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Seattle finally picks, gets Colorado’s Richardson

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The belief was that if Seattle decided to address adding a wide receiver in the NFL draft that size and height might outweigh all other factors.

Instead, the Seahawks chose speed over size.

After twice trading down, the Seahawks picked Colorado wide receiver Paul Richardson with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round of the draft on Friday, pairing one of the fastest players in the draft with an offense that will have its first full season with Percy Harvin healthy.

Seattle later added Missouri offensive lineman Justin Britt with the final pick of the second round and immediately threw him in the competition for the Seahawks’ open spot at right tackle following the departure of Breno Giacomini in free agency.

Seattle was originally scheduled to pick at No. 40 before making a second draft trade, this time with Detroit. By moving back five spots, the Seahawks were still able to get a speedy receiver to add to their roster and help make up for the loss of Golden Tate in free agency.

“I really think he’s the guy with the best quickness in and out of the breaks and the explosive downfield (strike),” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s an exciting guy to bring to camp to add to our team and I think the guys will take to him.”

Richardson was timed at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, good for the eighth-fastest time of all participants. Richardson said his fastest 40 time ever was a 4.28 earlier this year and was disappointed with what he ran at the combine.

That speed in college helped to make up for a lack of weight. Richardson said he played collegiately around 160 pounds, but has added about 20 pounds since the end of last season. Despite his lack of weight, Seattle scout Matt Berry said Richardson had no problem separating from physical defensive backs at the line of scrimmage.

“How big is Doug (Baldwin)? How big is Percy? He’s just like our guys,” Carroll said. “I know there is some concern about that but we love the way our guys play.”

Carroll remembered Richardson, a Los Angeles native, being on his radar when he was the coach at Southern California before taking the Seahawks job.

“I think I’m just a playmaker. A guy that likes to stretch the defense and likes to make plays underneath and over the top and do it consistently,” Richardson said.

Richardson missed the 2012 season with a knee injury. His rebound in 2013 was outstanding. Despite playing with a young quarterback, Richardson had a standout senior season with 83 catches for 1,343 yards and 10 touchdown catches. Three times he had at least 10 catches in a game, even as the Buffaloes were struggling through a 4-8 season.

“My knee hasn’t been an issue since I got my brace off,” Richardson said. “I’ve been blessed to bounce back from my injury fast.”

Britt’s selection addressed Seattle’s need for depth on the offensive line after the departures of Giacomini and Paul McQuistan in free agency. While he played left and right tackle at Missouri, the Seahawks intend on giving him the first look at right tackle competing with Michael Bowie.

Britt was an all-Southeastern Conference first-team selection in 2013. Britt started all 14 games at left tackle last season, but played right tackle in the past for the Tigers. He’s also projected to be able to move to guard and versatility has proven important for the Seahawks.

Britt said he was playing shuffleboard with his friends, trying not to worry about the draft, when his phone started buzzing. Seattle assistant head coach Tom Cable said he was left impressed by how Britt played against No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney.

“I went into the season last season wanting the guys I went against to remember me,” Britt said. “It was my last year so I wanted to leave a mark in their mind and have them remember me. If nasty is the word you want to use, then I’m nasty.”

Seattle eventually moved down 13 spots before making its first pick of the draft. They were able to add two additional picks through trades with Minnesota and Detroit and go into the final day with six picks, including four in the fourth round.

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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