Arizona

Combine: 9 Offensive Players Who Shot Up Cardinals Draft Board

Published

11 months ago

March 3, 2025

Combine: 9 Offensive Players Who Shot Up Cardinals Draft Board

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine has officially concluded, and we will walk away from Indianapolis with updated boards. The attention is on the defensive side of the football, but there are still several playmaker on offense who Found a way to stand out.

We will see changes to ordering on an annual basis following the Combine, but this year feels like it could lead to drastic shakeups.

As always, we are focused on the Arizona Cardinals perceptive here, and they were busy on Sunday watching offensive lineman. Of course, they were still looking at this year‘s wide receiver group while monitoring quarterbacks not named Cam Ward, or Shedeur Sanders.

Arizona should be traveling back to the desert happy with what they saw from all three of those position groups. A backup quarterback who can challenge Kyler Murray is needed, and those guys were displayed and looked good.

Upgrades in depth are needed at receiver, including a need for speed, And more than a handful of guys check that off. And the offensive line has players at all five spot — Something that is vital for AZ.

Obviously, running backs and tight ends worked out as well, but considering the Cardinals don’t have a drastic need for either of those positions we will be leaving them out of this piece.

Let’s take a look at the biggest winners from those three spots, starting with quarterback:

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

The top quarterbacks in this draft class decided not to throw the ball to combine and Dart decided to capitalize on that opportunity.

The long time Ole Miss starter was the most consistent passer in Indianapolis, which is currently worth its weight in gold.

As we try and figure out who QB3 is in this class, Dart is continuing to make his case as the runaway third option.

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Ewers also had a nice opportunity to sling the ball around With Ward and Sanders, deciding not to throw. Like Dart, Ewers made the most of it.

What stood out as the biggest point of strength in Ewers’ game has been his mechanics and ball placement. Both were on this way as he was hitting receivers at all three levels of the field.

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Show is undoubtedly one of the quarterbacks that you have likely not heard very much about. After his performance in Indianapolis, you should expect him to be one of the more talked about quarterbacks in the third tier like Riley Leonard and Kurtis Rourke.

With a strong day as anyone else in Indy, show displayed a big arm that helped to separate him from some of the others in front of him, including Dart and Ewers.

Honorable Mention:
Brady Cook (Missouri)

Matthew Golden, Texas

If you were to rank the top five players who made the most of their workouts at this year’s combine, Golden would be among them.

Not only did the star Texas receiver finish the 2024 season as hot as anyone else, but he put on a spectacle and workout clothes including a 4.29-second 40 yard dash time.

It feels like with each passing week that Golden continues to climb up draft boards. At this rate, he’s on a collision course with being a top 20 pick.

Projection: Top-20 pick

Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

The redshirt sophomore from Stanford has as much athletic upside in this class as any other receiver. Ayomanor is a special prospect, despite how green he is with his age.

Ayomanor ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash time plus good leaping ability. There’s a ton of like here and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team liked him enough to roll the dice on him with a top pick. He’s raw, but his upside is through the roof.

Projection: End of RD1; Early Day 2

Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

Higgins flew under the radar in 2024 despite eclipsing 1100 receiving yards. While he has made some progress throughout the draft process, it still feels like Higgins is being overlooked and valued.

Hopefully his Combine performance changes that a little bit.

The Iowa State receiver clocked a 4.47–seconds 40-yard dash time to go with a 39” vertical and 10‘8“ broad jump. Athleticism wasn’t a question, but Higgins left it all on the field with lots to like.

Projection: Top-50 pick

Honorable mentions:
Jaylin Noel (Iowa State), Jack Bech (TCU), Tai Felton (Maryland)

Armand Membou, Missouri

Don’t let the fact that Membou Is best suited as a right tackle for you — Membou Is projecting to be a top end offensive line prospect in this class. Someone want him to stay outside, others want him to move to guard. One thing is for certain: he’s going to be a star.

Membou weighed in at 332 lbs and somehow ran a sub-five-second 40-yard dash… That defies logic. The Mizzou product showed plenty of athleticism throughout the other events, and it should mock up a first-round pick for him with the potential to land as high as inside the top 20.

Projection: Top-20 picks; RD1 Lock

Tate Ratledge, Georgia

There’s very few true offensive guards in this class that have people excited. In fact, most of the top perceived guards available are offensive tackles that people want to move inside.

Ratledge is a true guard, but is typically seen as a late day two/day three selection. He may have been able to change his fortunes.

The long-time Georgia standout was able to clock the fastest three-cone of any offensive lineman in Indianapolis The show off his ability to bend and change directions quickly.

Considering the lack of true guards in this draft coupled with an excellent Combine showing, Ratledge has likely secured a spot in the top 100 pics and should be a day two selection.

Projection: Day Two

Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Zabel played left tackle last season, he played right tackle the year before that, and he has experience guard from previous seasons… And his projection to the pros is center.

No matter where he ends up at the next level, there’s one thing for sure: Zabel is proving himself to be amongst the most athletic offensive lineman in the class regardless of position.

The NDSU product moves fluidly and clearly looks comfortable enough to play any of the five spots. His Combine showing solidified that belief and he should be rewarded with an early selection.

Projection: RD1; Early Day two

Honorable mentions:
Will Campbell (LSU), Jared Wilson (Georgia)

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Arizona

Route 66 centennial brings renewed hope to historic Oatman in northern Arizona

Published

8 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Press Room

Route 66 centennial brings renewed hope to historic Oatman in northern Arizona

OATMAN, AZ (AZFamily) — This year marks the centennial of Route 66, 100 years since the highway connected Chicago to California through northern Arizona.

The so-called Mother Road played a significant role in shaping many of the towns in northern Arizona, including Oatman, where Route 66 helped transform a dying ghost town into a tourist destination.

Nestled in the mountains at the western edge of Arizona, Oatman has fewer than 100 residents but draws more than half a million visitors each year. People come for the mining history and the burros, but what saved this town from obscurity is that it sits on Route 66.

From gold boom to ghost town

Main Street Oatman is only about a quarter of a mile long, but it comes to life with old west gunfights, burros, and friendly locals.

Over a hundred years ago, it was a mining town and one of the highest producers of gold in the American West.

“Once that happened, everybody in the country knew there was gold here and that’s when the boom of Oatman actually started,” said local Mike Fox. “Route 66 went from mining area to mining area.”

Fox first moved to Oatman in 1986. He has worked as one of the local gunfighters and spent his time learning the town’s history.

Fox said Oatman’s boom lasted just a couple of decades. America’s focus shifted away from gold, and in 1951, Oatman and this stretch of Route 66 were bypassed.

“Once that happened, Oatman literally just died and became nothing but a wide spot in the road for the next 30 years,” Fox said.

Oatman fell on hard times, and its population dropped by thousands.

Route 66 resurrection

By the early 1990s, something was changing. Western movies had been shot in town, and an appreciation for the Mother Road resurfaced. Route 66 helped to resurrect the town.

“More and more people started traveling through Oatman and Oatman started coming back to life,” Fox said. “We actually sit on the longest stretch of Route 66.”

Now, more than 500,000 people visit Oatman each year from all over the world.

Julie Slayden is the owner of Julie’s Saloon. She said Oatman is now a Route 66 bucket list destination for tourists passing through.

“Julie’s Saloon, the sign out there is what they want a picture underneath so that’s one of their stops on the bucket list,” Slayden said. “You can have people on the bar tops from all over the place just having conversations with each other.”

Today, tourism is the town’s main economic driver, but Fox said it has taken a hit since the pandemic. He is hopeful this year’s Route 66 centennial will create another boom.

“It’s coming back and it will come back. It’s just a matter of time,” Fox said.

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Arizona

Arizona restaurant named most romantic in US, and 5 others in top 100

Published

20 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Press Room

Arizona restaurant named most romantic in US, and 5 others in top 100

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the biggest date night of the year, Yelp revealed its list of the 100 most romantic restaurants in the U.S., and six Arizona restaurants made the cut.

The list was compiled using data from reviews posted by Yelp’s Elite members, ranking restaurants that offered features like “candlelit ambiance, breathtaking views, or indulgent culinary creations” based on the total volume and ratings of reviews.

How many dates have you been on at the cozy Arizona restaurants that made Yelp’s 2026 list? Here’s a closer look at the six date-night-approved restaurants that got a shout-out this year, including one named best in the U.S.

Cafe Monarch

Cafe Monarch has once again been named the No. 1 most romantic restaurant in the U.S. by Yelp. The Old Town Scottsdale restaurant offers prix fixe four-course dinners. It is known for its elegant architecture and the staff’s fine attention to detail. A strict dress code is enforced.

Details: 6939 E. First Ave., Scottsdale. 480-970-7682, cafemonarch.com.

Cibo

Cibo, an intimate Italian restaurant nestled inside a historic bungalow in downtown Phoenix, was No. 3 on Yelp’s list. Guests can choose to sit inside the cozy house or outside on the patio, draped with twinkling string lights and greenery. The menu includes wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, saltimbocca bread, salads and crepes.

Details: 603 N. Fifth Ave., Phoenix. 602-441-2697, cibophoenix.com.

Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano

Chef Lisa Dahl’s Sedona fine dining restaurant was No. 14 on Yelp’s list. Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano was praised by Yelp Elites for its “elegant ambiance, ornate decor, and welcoming, attentive service.”

Details: 2321 W. Highway 89A, Sedona. 928-282-5219, dahlanddiluca.com.

LON’s at the Hermosa Inn

LON’s restaurant at the Hermosa Inn was No. 83 on Yelp’s list. Yelp Elites shouted out the restaurant for its “Southwestern fine dining with adobe-chic elegance and stunning desert views… contemporary American dishes, from mesquite-grilled steaks to cactus-fed lamb, amid a lush patio garden.”

Details: 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley. 602-955-7878, azhideawaycollection.com/hermosa-inn.

Different Pointe of View

Different Pointe of View, located at the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort, was No. 85 on Yelp’s list. The hotel and restaurant reside atop North Mountain in Phoenix. Menu highlights include prime beef tenderloin tartare, 30-day aged ribeye, prickly pear miso-glazed salmon, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, a surprise daily feature from the chef.

Details: 11111 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-866-6350, tapatiocliffshilton.com/dining.

The Mission Old Town

The Mission Old Town was No. 92 on Yelp’s list. Yelp Elites especially liked the restaurant’s “tableside guacamole, slow-roasted meats, and killer margaritas” as well as the “vibrant ambiance and top-notch service.”

Details: 3815 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale. 480-636-5005, themissionaz.com.

Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.

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Arizona

Jordan Burks’ clutch plays enable UCF to edge Arizona State

Published

1 day ago

January 27, 2026

Press Room

Jordan Burks’ clutch plays enable UCF to edge Arizona State

January 28 – Jordan Burks hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and forced a turnover in the final 34 seconds as UCF rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to pull off a 79-76 Big 12 win over Arizona State on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla.

Riley Kugel paced the Knights (16-4, 4-3 Big 12) with 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Burks added 15 points and three steals while Jamichael Stillwell posted 14 points.

Maurice Odum produced 18 points and six assists for the Sun Devils (11-10, 2-6), who never trailed in the second half until 1:11 to go. Anthony Johnson added 12 points and Bryce Ford had 11.

UCF took its first lead of the second half on Carmelo Pacheco’s 3-pointer with 1:11 to go. Odum answered with a pair of free throws to regain a 1-point edge.

Burks then took a diagonal feed from Kugel and canned the wide-open 3-pointer for a 78-76 lead. After Burks swiped an Odum pass, Themus Fulks tacked on a free throw. Ford’s deep ball at the buzzer was errant to give the Knights the comeback victory.

UCF shot 45% from the floor and held a 40-28 advantage in rebounding. The Sun Devils hit 47% from the field and made 10 of 23 (43%) from deep.

UCF sprinted to a 9-2 lead behind Bol’s layup and dunk, but the Sun Devils battled back and grabbed a 12-11 lead on Johnson’s 27-footer three minutes later.

Nearing the 10-minute mark, Kugel faked a defender, drove to his right and threw down a vicious dunk for a 16-14 lead to bring the UCF crowd to life as part of a 7-0 run.

Allen Mukeba’s tomahawk dunk on a 3-point play put the Sun Devils up 24-22 at the 6:13 mark. Odom’s deep ball at 5:34 gave the visitors their largest lead at 27-22 on the way to a 39-35 lead at the break.

The second half was played tightly over the first eight minutes, with the Sun Devils holding a slim lead that extended to five, 52-47, on Andrija Grbovic’s trey at 11:22.

Grbovic stroked another 3-pointer and Noah Meeusen converted three free throws. Odum’s 3-pointer with 8:26 capped a 9-0 run that pushed the lead to 61-51.

With 6:09 remaining, the lead grew to 70-58 on Massamba Diop’s two freebies — Arizona State’s largest advantage — but the Knights mounted a charge and tied it with 2:39 left on Fulks’ pair of free throws that wrapped an 11-0 run.

–Field Level Media

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