the 5-11, 198-pound Brooks as the last line of defense.

“I’m really comfortable with those two guys,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They’re both young, and this is a young man’s game.”

Brooks, the 79th pick overall, said of the Ravens: “I love that team, just how physical they are.”

He can’t wait to team up with Brooks on the Ravens and rekindle the magic they made together at FSU.

“I know we do damage together. We did it at Florida State, we can do it anywhere,” Brooks said. “I’m just real happy to have him with me.”

Baltimore is seeking to improve a defense that finished 12th in the NFL in 2013.

Earlier in the day, the Ravens introduced Mosley at a news conference. The happiest guy in the room might have been defensive coordinator Dean Pees.

“We want to get back to the top on defense, and we think this is the guy right here that can lead us in that direction,” he said, looking at Mosley.

Mosley can’t wait to get to work.

“I’m ready to be a Raven,” he said, “ready to get on the football field and prove to the fans, prove to the coaches, that I’m ready to play and help this team win.”

___

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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