As the Unrivaled playoffs begin Saturday at Sephora Arena in Miami, the women’s 3-on-3 professional basketball league announced its postseason awards.

Phantom BC forward Aliyah Boston was named Defensive Player of the Year after recording 29 blocks in 14 games. She finished second in total defensive rebounds (111) and had 39 points off turnovers. Boston also averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots a game.

Breeze BC guard Paige Bueckers, Rose BC guard Chelsea Gray and Phantom BC guard Kelsey Plum were named to first-team All-Unrivaled. Phantom BC forward Aliyah Boston, Mist BC guard Allisha Gray and Laces BC wing Brittney Sykes were named second team. Phantom BC’s Roneeka Hodges was named Coach of the Year.

Bueckers averaged 22.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field and 38% from 3-point range in her rookie season. She led Breeze BC to the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.

Chelsea Gray led Unrivaled in total points (339), assists (85), 3-point field goals (49) and assists per game (6.1). She became the first player in league history to surpass 600 career points, 200 career field goals, and 100 career assists. Her Rose team opens the postseason against Breeze on Saturday (9:45 p.m. ET, truTV).

Kelsey Plum, who led Phantom BC to the No. 1 seed, averaged 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists. The Phantom have a bye for the first round of the playoffs and will face the lowest-seeded team to advance in the semifinals Monday at the Barclays Center in New York. The Unrivaled championship for Season 2 will take place on Wednesday in Miami.

All players and head coaches received a postseason award vote along with 21 media members. The voting was weighed as such: 35% to players, 35% to coaches and 30% to media.

INDIANAPOLIS – The best running back – and maybe the best player, period – in the 2026 NFL Draft is almost universally regarded to be Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love.

But the second-best RB option for teams not in lofty enough position to select Love might just be his former Fighting Irish backup and roommate, Jadarian Price. And though Price doesn’t question his decision to leave South Bend despite having remaining eligibility, it didn’t quite feel like he’d departed after he and Love wound up being roomies again at this year’s NFL scouting combine.

“Just feels like an away game for us,” Price cracked Feb. 27 while meeting with reporters.

But he also had a message to potential future employers considering him as a major component of NFL away (and home) games in 2026.

“I’m a four-down back, I’m here to do it all,” said Price. “I’m continuing to get better and fix the technique of things. But I can catch, I can pass protect – I’m willing to do it all.”

And that includes being a special teams contributor, a major aspect of Price’s résumé and one that may be boosting his draft stock given the impact the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rule has had on the league in recent years.

“I think when you go to the next level, NFL, the more value you have to stay on the field with other things besides running back, that just makes you more valuable and appreciated as a player,” said Price. “So I think it does help me.”

And his skill as a returner has been a frequent topic during his combine meetings with teams like the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Almost every coach and interview I had the past couple days, they mentioned the special teams ability,” said Price, who only handled 22 kickoffs over the past three seasons for the Irish – yet took three of them to the house.

“I told them all the same, I love special teams – and I attack it like I attack offense. I’m willing to do anything when it comes to special teams.”

Price, who led the country by averaging 37.5 yards on kickoff returns last season, when he scored twice, admits the dynamic kickoff seems “pretty weird” to him right now but he understands its growing importance at the pro level.

“Couple guys took it to the crib, and that gets you excited like, ‘Hey, there is a way to get past that line,’” he said.

“It just takes practice and different experience with it.”

Speaking of practice and experience, Price has also been working hard to address his perceived flaws – specifically a penchant to fumble plus a lack of polish as a receiver.

“I do a lot of hard work in practice, things behind the scenes that you don’t see,” said Price, while admitting Love had a “better knack” for receiving.

Price had just 15 receptions over the past three seasons but was confident he’d show at the combine that it’s an overblown criticism. And he looked especially smooth in the Feb. 28 drills while flashing sub-4.5 speed over 40 yards.

Yet the fumbling issue, including two he lost near the goal line last season, could be the bigger concern.

“In every interview you’re gonna go into, they’re gonna talk about the good stuff, and they’re obviously gonna bring up the bad stuff that you need to work on,” said Price while specifically addressing the turnoves.

“Because, at the end of the day, the ball is the program, so that’s what they want to lead with.”

But let’s not bury the lede, either.

Despite sitting second on the Notre Dame depth chart behind Love, who had 417 touches and 3,014 yards from scrimmage over the past two seasons, Price had more than 750 rushing and receiving yards himself in both 2024 and ’25. His 1,211 all-purpose yards in 2025, which factor in his kickoff returns, left him just 441 shy of Love, who was an All-America and Heisman Trophy finalist.

‘He’s like Love-lite almost,’ former New York Giants vice president of player personnel Marc Ross, now an NFL Network analyst, said of Price. ‘The vision is there, the quick cuts are there, he has explosiveness to the edges.’

Said ESPN’s Louis Riddick, a former NFL safety: ‘This dude is a slasher. And he is tough as heck at the contact point, you rarely get this dude down with your first tackle attempt − great pad level, great acceleration on to the second level.’

If both taken in the first round, Price and Love would become the first Round 1 running back duo from the same school since Arkansas’ Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in 2008. Three years prior to that, Ronnie Brown and Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams of Auburn were both top-five selections.

Price, who’s 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds, feels like his experience in Notre Dame’s offense will translate well to NFL schemes, and pro scouts have already praised his north-and-south running style.

A lower usage rate in college – Price had 295 touches from scrimmage at Notre Dame, 201 fewer than Love – is another of his selling points.

“Half of them ask about that. The other half ask, you know, ‘Why didn’t you go somewhere else and want to be a featured back?’ And I just tell them, you know, Notre Dame was the place for me. And they ultimately, at the end … do respect that,” said Price.

“I would love to get the ball 25 times a game. Whatever opportunities I’m given, I’m gonna make the most of those opportunities. Even if I don’t get to touch the ball 25 times a game and only 10 – and I end up averaging 10 yards a carry – that’s awesome, too.”

Price, 22, credits Love for making him better and teaching him to play freely while putting less pressure on himself.

“JD has the opportunity and the potential to be one of the best running backs in the league,” Love said.

“(T)he sky’s the limit for JD. He’s gonna do great things in the league, and he’s gonna play for a long time.”

Despite the opportunity to play for a longer time in South Bend and take over Love’s role in 2026 – plus what he deemed compelling financial incentives to do so – Price felt there was little doubt he needed to go pro and embrace an opportunity to create “generational wealth” for himself and his family in the future.

“During the process, you don’t really realize, like, how special, you know, the situation is and impact you’re having on everyone else. But I realized that when we left Notre Dame, the amount of people who reached out to me (saying), ‘Hey, I wish you could stay. I’m so happy, like, that y’all chose to go to Notre Dame and the things that y’all did the past couple seasons.’ It really made me proud of what I did at Notre Dame,” said Price.

‘But it was time for me to go to the league. And the things that me and Jeremiyah have done have been great, but we’re gonna be great NFL backs.”

INDIANAPOLIS – All honey.

That’s how Jerry Jones described his vision for the flow with George Pickens, now that the Dallas Cowboys have ensured that the All-Pro wide receiver won’t hit the market on March 11 as a free agent. On Friday, the Cowboys officially placed a franchise player tag on Pickens that comes with a $27.298 million payday for 2026 yet also marks the intent for the team to strike a deal for a long-term contract.

In many circles, Pickens, 24, ranked as the NFL’s top projected free agent. What a rise for a once-disgruntled player obtained in a May trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Very clearly, the Cowboys want George Pickens to be a part of our future,” the Cowboys owner said, speaking to a small group of media that included USA TODAY Sports, aboard his luxury bus on Friday night after watching a workout session at the NFL scouting combine. “That says that so clearly. And it has a lot of muscle behind it when it says it.”

Sounds inviting enough. Yet these are the Dallas Cowboys we’re talking about.

History suggests that when it comes to negotiating a fat contract for a star player, there’s bound to be some Texas-sized drama. In recent years, that involved long, drawn-out contract talks with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, DeMarcus Lawrence and of course, last year, a major saga with Micah Parsons that seemed to turn way-too-personal and didn’t end until the All-Pro edge rusher was traded to the Green Bay Packers a week before the start of the regular season.

What’s to say this will play out without becoming a big distraction that hovers above the Cowboys as they ramp up for next season? Jones tap-danced when asked whether he received assurance from Pickens during a Thursday phone conversation that the receiver would fully participate in the team’s offseason program.

“What I did get is how much it meant to George that he’s working with Dak,” Jones said.

More solid, though, was Jones’ contention about his approach to working with Pickens’ agent, David Mulugheta. Early in his hour-long media session – dubbed as a “state of the Cowboys address” – Jones made an undeniable statement that added a substantial layer to the tone set during the phone call with Pickens.

“Regarding his representation, I can clearly work with his agent,” Jones said. “I have no issues.”

After his dismissive remarks about Mulugheta last spring, Jones knew this component of the negotiations would come up during his media session. Rather than wait for a question about it, though, Jones was proactive. He brought it up himself.

Well, that was last year. Jones undoubtedly had a key talking point about Mulugheta (incidentally, a Dallas native who grew up rooting for the Cowboys) that he wanted to express on Friday.

“We haven’t met,” Jones said of Mulugheta, “but to the end that we can have discussions about (Pickens) and other players that he represents, we understand the angst that’s there, how he’s representing, and his goals of maximizing the dollars. And he clearly has accomplished enough to know the alternative to that is our job of managing the club and the salary cap and getting as much mileage out of the cap as we can.”

The NFL’s salary cap, by the way, will top $300 million for the first time in 2026, with the record $301.2 million figure representing an increase of $22 million from last year’s amount. It stands to reason that a long-term deal for Pickens would average at least $30 million per year. Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase has the highest average among receivers at $40.25 million, while Lamb ranks third at $34 million.

For a team that again needs to create cap room – according to Spotrac.com, the Cowboys are currently an NFL-worst $58.454 million over the cap – it would behoove the team to reach an agreement with Pickens sooner rather than later.

The same can be said for star kicker Brandon Aubrey, whom Jones confirmed has been offered a contract that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid kicker. Currently, Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs is the highest-paid kicker, averaging $6.4 million.

“We feel good that what we’re talking about is appreciative of what he can do for us,” Jones said of Aubrey, the only player in NFL history with six field goals of at least 60 yards on his resume. “I’m not trying to negotiate with anything I say here, but we’ve got a good offer on the table for him.”

Still, more drama is always just around the corner for the Cowboys. While Aubrey’s case is interesting enough, the Pickens matter seemingly provides more potential to generate headlines.

Pickens ranked third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards on 93 catches. In earning second-team All-Pro honors, he also largely discarded the reputation as a malcontent that was connected to Pittsburgh’s willingness to trade him away.

Jones undoubtedly took a step to reduce drama by calling Pickens on Thursday, a day before the team owner flew here for the combine, to explain the team’s rationale for using a franchise tag – the restrictive move despised by many star players across the league over the years.

“I was rewarded that he expressed himself in the way that he did about how comfortable he was here, how much he liked working with Dak and his teammates and how he was looking forward to his future with the Cowboys,” Jones said of his talk with Pickens.

As for the drama, Jones tried his best to distance himself from the perception that the Cowboys drag these matters out more than most. Two years ago, Lamb’s 4-year, $136 million extension wasn’t done until after he missed all of training camp. And while Prescott became the NFL’s highest-paid player on a 4-year, $260 million contract that averages $60 million, the matter was a constant topic of discussion all offseason and during camp.

“I don’t know what comes first: The substance, the significance of the player’s situation, or the drama of a negotiation,” Jones said. ‘Usually, those happen when you have a more substantive player that is…a difference-maker. I really don’t know how to do it and not have the drama.”

In other words, stay tuned. Even if Jones promises smooth sailing this time around.

“I want our George Pickens relationship to be all honey,” Jones said.

Yeah, honey and money.

– Contact Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

The family of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau said it was ‘overwhelmed’ that the USA men’s hockey team celebrated those players after winning the gold medal.

Players carried Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey on the ice and brought out his children, Noa and Johnny, for a team photo. Gaudreau, a seven-time NHL All-Star, frequently suited up for the USA in international tournaments before he and his brother died on Aug. 29, 2024, when hit by a driver while they were bicycling in New Jersey.

The Gaudreau family members said in a statement on Saturday, Feb. 28, that they initially turned down an invitation to go to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan because it would have been hard on them.

‘But we kept thinking about what John and Matty would say if they knew we turned it down. We knew the answer,’ the family said.
’John loved representing his country. From the time he was little, he dreamed of competing at the Olympics. In that final summer, he was working harder than ever, pushing himself with everything he had to earn a spot on that roster. He was going to be there.’

The family members – parents Guy and Jane, plus Johnny’s widow Meredith, went to Milan – said they were comforted by the fact that so many people cared about the brothers.

‘Every person we encountered took the time to ask about the boys — who they were, what they meant to us, the kind of people they were away from the ice,’ the family said.
’What struck us most was realizing that John and Matty’s impact reaches so much further than we sometimes see in our own grief.

They are carried by so many people — in locker rooms, in conversations, in quiet moments we will never even know about. That means everything to us.’

Team USA, which displayed Gaudreau’s jersey in the locker room for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the world championships, did the same at the Olympics. The Americans beat Canada 2-1 in overtime for the country’s first men’s hockey team Olympic gold medal since 1980.

‘When Zach (Werenski), Auston (Matthews) and Matthew (Tkachuk) carried John’s jersey around that ice, we were overwhelmed — they made sure he was there,’ the family said. ‘And then to see Noa and Johnny — on Johnny’s second birthday — carried out onto the ice to be part of that gold medal photo — there are no words for what that felt like.

‘John and Matty should have been there, and in that moment, they were.

Thank you to every member of that team for loving John & Matty – and for making sure they were part of something historic. And thank you to everyone at @NBCOlympics and @usahockey for your kindness, your generosity, and for bringing our family to Milan to witness it.

You gave us a gift we didn’t know we needed.’

Luka Doncic and LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to an easy 129-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Both of the Lakers’ stars flirted with triple-double performances but sat out the latter part of the second half. Doncic was celebrating his 27th birthday on Saturday.

Austin Reaves contributed to the offense with 18 points.

Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak that had it entering this game just 1-3 following the All-Star break.

The Lakers improved to 35-24 on the season. The Warriors fell to 31-29.

LeBron James stats vs. Warriors

• Points: 22
• FG: 7-for-13
• 3PT: 4-for-6
• Free Throws: 4-for-5
• Rebounds: 7
• Assists: 9
• Steals: 1
• Blocks: 0
• Turnovers: 4
• Fouls: 1
• Minutes: 28

Luka Doncic stats vs. Warriors

• Points: 26
• FG: 9-for-17
• 3PT: 4-for-9
• Free Throws: 4-for-4
• Rebounds: 6
• Assists: 8
• Steals: 1
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 2
• Fouls: 2
• Minutes: 29

How did Lakers celebrate Doncic’s birthday?

After the Lakers’ victory over the Warriors, Doncic told ESPN what he received for his birthday from his teammates.

Lakers vs. Warriors highlights

• Bryce Lance, brother of NFL quarterback Trey Lance, is a wide receiver prospect from North Dakota State University.
• He became a constant touchdown threat for the Bison, leading the FCS with 17 receiving scores in 2024.
• Draft analysts believe his explosive traits could make him a Day 2 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

INDIANAPOLIS − Bryce Lance has been a wide receiver from the start. That’s because he always had a talented quarterback throwing to him – his older brother, Trey.

“Caught from my brother growing up all the time, so that’s kinda how that happened,” Bryce Lance told USA TODAY Sports on Feb. 27 at the NFL’s annual scouting combine.

“I was tagging along with him and would end up catching from him in the backyard any chance we got.”

The tagalong often followed the paths taken by Trey, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Bryce Lance, a North Dakota State University product like his older sibling, won’t get selected nearly that early this April. Yet he also seems well positioned to blaze a professional trail distinctly different than big bro’s – or even dad’s. (Carlton Lance played in the Canadian Football League and World League of American Football in the 1990s.)

“He was kind of living under Trey’s shadow. And having an older brother that is in the league is pretty cool, and I’m sure he’s learned so much from Trey,” says Cole Payton, Bryce Lance’s Bison quarterback in 2025.

“But the thing about Bryce is he made a name for himself – not because of Trey but because of Bryce. He’s an amazing talent, but it’s because he works his (butt) off. He’s a baller, great teammate.”

Bryce Lance carved out role as TD threat at SDSU

Bryce Lance, who arrived in Fargo in 2021 on the heels of Trey’s departure, wasn’t an immediate college football star. But having been around the North Dakota State program while Trey was there, Bryce never doubted he was in the right place.

“I had so many connections up there already and had obviously been to so many games and made connections with coaches and teammates and the community behind the whole program,” said Lance, who was offered a scholarship during his junior year of high school in Marshall, Minnesota.

“The thing about North Dakota is there’s no professional team. So really all they’ve got is NDSU football, which is really cool for us,” added Lance, who received compelling opportunities to transfer elsewhere but declined.

“The fans are second to none. … It’s a really cool spot.”

And a spot where his presence was unmistakable once he became a starter in 2024, when he led the FCS with a school-record 17 receiving touchdowns. That success continued into 2025, after which Lance was honored as an FCS All-American. Over the last two years, he racked up 126 receptions for 2,150 yards and 25 TD grabs. A consistent deep threat, he averaged 17 yards per catch.

“Bryce’s speed – it’s unmatched, the way he can move his body and get around defenders is so special,” said Payton.

“Really, I’m just throwing it up to Bryce, and I know he’ll be there because of how fast and athletic he is.”

Explosive traits could make Lance a Day 2 NFL draft pick

While agreeing with Payton’s assessment, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller noted other traits that will help Lance in the NFL − and might just get him chosen on Day 2 of the draft.

“He has the ability to carry defenses down the field. He high points well, he tracks the ball so well over either shoulder,” said Miller. “And then he uses that speed to pull away from the defenders.”

Said Lance: “When the ball’s in the air, the only mentality you have is, ‘it’s mine or no one’s.’ That’s kinda the mindset I’ve had these past two seasons.”

Roughly 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Lance was ranked 34th on The Athletic’s “Freaks List” last year. He looks forward to showcasing his speed, vertical leap and broad jump – all indicators of high-end explosiveness – during the combine’s wide receiver testing on Feb. 28. He also hopes to surprise scouts with improved route running.

“If I’m known as the deep threat guy, that’s great. Obviously, I want to keep expanding my game into mid-level, short-level routes as well,” said Lance, who believes his ball skills are also a major strength.

“Deep routes are fun to run, not gonna lie. Catching a deep ball and going to score is fun for sure, but I want to be an all-around wide receiver at the end of the day.”

Still, Lance, whom Miller compares to Indianapolis Colts deep striker Alec Pierce, thinks his ability to stretch defenses could quickly earn him significant playing time in the NFL – something his brother has struggled to find during his five pro seasons. (Trey Lance spent the 2025 season as a backup with the Los Angeles Chargers, his third NFL team, and is scheduled to become a free agent in a few weeks.)

But, naturally, Bryce is leaning on Trey as he navigates the pre-draft process. The brothers talk daily and plan to get together following the combine. Bryce will also begin doing on-field work with Trey in preparation for North Dakota State’s March 19 pro day.

“The main thing my brother told me was to be myself, honestly,” said Bryce Lance. “He knows I’m a hard worker. He knows I do the right things, be at the right spot where I’m supposed to be. Really just this whole process is about being yourself, working hard and doing everything you can to make it.”

And Lance just might make it further, from a pro football perspective, than anyone else in his family.

“Tough man, playing to win. He’s fiery. He’s a competitor. He’s built for those moments, man,’ Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele said of Perry in a postgame interview. ‘So we put the ball in his hands there at the end. I told him to try and get to the rim, not settle. Which he did. He got right to that left hand. He’s really good, he can finish with either hand equally as well.”

The RedHawks trailed by as many as nine points with 6:38 left in the game. They only led the contest for 4:43 of gametime, but were able to steal a victory at the end. Peter Suder led Miami with 18 points, while Almar Atlason added 16 points and Perry finished with 14, including the game-winner.

The Broncos tied the game at 67-67 with 12 seconds on a second-chance jumper from Justice Williams. However, Perry’s layup kept the RedHawks quest for a perfect season alive. According to USA TODAY Sports’ latest bracket projections, they are slated to be an 11-seed in the East Region as an automatic qualifier out of the Mid-American Conference.

“If you look at our numbers since Jan. 1, we’re a top 60 team in defense in the country, analytically,’ Steele said. ‘We’re really trending in the right direction, when we get a little healthier, we’ll regain that offensive magic we had. But our guys figure it out. That’s what good teams do. They win when they didn’t play their best.”

• Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is working to prove his value to NFL teams despite being projected as a late-round pick or undrafted free agent.
• Pavia’s height of 5 feet, 9 ⅞ inches would make him one of the shortest quarterbacks in the modern NFL, leading to doubts about his pro potential.
• Known for his confidence and improvisational style, Pavia led Vanderbilt to a 10-win season and was a Heisman Trophy runner-up.

INDIANAPOLIS – Diego Pavia is accustomed to improvising.

In his ascension to Heisman Trophy runner-up and one of college football’s biggest stars, the Vanderbilt quarterback made a habit of breaking structure. Embracing a frenetic energy became part of his signature style as he pushed a long listless Commodores program to its first 10-win season and new levels of visibility.

To reach the NFL, however, Pavia is taking a more concerted approach.

‘I’m a man on a mission,’ Pavia said Feb. 27 at the NFL scouting combine.

And it’s a sizable one.

In Indianapolis, Pavia is making a final push to teams that he’s a worthwhile investment at quarterback. In addition to meeting with coaches and evaluators, he’ll go through a full on-field workout Feb. 28. His testing, however, will wait for Vanderbilt’s pro day in March.

Showing himself off yet again might seem like a superfluous step for a sixth-year senior who is less than a month removed from the Senior Bowl. For Pavia, however, it’s a necessary one. The dynamic signal-caller stands in sharp contrast to his similarly accomplished passing peers in his expected draft stock, with many analysts projecting him to be an undrafted free agent clinging to a faint hope of being picked in the later rounds.

At the Senior Bowl, he measured in at 5 feet, 9 ⅞ inches and 198 pounds. Unofficially, that measurement would make him the shortest quarterback to reach the NFL since the 1970 merger. With draft analysts also having persistent concerns about his arm strength and ability to attack defenses while remaining in the pocket, Pavia is facing levels of doubt even he’s not accustomed to.

Yet Pavia has a simple answer for anyone who doubts his ability to acclimate to the next level.

‘Turn on the tape. It’s not like we’re not playing these guys who are going in the first round, second round, on Saturdays in the SEC.’

And as Pavia puts the final touches on his preparation, he remains unswayed by any scrutiny.

‘If you saw how much I put into this, you would see where I get my confidence from,’ Pavia said.

‘Special’ confidence puts Pavia in spotlight

Few people understand Pavia’s conviction better than Eli Stowers.

That side of the quarterback was part of what spurred the tight end, who only became Pavia’s primary target after losing out to him in the starting quarterback competition at New Mexico State, to follow the passer in transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024. They became roommates for those two years, during which they developed a close bond despite their polar-opposite personalities.

‘You see confidence in him that’s special,’ said Stowers, who in 2025 won the John Mackey Award as college football’s top tight end. ‘You see confidence in him that you don’t see in a lot of players. His confidence spread out throughout the whole team. We went into the season believing that we could win every game. I think that’s what made us be successful.’

Yet Stowers has also seen where that confidence can be interpreted differently by others, including the public at large.

‘He’s very blunt in a way that he approaches his public persona. He just kind of says whatever he wants sometimes. A lot of us have thoughts that we shouldn’t be saying in the media, and sometimes he just says those things. But as a person and who he really is, he’s an amazing guy, and I love him to death.’

Pavia put it more succinctly.

‘One thing about me is I don’t care what people think about me,’ he said.

Yet he might need to care about the impression NFL coaches and general managers have of him.

While football-centric matters have remained the focus of team meetings, Pavia acknowledged that he had been asked about his distinct personality. Still, he saw his rise from junior college quarterback to Southeastern Conference phenom as a selling point.

‘I feel like a lot of teams love the tenacity, the fight – the life of an underdog,’ Pavia said. ‘Yeah, they ask questions. But if you look back on my record, there ain’t nothing on my record.’

Pavia’s bold demeanor took a new tenor, however, after he finished second to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza – the expected No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft – for the Heisman Trophy. He wrote ‘F-All THE VOTERS’ on his Instagram story with a thumbs down emoji and ‘BUT … FAMILY FOR LIFE.’ A video later emerged of Pavia at a club giving the middle finger to a sign that read ‘(expletive) INDIANA.’ He later apologized, saying it was ‘painful’ to come up short while adding he ‘did not represent myself the way I wanted to.’

Thus far, no teams have asked him about the incident, Pavia said.

‘Not that they don’t care, but they know the situation already,’ Pavia said.

Pushing to the pros

Any criticisms of Pavia shouldn’t touch on the quarterback’s work ethic, Stowers said.

‘I don’t think people understand how hard of a worker he is and how good a leader he is. That’s what you want in a quarterback,’ Stowers said. ‘He will not let anybody outwork him. He’s gonna hold the standard and hold people up to the standard as well.’

As a roommate, Pavia ended up being plenty compatible with the more soft-spoken Stowers. Whether it was on the field or at home, the tight end knew he could always count on his quarterback.

‘He’s a reliable dude,’ Stowers said. ‘You ask him to do anything for you and he’ll do it. If you need him to do anything for you, he’ll do it.’

Might that mentality extend to a potential position switch in the pros?

Some might see a player with more than 3,000 career rushing yards and 31 touchdowns as a potential gadget weapon and all-purpose threat. When asked how he would respond to a request to shift his role, Pavia neither embraced the idea nor ruled it out.

‘We’ll cross that bridge when it gets there,’ Pavia said. ‘Right now, I’m just focused on this process and tomorrow and getting ready for pro day.’

No matter how far-fetched it might seem or the self-belief it might require, the mission remains the same.

Said Pavia: ‘I’m hoping to show (teams) that when you get me, you get an NFL quarterback.’