‘You can achieve big dreams’: Cooper DeJean’s journey from small-town kid to NFL prospect
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Kirk Ferentz has an encyclopedic recall of Iowa players, the result of a quarter-century as Hawkeyes head coach, plus another nine years as an assistant.
Mention a current Hawkeye, and Ferentz reflexively lists two or three from his own past, noting details about their play style, top moments, personality, NFL path and more. But Cooper DeJean, Iowa’s ubiquitous star defensive back, projected to go in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft, elicits a different type of response.
When watching DeJean last season, Ferentz kept thinking about a player he never coached or even met, who competed for Iowa and died more than a decade before Ferentz was born. The most hallowed name in program history and one of the state’s sporting heroes, whose legacy is celebrated at every Iowa home game — that’s the comp Ferentz selects for DeJean.
“I don’t know how many players have been better than him, however long we’ve been playing football, 1889,” Ferentz said of DeJean. “Nile Kinnick’s name is up on the stadium.”
Kinnick is Iowa’s only Heisman Trophy winner. In 1939, he played 402 of 420 minutes, contributed to 107 of the team’s 130 points scored, led the nation in kickoff return yards and intercepted eight passes, a team record now shared. He’s in Iowa’s athletics Hall of Fame for both football and basketball, and caught pitches from Bob Feller on an American Legion team. Kinnick excelled at whatever he did and wherever he did it — from his hometown of Adel, Iowa, to the stadium that would later bear his name.
DeJean is shaping his legend from similar Iowa soil, as a four-sport star from the tiny town of Odebolt, and an alphabet soup high school (OABCIG) within the state that delivered “Field of Dreams.” His high school career featured championships and highlights, but also intrigue, because he competed in such a sparsely populated area. His most famous play at Iowa didn’t actually count.
DeJean’s post-Iowa path will be dramatically different from Kinnick’s. ESPN’s Mel Kiper and others expect him to become the first Iowa defensive back taken in the first round of the NFL draft under Ferentz, and the first from Iowa since Tom Knight went No. 9 overall in 1997. Although DeJean played multiple defensive back positions at Iowa and dazzled on punt returns, he’s being evaluated primarily as a cornerback.
“It just seems like everything he does, he’s good and he wins,” Ferentz said of DeJean.
So, who is Cooper DeJean, and why do Iowa’s program stewards already consider him a living legend?
TYLER BARNES WILL owe Travis Schroeder for life.
Barnes, Iowa’s director of recruiting, used to live next door to Schoeder, not far from Iowa’s campus. A native of Odebolt, Schroeder would pepper his neighbor about an emerging star athlete from his hometown.
Schroeder had never seen DeJean play but heard all the buzz. Plus, he knew DeJean’s family. DeJean’s grandfather, Al Wilke, coached Schroeder in high school football. When DeJean’s parents moved to town from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, they opened a bar and grill — originally called Cobe’s, for Cooper and his younger brother Beckett, and now called The Bowling Alley — that is owned by Schroeder’s relatives.
So it goes in Odebolt, a town of fewer than 1,000 residents in the northwest part of the state.
“You can get from one end to another in probably five minutes,” DeJean said. “We’ve got no stoplights, we’ve got two bar and grills, two gas stations, probably seven total stop signs.”
Added Schroeder: “You’ll drive through town and you might not see a car. You might not see a person.”
While attending an Iowa basketball game with Barnes, Schroeder again told his friend to consider DeJean.
“Trav,” Schroeder remembered Barnes jokingly saying, “there are no D-I athletes coming out of Odebolt.”
The truth: Iowa prided itself on identifying small-town prospects from the state, often overlooked as recruits, and developing them into big-stage stars. The team has sent several to the NFL, such as Panthers linebacker Josey Jewell, who grew up on a farm in Decorah (population: 7,747), or Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, from Chariton (population: 4,220). The Odebolt area hadn’t produced many top-division players, but Trever Ryen, who attended DeJean’s high school, walked on at Iowa State and became an All-Big 12 punt returner and a solid wide receiver.
Barnes watched film of DeJean.
“Maybe this kid’s got a chance,” he told himself.
DeJEAN COMPETED IN football, basketball, track and baseball, and, as a young boy, wrestling and soccer. He played everything — not just because he wanted to — but also out of necessity.
Odebolt and its surrounding towns — Arthur, Battle Creek and Ida Grove — need their best athletes to participate in all sports. The towns feed into the same middle school, in Odebolt, and the same high school, about 15 minutes from DeJean’s home, in Ida Grove. Initially two separate school districts spread out over four counties and 259 square miles, they merged in 2018 to form OABCIG.
Sports resonated in the area, especially for the DeJeans. Cooper’s father, Jason, played basketball at Huron University in South Dakota. His mom, Katie, played basketball and softball at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa. Wilke, Katie’s father, coached and was involved in sports, often taking Cooper and his younger brothers to fields and courts around town.
“That’s something they stressed to me: ‘Play all the sports, there’s no need to specialize in one,'” Cooper said. “That’s the only time in your life where you can play multiple sports, so why not play all four in high school?”
At OABCIG High, he was a three-time all-state selection in football with two state titles. His credentials included: 1,832 career points in basketball, more than Harrison Barnes, the McDonald’s All-American out of Ames High School now with the Sacramento Kings; state champion for long jump and 100-meter dash as a senior; all-state honors in football, basketball and track as a senior; three letters in baseball, which is played in the summer, while also juggling AAU basketball. In 2021, DeJean was named Iowa High School Male Athlete of the Year by the Des Moines Register.
Many pegged DeJean — at 6 foot and ½ — to play basketball in college.
“If he was 6-4 or 6-5, he probably wouldn’t be playing football,” Jason DeJean said.
Larry Allen, DeJean’s football coach at OABCIG High, didn’t have many reference points in predicting DeJean’s college path.
“One kid that played at [Northern Iowa] and one kid that played at Iowa State is all I’ve ever had, so you didn’t really understand the talent level,” Allen said. “A few people asked: Is this what a D-I guy looks like? Is he really that good? He’s pretty dang good, but you just wonder.”
DeJean came to Iowa’s campus 12 or 13 times, including the team’s football camp, but didn’t secure an offer right away, for two reasons. He needed a position after logging snaps at quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back for OABCIG. He also needed a personality.
“He could sit on a Zoom call and just stare at you for two hours without saying a word,” Barnes said. “This kid, does he have a pulse? Is there a heartbeat? Cooper, just give us something. Smile, laugh. He was just so serious.”
DeJean was very reserved, but his athletic success reverberated, leading to an Iowa offer. Many of DeJean’s best highlights came on the basketball court, where he began dunking the summer before his freshman year of high school. So in January 2020, Barnes made the trek to Odebolt for a basketball game. Coaches from two other major conference schools also attended. Barnes remembers them fussing over what position DeJean would play. Other than Iowa, DeJean had offers from only FCS programs in the Dakotas.
As Barnes watched, DeJean opened the game with five consecutive dunks.
“Three of them were over 6-foot-4 guys,” Barnes said. “I’m just sitting there, giggling, like, ‘You [other schools] are nuts. This kid is something. I don’t know what he is. But you don’t see that in Iowa very often, those type of athletic traits.'”
Barnes texted Iowa’s staff: He’s the real deal. DeJean wanted to play quarterback, though, and Iowa pegged him for defense. He had official visits to Virginia and Kansas State scheduled but canceled them after COVID-19 hit in March 2020.
Around that time, Barnes texted DeJean, telling him that he belonged at Iowa, and to trust the team’s projection for him, as “a high-level safety.” To Barnes’ surprise, DeJean responded and committed on the spot.
“We lucked into him,” Barnes said. “I wish I could say we had a great evaluation, but thank god for my neighbor Travis.”
1:07
Iowa’s go-ahead TD wiped off after fair catch call
Cooper DeJean returns punt for a 54-yard Iowa touchdown to grab the lead, but it is taken off the board after DeJean appeared to motion for a fair catch.
LEGENDS ARE MOLDED through moments, and DeJean delivered plenty, both before and after he came to Iowa.
There was his final high school game, the 2020 state championship against Van Meter at Northern Iowa’s UNI-Dome. In the final five minutes, he blocked an extra-point attempt to keep OABCIG at a single-score deficit, returned a punt 14 yards and then scored a touchdown and the tying two-point conversion, both on runs, with 1:30 left.
Van Meter fumbled the ensuing kickoff, recovered by DeJean’s younger brother, Beckett. On the next play, Cooper kept the ball, ran to his left, wriggled free of a defender, stopped, reversed field, broke two more tackles and scored the winning touchdown. OABCIG won the final 25 games of DeJean’s high school career and its first two state titles. He accounted for 9,520 total yards and 132 touchdowns during the stretch.
“He did everything,” Ferentz said. “Some guys just seem to do things other people can’t do.”
Cooper barely played as a freshman at Iowa, not even making the travel roster for early games such as the Cy-Hawk clash at Iowa State. But he found a role on special teams and started the regular-season finale against Nebraska at safety.
DeJean’s playmaking prowess was on full display in 2022. After a quiet season opener, he had interceptions in his next three games, scoring his first touchdown on a 45-yard return against Rutgers. In a 24-10 win against Wisconsin that season, DeJean had a pick-six, 10 tackles (one for loss) and 81 punt return yards, including a 41-yard runback. He also downed a punt at the Wisconsin 1-yard line. He finished with three pick-sixes that fall, setting Iowa’s single-season record and tying the career mark.
His most impressive play came last season and didn’t even count. Iowa trailed Minnesota 12-10 late in the fourth quarter and seemed unlikely to generate points from its woeful offense. After Iowa forced a three-and-out, DeJean fielded a punt off a bounce near midfield, right beside the Minnesota sideline.
DeJean eluded the grasp of two Gophers, raced up the sideline, cut back through the arm of another and then outraced Kerry Brown for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:21 left. Had Kinnick ever been louder?
“Probably would have been the greatest play in the history of Iowa football had it counted,” Ferentz said. “I’m still trying to figure out how that wasn’t a legal play.”
After a review, officials ruled that DeJean had made an invalid fair catch signal by waving his left arm before scooping up the ball. Still, it put DeJean’s game-breaking abilities on full display.
“He’s got great speed and great ball skills, but his ability to be balanced and his footwork is so good,” defensive coordinator Phil Parker said. “He’s kind of a rare guy. Everybody said, ‘Wow, look at what you did to Cooper.’ Well, Cooper did that to himself. Cooper made who he is today because of the drive that he has to be great.”
NILE KINNICK DID it all for Iowa. His team records on offense and defense lasted for decades. His Big Ten record for single-game punt return yards spanned from 1939 until Maryland’s William Likely broke it in 2015. Although Iowa has popularized “Punting is Winning” in recent years, Kinnick still holds records for single-game punts (16) and punt yards (731).
DeJean shined on defense and special teams, but a drumbeat grew for him to see time on offense, especially as Iowa reached historic lows for production.
“There were signs up around town,” Jason DeJean said. “There was a place in Ida Grove that had a billboard: Put Cooper on offense. I would have loved to see more of that, but it didn’t work out.”
As Ferentz mulled whether to use Cooper on offense, he remembered what his predecessor Hayden Fry once said: If Ohio State loses a player, the next one might be better. We don’t have that here. In mid-November, Ferentz relented and DeJean started getting reps on offense. But during a practice he fractured his left fibula, ending his season.
“There’s a lot of irony in that,” Ferentz said.
DeJean still received consensus All-America honors despite missing the final four games, including the Big Ten championship. He won the Big Ten’s individual awards for defensive back and return specialist.
If DeJean had elected to return as a senior in 2024, Ferentz ensured he would have had a more significant role for the Hawkeyes’ offense.
“I told him if he came back, he’d be one of those guys like Nile Kinnick, put his name on a building,” Parker said. “I never saw Nile Kinnick play, but all I can say is [DeJean] is the version of what I think he would be today.”
On Jan. 4, DeJean declared for the draft. While recovering from leg surgery, he attended the NFL combine but didn’t participate in on-field tests. He started to run at full speed in February, but did only the bench press at Iowa’s pro day last month. DeJean is set to run the 40-yard dash and participate in all drills and tests for teams Monday in Iowa City. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, DeJean sent a letter to NFL clubs last week informing them he has been cleared to return to all football activities.
He’s the latest in a line of notable defensive backs under Ferentz and Parker, who coached the secondary for his first 13 years on staff before taking over as coordinator. Iowa has had 17 defensive backs selected since the 2000 draft, including eventual All-Pros in Desmond King, Micah Hyde and Bob Sanders. Since the Big Ten launched its individual position awards in 2011, Iowa has won six times with six different players. No other team has won more than twice.
The Hawkeyes also have consistently produced first-round picks, 13 in all under Ferentz, including two last year and another in 2022. But none played defensive back.
“If you had retro picks, then we’d have more first-rounders,” Ferentz said. “Bob Sanders should have been a first-rounder, and if he was 6-foot, I’m sure he would have been. But if he was 6-foot, he would have gone to Penn State and they would have recruited him. But he was 5-foot-8, and he didn’t.
“But it’d be nice if it happens, mostly just for Cooper’s sake, a nice feather in his cap.”
Much of DeJean’s NFL evaluation is assessing what he will be at the next level. In 2022, he started 10 games at cornerback and three at the cash position, a safety-linebacker hybrid. He practiced early in his career at safety, but started every game last fall at corner before the injury.
“Some teams might think he’s a nickel, some teams might think he’s a corner, some teams might think he’s a safety, but he’s only going to play one,” an NFL scout said, adding that how DeJean runs Monday will be a significant factor. “He’s going to get drafted high enough that you draft him for that position.”
The first-round projections for DeJean — Kiper has him at No. 21 on his latest Big Board — are as a cornerback, where he would be an NFL rarity. The league has had a few white cornerbacks over the years, but none as a consistent starter since Jason Sehorn, who started 73 games for the Giants from 1996 to 2002.
During a media session at the combine, DeJean faced questions about being a white cornerback, just like his friend and Iowa teammate, Riley Moss, did the year before. Moss memorably responded, “Obviously, I look different. I don’t play different.”
“I believe I can play corner,” DeJean said. “I have the size and speed to do so. But with my athleticism, I understand the talk of moving to safety, playing the nickel, moving me around the defense. At the end of the day, you put me out on the field, I’m going to find the ball and try to make plays and impact the defense in some way.”
DeJean is surprised to learn that he would become the first defensive back selected in the first round under Ferentz. He’s flattered by the comparisons to Kinnick, who he called “a damn good player” and whose name he said is synonymous with Iowa football.
When it comes to legacy, though, DeJean’s thoughts go back to Odebolt, where he takes pictures and signs autographs every time he visits, and where he plans to watch the draft with family and friends.
“I’ve been blessed to be in this position, growing up in a small town,” he said. “My biggest thing is just being an inspiration to the kids around my area, to show them if you put everything into what you want to do, down the road, you can achieve big dreams.”
Here comes the American League!
The Detroit Tigers have retaken the No. 1 spot and are one of four AL teams in the top 10 in Week 10 alongside the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros — who cracked the top 10 for the first time this season.
The National League is still well-represented at the top of our list, with the usual powerhouses battling Detroit for first place.
Meanwhile, a number of clubs have continued their fall down our rankings this week, including the Boston Red Sox dropping to No. 22 and the Arizona Diamondbacks to No. 19, with each at its lowest ranking of 2025. Will they be able to overcome their struggles and bounce back?
Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Record: 41-22
Previous ranking: 2
After serving up four home runs to the Rangers on May 10 and seeing his ERA rise to 4.61, Jack Flaherty has reeled off a 2.22 ERA over his past four starts. He is looking much more like the pitcher the Tigers had in the first half of 2024 before they traded him to the Dodgers then re-signed him as a free agent over the winter. In three of those four recent games, Flaherty threw his fastball just over 50% of the time, which he hadn’t done in any of his first eight starts. The Tigers also received consecutive scoreless starts from Keider Montero filling in for the injured Reese Olson. This rotation isn’t just Tarik Skubal. — Schoenfield
Record: 37-25
Previous ranking: 3
The Dodgers’ offense has kept L.A. in its familiar first-place perch despite widespread pitching struggles. The attack might be getting even more potent thanks to the sudden resurgence of Max Muncy, perhaps baseball’s hottest hitter. Muncy capped a seven-game stretch in which he hit .409/.500/1.227 with a game-tying homer in Tuesday’s dramatic extra-inning win over the Mets. It was Muncy’s sixth long ball of that stretch, during which he lifted his season OPS from .653 to .781. For the season, Muncy has a .945 OPS at Dodger Stadium, but an anemic .593 mark on the road. — Doolittle
Record: 39-23
Previous ranking: 6
Ronny Mauricio is back in the big leagues. The former top prospect debuted with the Mets in September 2023, but he tore an ACL in winter ball then had a second surgery last summer, ultimately missing the entire 2024 season. After hitting .515 with three home runs in nine games in Triple-A this year, the Mets called him up to replace the injured Mark Vientos on the roster. He went 0-for-4 on Tuesday while playing third base. The switch-hitter could get time at third, second and DH, although the Mets do have Brett Baty, Jeff McNeil and Luisangel Acuña capable of playing the infield, as well. — Schoenfield
Record: 37-23
Previous ranking: 4
Take 2 for Devin Williams. The Yankees righty is back in his closing role after Luke Weaver went down with a hamstring injury that is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks. Will Williams be better this time around? The Yankees think so after he had a decent run as a middle man. He hadn’t given up a run in 10 of his previous 11 appearances before returning to the closer job. Just as important, Williams walked only one hitter during that time frame while striking out 15. His first test back at closer came on Tuesday. And while he passed — New York beat Cleveland 3-2 — he did give up a run in the ninth. So, stay tuned. — Rogers
Record: 37-24
Previous ranking: 1
After a hot stretch against the Pirates, Rockies, A’s and Braves that saw the Phillies win 11 of 12 games, Philadelphia got swept at home by the Brewers over the weekend, losing the three games by a combined score of 28-11. Jesus Luzardo allowed 12 hits and 12 runs in a 17-7 loss, seeing his ERA climb from 2.15 to 3.58. He became just the 12th pitcher in MLB history to allow as many as 12 runs while pitching 3⅓ innings or fewer. On the bright side, while Ranger Suarez allowed seven runs in his 2025 debut, he has since had three scoreless starts in five appearances (although he picked up a no-decision in a 5-2 loss to Milwaukee as the bullpen blew a 2-1 lead). — Schoenfield
Record: 38-23
Previous ranking: 5
The Cubs are managing just fine without Shota Imanaga (hamstring) and Justin Steele (elbow), but they probably will look to augment their staff via trade come July. Chicago got a huge outing from second-year player Ben Brown over the weekend when he threw six shutout innings against the Reds, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out nine. It came after the team used lefty Drew Pomeranz as an opener. That trend could continue, as Brown is a two-pitch pitcher who has trouble going through a lineup three times and sometimes gets into first-inning trouble. An opener addresses both issues. — Rogers
Record: 35-25
Previous ranking: 7
As the Padres keep trying to patch up their hole-riddled lineup, Manny Machado continues to put up All-Star numbers in his 14th season. Machado has never hit .300 in a full season (he hit .304 in the shortened 2020 campaign), but he might get there this year as he suddenly has become a line-drive force. He is striking out less than at any time since 2021, yet his average exit velocity is the highest it’s been during that span. Machado is 32, but he shows every sign of graceful aging as he approaches the 2,000-hit milestone for his likely Hall-of-Fame career. — Doolittle
Record: 32-28
Previous ranking: 8
Seattle slipped behind Houston in the AL West since we last convened, but the news out of the Great Northwest is getting brighter. Starter Bryce Miller was activated from the injured list after a three-week stay. Even better, Logan Gilbert was slated for a second rehab start as his recovery from a balky elbow nears completion. If Gilbert is activated soon, the Mariners’ projected five-man rotation — Miller, Gilbert, George Kirby, Luis Castillo and Bryan Woo — will be intact for the first time all season. That Seattle spent so much time in first place despite that fact could portend a happy summer for Mariners fans. — Doolittle
Record: 34-28
Previous ranking: 9
The Giants have slid in the standings and the win-loss column of late, as their robust pitching staff hasn’t been able to carry an increasingly foundering offense. With Wilmer Flores, Mike Yastrzemski and Jung Hoo Lee all slowing after good starts, first-year general manager Buster Posey has started to shuffle the roster, most notably designating LaMonte Wade Jr. for assignment. In the minors, top prospect Bryce Eldridge was moved from Double-A to Triple-A, so perhaps he could help later in the season. For all the shuffling, the key remains free-agent splash Willy Adames, who continues to labor with a sub-80 OPS+. — Doolittle
Record: 33-28
Previous ranking: 12
The Astros returned to the top of the AL West for the first time since the initial few days of the campaign. They accomplished this despite an ongoing plague of pitching injuries and the lingering unavailability of star slugger Yordan Alvarez. Perhaps the biggest reason for the Astros’ ability to remain afloat has been shortstop Jeremy Peña‘s emergence into a top-10 overall player in the AL. The 27-year-old has morphed from a high-strikeout, low-walk power threat to a complete package at the dish. Peña has slashed his whiff rate to elite levels, losing no power in the process while continuing to shine on defense. — Doolittle
Record: 33-27
Previous ranking: 10
The Cardinals are holding steady in the NL wild-card race despite an up-and-down week. But the question continues to linger in St. Louis: Can the Cardinals stay in the race long enough to convince the front office not to trade away their pending free agents? Inside the clubhouse, undoubtedly that answer is yes. It might get to the point that outgoing top decision-maker John Mozeliak decides to add. Why not take one more kick at the can? — Rogers
Record: 34-27
Previous ranking: 11
Chris Paddack is turning into one of the pleasant surprises of 2025. After the Twins acquired him from the Padres in 2022, he underwent Tommy John surgery after just five starts, wiping out nearly two full seasons. He had a 4.99 ERA last year in 17 starts, allowing a .283 average. He allowed nine runs in his first start this year, but he has posted a 2.47 ERA since then. He then enjoyed his best outing of the season on Sunday in Seattle, allowing one run in eight innings with 10 strikeouts while throwing 110 pitches (although he came away with a no-decision in a 2-1 loss). — Schoenfield
Record: 34-29
Previous ranking: 20
Finally. The Brewers are showing some life. An eight-game win streak that ended Tuesday night vaulted them into the playoff picture. Their offensive surge has been led by Christian Yelich — who hit .414 with a 1.1313 OPS during the win streak — but he’s not the only one doing damage. Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick also had big weeks, contributing to a sweep in Philadelphia for the team’s signature series win so far this season. — Rogers
Record: 33-27
Previous ranking: 14
Jose Ramirez has been on extended hot streak. He had a 21-game hitting streak in May that included 11 multihit outings. After a hitless game on Friday, he followed with three straight two-hit games, raising his average to .330. Ramirez last hit .300 back in 2017, and his current OPS+ would be the second highest of his career, behind only the shortened 2020 season. He might not approach a 40/40 season like last year, when he fell one home run short, but he could be headed for a third 30/30 campaign. He should be the easy All-Star starter at third base for his fourth start in the Midsummer Classic and seventh selection. — Schoenfield
Record: 30-29
Previous ranking: 16
Junior Caminero is heating up, hitting .400 over a 10-game stretch that ended Tuesday. He hit five home runs and drove in a whopping 17 runs during that span, including a two-homer game against Houston over the weekend. He added another blast in Tuesday’s victory over Texas. He has been all over fastballs lately, hitting .292 on the season against them. His bat has helped push the Rays past .500 and back into the AL playoff race. — Rogers
Record: 27-33
Previous ranking: 15
Ronald Acuña Jr. has been terrific in his return from knee surgery, hitting .341/.413/.610 with three home runs in his first 11 games back. But the Braves also need a lift from Spencer Strider — and he hasn’t delivered it just yet. Strider made one start in April in his return from Tommy John surgery, but a hamstring injury caused him to miss a month. In three starts since coming off the IL, he has allowed 10 runs in 14 innings while walking seven batters and hitting three. He also served up three home runs in a loss to Arizona on Tuesday. It hasn’t helped that the lineup continues to scuffle, scoring just one run in each of two losses to the Red Sox. — Schoenfield
Record: 32-29
Previous ranking: 17
After tearing through Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .322 with 15 home runs in 50 games, Jac Caglianone made his highly anticipated MLB debut on Tuesday, going 0-for-5 in a 10-7 win over St. Louis. He hit sixth and served as the DH (after beginning to see some outfield reps in the minors). Despite the hitless outing, Caglianone showed off his potential, as he had four hard-hit balls of 95-plus mph. Three of those were groundouts, and one was a drive into right-center in his first at-bat that Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II made a fine running catch on. — Schoenfield
Record: 32-29
Previous ranking: 22
Toronto’s offense came to play against the A’s during a four-game sweep last week. The Blue Jays totaled 39 runs, led by Addison Barger, Bo Bichette and George Springer. Each had three home runs during Toronto’s five-game win streak, which ended on Tuesday in a loss to the Phillies. Thanks to the series against the pitching-challenged A’s, Toronto boasted the highest OPS of any team last week. The question is whether it can continue against better opponents. That hasn’t always been the case this season for the Jays; see Tuesday’s 8-3 loss to the Phillies as evidence. — Rogers
Record: 30-31
Previous ranking: 13
The Diamondbacks appeared to be most likely to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West. That could still happen. But for now, Arizona might challenge L.A. for the title of most disappointing starting rotation, at least among expected contenders. Arizona’s 23rd-ranked rotation ERA is bad enough. Then came this zinger: Ace Corbin Burnes, he of the $210 million contract, is on the IL with an elbow problem, the specific diagnosis of which has initially proved to be elusive. Not great. — Doolittle
Record: 29-33
Previous ranking: 21
The Rangers’ up-and-down start to the season has left them almost precisely mediocre, which isn’t exactly what they were shooting for. It has felt like every positive development that’s happened for Texas since Opening Day has been accompanied by an equivalent gut punch. The pattern continued last week, when Marcus Semien showed signs of catching fire after foundering the first two months as one of baseball’s least productive hitters. Alas, ace Nathan Eovaldi hit the IL with triceps fatigue, weakening a rotation big three (Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle) that has kept Texas in the realm of contention. And so on it goes. — Doolittle
Record: 30-33
Previous ranking: 19
TJ Friedl has given the Reds a needed boost at the plate, collecting 10 multihit games since May 19. The 29-year-old outfielder is having a resurgent season after seeing his OPS drop below .700 last year. This year, he has hit more in line with his 2023 campaign, when he smacked 18 home runs and compiled a .352 on-base percentage. He is showing a little less power than two years ago, but his on-base has shot up over .380, and he is hitting over .360 off fastballs. — Rogers
Record: 30-34
Previous ranking: 18
The Red Sox’s offense looks pedestrian without Alex Bregman, who’s been out with a right quad injury since late last month. The team ranks in the bottom third in run scoring during that time frame. Wilyer Abreu and Trevor Story have struggled the most, striking out about six times more than they’ve walked over the past half-month. That’s a recipe for some ugly at-bats. Fortunately, Rafael Devers has picked up the slack, averaging more than an RBI per game during Bregman’s absence. But Boston needs someone else to step up, as Bregman is going to be out for a while. Boston’s record as of late reflects its struggles. — Rogers
Record: 29-32
Previous ranking: 24
The Nationals had a nice road trip, winning two of three in Seattle and in Phoenix as the offense exploded for at least nine runs in four consecutive games. The highlights included a seven-run 10th inning against the Mariners and a 10-run first inning against the Diamondbacks in which the first 11 batters all reached base and five doubles were tallied. During the latter contest, the Nats scored nine runs before an out was recorded, the second most in a first inning since 1961. (The Red Sox scored 10 against the Marlins in 2003.) Luis Garcia had eight hits and six RBIs over the four outings, while the red-hot James Wood homered twice and drove in seven runs. — Schoenfield
Record: 28-33
Previous ranking: 23
The Angels have played the most road games in the majors, which has made their roller-coaster (but encouraging) start that much more impressive. Even better, they’ve played well away from Anaheim, generally remaining on the happy side of .500. The upside of such a road-heavy slate is that, by definition, the rest of their schedule will be MLB’s most home-heavy. For the Angels to take advantage, though, they need to actually start holding down the fort at the Big A, where they’ve gone 10-15. The hitters rank 5th in scoring on the road but 30th at home. That needs to change — Doolittle
Record: 24-36
Previous ranking: 27
Could a weekend sweep of an AL opponent mean the Orioles are back? Not likely, when you consider it was the lowly White Sox who failed to win a game in Baltimore. Even in taking the trio of games, the O’s only scored nine runs; but at least they pitched well, something that has eluded them for most of the season. That carried over to a 5-1 win at Seattle on Tuesday. Charlie Morton also has had a couple of good outings in a row that have led to wins. Perhaps he can right the ship enough to get traded, since it’s still a huge long shot for Baltimore to get back into the playoff race. — Rogers
Record: 23-39
Previous ranking: 28
OK, time for that annual exercise: Who on the Pirates can be unloaded to help other teams come trade season? Veteran infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa comes to mind. Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, Adam Frazier and Andrew Heaney too. In other words, just about anyone this side of Paul Skenes can be had. If the Pirates can acquire even one hitting prospect to pair with Oneil Cruz, it would help. Cruz is their top hitter right now, ranking 40th in OPS in MLB. The next Pirate on the list is the 38-year-old McCutchen, at 81st. — Rogers
Record: 23-37
Previous ranking: 26
The Marlins became the first team to lose a series against the Rockies this season — and then the first to be swept by Colorado after dropping the final game in Miami. Monday’s announced home attendance was 5,894, which was a generous assessment of the actual in-game crowd. Pictures of a nearly empty stadium at first pitch filled social media. The game ended with a 6-4 loss. The Marlins had plenty of scoring opportunities but went just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. — Schoenfield
Record: 23-40
Previous ranking: 25
After showing some early signs of respectability and even a possible fringe run at a wild-card slot, the Athletics collapsed like the construct of a Jenga player who’s had one too many. The culprit has been pitching, particularly in the rotation, an area the A’s had hoped would be solid. Since the A’s topped out at four games over .500 (20-16), the starters have gone 3-24 with an ERA around 7.00, which is, unsurprisingly, the worst mark in the majors over that span. Double-digit outputs by the opposition have become the norm — as in 10 times over the Athletics’ past 25 games. — Doolittle
Record: 19-43
Previous ranking: 29
Down on the farm, there have been mixed reviews of Chicago’s highly regarded top five prospects. Hagen Smith had pitched just 25 innings in seven starts with 20 walks (although 42 strikeouts) in Double-A before going on the IL with elbow soreness. Colson Montgomery is hitting .191 in Triple-A. Noah Schultz has a high WHIP in Double-A (47 hits and 28 walks in 46 IP). Kyle Teel has hit well in Triple-A (.287/.389/.483) but has 54 strikeouts in 49 games. Braden Montgomery did earn a promotion to High-A but is hitting .246 there after hitting .304 in Single-A. Teel is most likely to make his MLB debut this year, although there’s little need to rush him with Edgar Quero and Matt Thaiss sharing catching duties. — Schoenfield
Record: 12-50
Previous ranking: 30
When a team is on pace to shatter the all-time loss record, you don’t generally expect any facet of that team to actually be good. However, the Colorado bullpen — despite having precious few leads to protect — has been positively not entirely terrible. (It’s all relative, of course.) For the Rockies, this could be more than a moral victory during a tortuously lost season. As the trade deadline approaches, Colorado might be able to capitalize on the always-busy derby for in-season bullpen help. Sure to attract calls are Seth Halvorsen and Jake Bird. — Doolittle
Villanova football will leave the Coastal Athletic Association following this season and join the Patriot League in 2026, the conferences announced Thursday.
The Wildcats are the third team to join the Patriot League as football associate members since May 2024, joining former conference rivals Richmond and William & Mary.
“The addition of Villanova as our tenth football member represents a significant and exciting moment for the Patriot League,” Patriot League commissioner Jennifer Heppel said in a statement. “Villanova has consistently demonstrated excellence on the field, establishing itself as a premier FCS football program while also upholding a strong commitment to academic achievement. Combined with the recent additions of Richmond and William & Mary and the continued strength of our current members, this expansion solidifies the Patriot League’s standing as one of the strongest in the FCS.”
Villanova will join Patriot League charter members Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh, along with associate members Fordham, Georgetown, Richmond and William & Mary.
CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio said Villanova’s move is “disappointing,” but “has become an unfortunate part of the landscape of college athletics during a period of unprecedented change.”
“The administrators, coaches and student-athletes in the CAA remain committed to competing at the highest level of FCS football, achieving multiple playoff bids on a yearly basis and contending for national championships,” D’Antonio said in a statement. “The CAA has a long history of excellence in FCS football and the desire to build on that tradition has never been stronger.”
The Patriot League will continue to feature a full conference schedule to determine the league champion and automatic bid to the NCAA DI FCS Championship when the conference expands to 10 teams in 2026.
With the expanded membership beginning in 2026, eight of the 10 programs have finished ranked in the Stats Perform and AFCA FCS Coaches Poll since 2015. During that span, the 10 programs have combined to win 17 games in the FCS Playoffs, advancing to the quarterfinal round eight times, including two apiece by Colgate, Richmond and Villanova. Holy Cross and William & Mary have both advanced to the quarterfinals once.
“We are excited to join a conference where the member institutions share similar values, both athletically and academically,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said in a statement. “The geographic alignment makes sense for our program and our student-athletes, and we believe this move will foster strong regional rivalries while maintaining our commitment to excellence on and off the field. It’s a natural fit that positions us well for the future.”
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