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Sam and everyone else: Rams draft recap

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Rams were certainly busy, even before picking Michael Sam.

The other 11 players selected by the Rams got immediately overshadowed when the team used the 249th overall pick Saturday on Sam, the defensive end who starred down the road at Missouri and became the first openly gay player drafted in the NFL.

But St. Louis filled some needs before all the hoopla.

The Rams addressed shortcomings on both lines in the first round, taking offensive tackle Greg Robinson and defensive tackle Aaron Donald. They traded their fifth-round pick to move up three spots and snag Florida State All-American cornerback Lamarcus Joyner.

And that was before Saturday, when the Rams had seven picks.

The Rams took one of Sam’s teammates, cornerback E.J. Gaines, in the sixth round. They also took Utah State safety Maurice Alexander, SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert, Portland State offensive lineman Mitchell Van Dyk, Ohio State safety Christian Bryant and then Sam.

The Rams picked again after taking Sam, adding Tennessee State center Demetrius Rhaney.

“Michael Sam, he’s like a brother now,” Rhaney said. “That’s my teammate, I can’t wait to meet him, and let’s get the ball rolling.”

Rhaney said it would be no problem having an openly gay player as a teammate.

“No, not at all. He’s still a person, that’s my teammate. We’re ready to play some football.”

Alexander certainly is. It wasn’t long ago when he was working as a janitor at the Edward Jones Dome after Rams games, his college career on hold. He kept his hopes alive.

“I always stood at the end of that field and I just looked at it,” Alexander said after the Rams drafted him in the fourth round. “This could be my dream spot. Look where I’m at now.”

More than most, the Utah State safety will savor trotting onto the field for the first time in uniform instead of holding a broom after everyone’s gone home.

“Oh man, it was some work,” said Alexander, who went to high school in nearby Eureka, Missouri. “I’m not going to lie, there’s a lot of cleaning up to do in that stadium.”

Alexander got kicked off the Utah State team for one season and was sentenced to a year in jail after punching a teammate, running back Joey DiMartino, in the face after a party. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated assault resulting in body injury and all but 45 days of the sentence was suspended.

DeMartino needed surgery for broken bones in his left eye socket and a fractured cheekbone. The incident was reported to police a month after the fight. Alexander said the two remain “great friends.”

“It was a mistake,” Alexander said. “It made me a better man today. Utah State believed in me, they brought me back. I’m a great guy, I’m a great friend, I’m a great person to be around and I’m good in the locker room.”

Repeatedly, Alexander thanked everyone that helped make his career rebound possible.

“That year off, it taught me a lot,” he said. “I know it could be over quick.”

The Rams brought the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Alexander in for a workout a few weeks ago. Coach Jeff Fisher anticipates Alexander could provide immediate help in a depleted secondary and on special teams.

“Obviously, we’re going to do our research to follow up and make sure all stories are correlating and on the same page, and they were,” general manager Les Snead said. “This is a good dude.”

Alexander was reinstated by the school last year and started 13 games, finishing with 80 tackles, six pass breakups, an interception and 3 1-2 sacks. He began his college career as a linebacker.

“That’s adversity that you’ve got to have some grit to get through,” Snead said. “I think he’s really, really jacked to be a Ram.”

___

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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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