Future college stars shine in senior game
North scores 16-8 win over South in Under Armour all-star event
Since the fifth grade, St. Paul’s senior Paris Colgain would sit in the bleachers at Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Field, watching the Under Armour All-America Girls Lacrosse Senior Game. She looked up to the girls that graced the field year in and year out, hoping for the day she would have her moment in the spotlight.
On Saturday night, Colgain’s dream turned into reality when she stepped onto the field for the South team along with her fellow high school teammates Christina Gagnon, Leah Warehime and Caitlin McElwee. Although the North walked away with a 16-8 win, this was still a night to remember.
“I think all of us [winning] the [Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference] championship was probably one of the best days of my life,” Colgain said. “But just getting another
in Baltimore last season. It could also ease the pressure on first-round pick Odafe Oweh and fifth-round pick Daelin Hayes while pushing third-year edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson to the roster bubble.
In recent years, the Ravens have entered the season with five outside linebackers or edge rushers on their 53-man roster. Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee are the early favorites to start on the edge. Oweh and Hayes have impressed in camp. Coaches have praised Ferguson’s mental growth. And now Houston will have to fit in somewhere, too, the latest and maybe greatest addition at a position considered a serious weakness entering 2021.
“I think we have a plethora of talent — guys that are very, very gifted in a lot of places who are going to have to step up and make big plays for us,” defensive end Calais Campbell said in June. “Our outside rush is where we lost the most, and I see some of our young guys who can really move, and they’re really just super gifted. And so, now it comes down to just getting them prepared, getting them ready, helping them develop as quickly as possible, because we’re going to have to depend on them.
“This is one of those teams where we’re going to have to depend on some young guys to stepupandmakesomeplaysforus.ButIthink we’ve got a really good group of young [players] whoaregoingtobeabletodevelopandbecome really good football players in this league.”
Houston brings veteran savvy and reliable production to a low-cost group. After Judon signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the New England Patriots and Ngakoue got a two-year, $26 million contract from the Las VegasRaiders,Bowser($3million)hadthehighestsalarycaphitattheposition.McPhee,meanwhile,hadthemostcareersacks(37),butjustsix over the past three seasons.
The 6-foot-3 Houston has 97 ½ career sacks, including 19 since 2019. But after an impressive age-30season,hisproductionandparticipation fell off somewhat last year. He played 59% of the Colts’ defensive snaps, less than what he played during a 12-game 2018 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. Houston’s 8.3% pressure
rate, meanwhile, was the lowest of his career, according to Pro Football Focus, and his 32 total pressures were among the fewest of his career.
In a recent Instagram post, Houston shared photos of himself working out in a Chiefs helmet, another pass rush-needy team. But after a visit with the Ravens, the two sides agreed on an incentive-laden deal. The reduced price tag worked for the Ravens, who are tight against the salary cap, and so did the timing, which won’t cost the team a 2022 compensatory draft pick.