BOISE, Idaho — Tuesday, April 30, 2019.
B.J. Rains of the Idaho Press reports that Brett Rypien received a “six-figure guarantee” from the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. That would put the former Boise State star somewhere between $100,000 and the UDFA record $140,000 the Seattle Times reports former Washington standout Jake Browning got from the Minnesota Vikings. It’s kind of ironic that Rypien and Browning both suited up at a college football game for the first time on September 4, 2015, on the blue turf. Rypien thought he was going to redshirt and didn’t play in Chris Petersen’s Albertsons Stadium homecoming. Browning made his first start for the Huskies in the 16-13 loss to the Broncos. Their career stats were similar: 13,581 yards and 90 touchdowns for Rypien, and 12,296 yards and 94 TDs for Browning. Now their NFL paths are similar, too.
Rains shared his interview of Rypien with Idaho SportsTalk on Monday. Rypien was asked off the top, naturally, why he thought he wasn’t drafted. “That’s a great question,” he said, obviously stung by the snub. “I know some teams had some great grades on me, and it’s hard to say why I didn’t get picked.” But Rypien has gone through the attitude adjustment, as you’d expect. “The way that my opportunity’s turned out in Denver, it’s going to be a great to go in there and get developed.” There appears to be support for him in the Mile High City, with hopes that he can compete with second-round pick Drew Lock for the No. 2 quarterback job behind Joe Flacco.
KEEPING IT IN THE MATTISON FAMILY
It must be “Alexander Mattison Week” for the Boise State football program. Three days after Mattison committed (in effect) to the Minnesota Vikings as a third-round draft pick, his cousin became the Broncos’ first commit of the 2020 recruiting class. Isaiah Bradford, who appears to be tabbed as a defensive back by Boise State, is a 6-0, 170-pounder from East Valley High in Redlands, CA. Bradford was also offered by Colorado, Colorado State and San Jose State. He was at Mattison’s draft party last Friday, and the new Minnesotan himself tweeted Monday, “Yesssirrr!! Lil Cuzzo is #Committed!” Incidentally, Mattison will wear No. 25 with the Vikings. Jerseys on sale soon locally, no doubt.
MW DRAFT WRAP
The Mountain West’s 2019 draft class doesn’t have the first-round buzz of the 2018 version that saw Wyoming’s Josh Allen, Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch and San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny go on the first night. In fact, the conference had four of the first 33 picks when you include Nevada’s Austin Corbett, who was the first selection of the second round. But the Mountain West had 10 players selected last week, the most since 2015. Thing is, the league doesn’t scream “quality” right now. There was one second-round selection and three third-round picks last Friday, including Mattison. The galling thing for the MW: neither its Offensive nor Defensive Player of the Year was chosen, Rypien and Fresno State linebacker Jeff Allison. And Allison sacrificed his senior year with the Bulldogs to enter the draft.
FINLEY REPRESENTS THE WOLFPACK
One-time Boise State quarterback Ryan Finley is in a much more intense fish bowl in Cincinnati than his former Bronco teammate in Denver. Finley was drafted out of North Carolina State early in the fourth round Saturday by the Bengals, and already there’s debate over his worthiness as an heir to Andy Dalton’s job. USA Today’s Nate Davis calls Finley “a lateral move from Dalton,” but colleague Lorenzo Reyes writes, “Finley’s accuracy and anticipation should give rookie coach Zac Taylor plenty to work with.” Finley, as a graduate of Boise State, will always be tied to the Broncos. But he doesn’t count as a Boise State quarterback being drafted into the NFL. Finley did what he had to do in departing the program in 2016, and things worked out well for him as an NC State guy.
LIONS WEARING BEARS JERSEYS
Former Borah High standout Rylan Bergersen has settled on Central Arkansas as his transfer destination after deciding to leave the BYU program. Bergersen will reunite with fellow ex-Lion DeAndre Jones, who he’s played with since they were kids. Jones, a point guard, just finished his sophomore year with the Bears, and it was a good one—with averages of 12.5 points and 4.9 assists. Bergersen, the son of Boise State Athletic Hall of Famer Roberto Bergersen, appeared in 50 games over two seasons for the Cougars and averaged 1.9 points per game.
STEELIES TRY TO STAY OFF THE ROPES
The Idaho Steelheads rallied from a three games-to-none deficit a year ago to win their first-round Kelly Cup Playoff series versus Allen a year ago. The Steelheads would prefer to not have to do that again as they’re down two games to Tulsa entering Game 3 of the ECHL Mountain Division finals tonight in Boise. Going into Game 1, it was all about Alex Dostie for the Oilers. Dostie had scored nine goals in the seven-game series against Kansas City, including a hat trick in the finale last Wednesday. He did tally in the opener against the Steelheads, but now it’s forward Adam Pleskach doing the damage for the Oilers. Pleskach scored twice in each of the first two games of this series and brings serious momentum into CenturyLink Arena.
WATCH KNIGHT WING IT OVER THE NEXT MONTH
Jake Knight is a conversation piece not just because he’s a former Boise State tight end. Knight’s going to have a shot at a Division II national championship in the discus next month. The Northwest Nazarene senior again broke his own school discus record and set the all-time GNAC record in the process with a mark of 183 feet while winning the event at the Border Clash at Dona Larsen Park last Friday. As a result, Knight won his third consecutive GNAC Male Field Athlete of the Week award on Monday.
This Day In Sports…April 30, 1990:
David Cone of the New York Mets forgets the basics of baseball and pays for it in a game against the Atlanta Braves. While arguing a call with umpire Charlie Williams at first base, ball still in glove, two runners scored to give the Braves a 4-1 lead. Cone didn’t ask for time out after Mark Lemke was called safe on what would have been a third-out grounder. Teammates desperately tried to get Cone’s attention while Dale Murphy and Ernie Whitt crossed the plate, and the Mets went on to lose, 7-4.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on 93.1 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
