South Carolina career sack leader Eric Norwood is a quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy given to college football’s defensive impact player of the year.

The Minnesota Vikings have signed fifth-round draft pick Jasper Brinkley. Brinkley is a linebacker from South Carolina. He received second-team All-SEC honors last year after recording 65 tackles with the Gamecocks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed on Tuesday.

Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Ken Tippins has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to cocaine possession. Alapaha Chief Assistant District Attorney Charles Stines says Tippins will serve four years followed by six years of probation. In exchange for the cocaine plea, a marijuana possession with intent to distribute charge was dropped.

NFL player Marquis Cooper’s wife is seeking a presumptive death certificate a week after the Coast Guard called off its search for the missing boater and two friends. Rebekah Cooper filed a petition for the certificate Wednesday in civil court in Florida.

NFL player Marquis Cooper’s wife is seeking a presumptive death certificate a week after the Coast Guard called off its search for the missing boater and two friends. Rebekah Cooper filed a petition for the certificate Wednesday in civil court in Florida.

The families of two NFL players and a third man sent adrift in chilly seas are trying to cope with the end of the official Coast Guard search. Crews combed thousands of square miles in the Gulf of Mexico before calling off their search for Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free-agent defensive lineman Corey Smith and former South Florida player William Bleakley.

In the waters off Florida, the race against time, and nature, continues. Three boaters, including two NFL players, are still missing after a weekend of fishing turned into a disaster at sea. A fourth man who was rescued say his companions were at least wearing life vests. ABC News’s Matt Gutman has more.

In the waters off Florida, the race against time, and nature, continues. Three boaters, including two NFL players, are still missing after a weekend of fishing turned into a disaster at sea. A fourth man who was rescued say his companions were at least wearing life vests. ABC News’s Matt Gutman has more.

The Coast Guard says a man who went missing during a fishing trip has been found clinging to an overturned boat that belongs to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.

The Coast Guard says a man who went missing during a fishing trip has been found clinging to an overturned boat that belongs to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.

Monday, families and friends of four boaters, including two NFL football players, are praying for their safe return. They went on a weekend fishing trip in Florida and haven’t been heard from since. ABC News’ Matt Gutman has more on the story.

Monday, families and friends of four boaters, including two NFL football players, are praying for their safe return. They went on a weekend fishing trip in Florida and haven’t been heard from since. ABC News’ Matt Gutman has more on the story.

A defense attorney says a charge that former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman punched a man at a northern Ohio water park is a case of mistaken identity.