Texas star wide receiver Matthew Golden told ESPN on Monday that he’s leaving school early to declare for the NFL draft.

This decision comes in the wake of a lone season at Texas in which he led the Longhorns in receiving yards (987) and receiving touchdowns (9). He caught 58 passes, averaging 17 yards per reception, and significantly helped his draft stock with a furious finish during the final month.

The 6-foot, 195-pound Golden projects as a top 50 pick in the draft and is ranked No. 8 at the receiver position by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Golden, who has high-end speed and sure hands, was Texas’ most reliable wide receiver in 2024.

He spent his first two seasons at Houston, where he started 17 of his 20 games with the Cougars and finished with 76 receptions for 988 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Golden also brings versatility, as he has totaled 722 return yards and a pair of kick return touchdowns in his college career.

His NFL stock has risen sharply in the final month after he had 162 receiving yards in the SEC championship game against Georgia and 149 receiving yards and a touchdown against Arizona State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Golden had two catches for 51 yards in the CFP semifinal loss to Ohio State, missing a large part of that game with an apparent lower leg injury. He was taken to the injury tent and locker room in the first half before returning to the game in the second half.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie Jr., the son of four-time NFL Pro Bowler Antonio Cromartie, announced his commitment to Florida State Monday night, continuing a family legacy with the Seminoles.

The younger Cromartie, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound defender in the Class of 2025, is not currently rated in ESPN’s recruiting rankings for the 2025 cycle. He joins Florida State’s incoming class after recording 85 tackles with four forced fumbles and an interception in his senior season at Georgia’s Carrollton High School, where Cromartie’s teammates included No. 2 overall prospect Julian Lewis (Colorado) and four-star Texas safety signee Zelus Hicks (No. 72 in the ESPN 300).

Cromartie also held offers from Southeast Missouri State, UT Martin and Wofford. His commitment to the Seminoles follows an official visit with the program over the weekend.

With his pledge, Cromartie is now set to follow in the footsteps of his father, who earned first-team All-ACC honors (2004) and appeared in 25 games at Florida State from 2003 to 2005 before launching an 11-year NFL career. A first-round selection of the San Diego Charges in the 2006 NFL draft, the elder Cromartie was named first-team All-Pro in 2007 when he led the NFL with 10 interceptions, and he made four Pro Bowl appearances across a pro career that included stints with the Chargers, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts.

Cromartie later served as a defensive assistant at Texas A&M under coach Jimbo Fisher from 2021 to 2022.

The younger Cromartie’s recruitment was initially limited to FCS programs before Florida State emerged with an offer last month on Christmas Day. He’s now the 21st member of the Seminoles’ 2025 class, which sits at No. 36 in ESPN’s latest team rankings for the cycle.

Florida State lost 10 commitments — including eight from inside the ESPN 300 — during the program’s disastrous 2-10 season this past fall, headlined by five-star offensive tackle Solomon Thomas’ early signing period flip to LSU. However, the Seminoles will hope Cromartie’s commitment is just the start to a busy final stretch in the 2025 class before the traditional signing period opens on Feb. 5.

Florida State remains in the mix for five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood (No. 18 in the ESPN 300) and four-star defensive end Zahir Mathis (No. 63), among others.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Carson Beck has been through his first team meeting at Miami, and he’s starting to build relationships with his new teammates as the Hurricanes are already working out in advance of the 2025 season.

When Miami’s new quarterback will start throwing, however, remains unclear.

There’s a chance that Beck’s surgically repaired right elbow will be healed enough for him to take part in spring practice, Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Monday — but there’s no timetable yet.

“There’s always hope,” Cristobal said. “You know, the sooner the better. I know we went through examinations yesterday and everything’s ahead of schedule. I’ll probably have more clarity in maybe a couple of weeks, so I’d hate to say this or that. I know that certainly for the summertime everything is scheduled to be full throttle, full go. But there is anticipation of maybe earlier. I just don’t have it yet.”

Beck was hurt while playing for Georgia in the SEC championship game last month. He had surgery Dec. 23 to repair his ulnar collateral ligament, and the Bulldogs — when he played for them — said a full recovery was expected with throwing to begin in the spring.

The Hurricanes aren’t totally sure of that timing. But they are thrilled to have landed Beck, who committed to Miami last week in a massive transfer portal win for the Hurricanes — who saw another transfer, Cam Ward, have a 2024 season that could make him the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

Ward played the first half of Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl loss to Iowa State. Miami used Emory Williams at quarterback in the second half, and Ward was showered with online criticism suggesting he quit on the Hurricanes after breaking the Division I record for career touchdown passes by reaching 158.

Cristobal defended Ward on Monday, calling the accusations of quitting “a false narrative.”

“As we got closer and closer to game day, it became increasingly evident that Cam was more than likely going to be the first player selected in the NFL draft,” Cristobal said. “That’s when decisions were made that were best for everybody. And they played out that way.

“Cam has been an exceptional, an elite Miami Hurricane as a competitor, as a player, as a teammate,” Cristobal added. “He’s elevated the profile, the exposure of the University of Miami. He is leaving a legacy that’s going to be impactful for generations to come. I mean, he’s the best I’ve been around, and I look forward to watching him lead an NFL franchise to championships.”

Cristobal is still getting to know Beck, who was 24-3 as Georgia’s starter, but raved about the Hurricanes’ new quarterback.

“He’s athletic, he’s smart, he’s got superior arm talent, he’s accurate, he can extend plays, he can also sit in the pocket, he runs well,” Cristobal said. “He’s a great human being and he’s demonstrated leadership qualities. He’s really hard on himself, he wants to be great and one of his best qualities is that he wanted to be at Miami.”