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LGHL I-80 Football Show: Way-too-early 2025 Big Ten power rankings
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I-80 Football Show: Way-too-early 2025 Big Ten power rankings
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
In this episode, we power rank the Big Ten as we near the end of spring practice, but first we talk NBA Playoffs and the OSU media debacle.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
In this week’s traffic update, there is drama in the Ohio State media landscape as two well known reporters were fired for cause and alleged to have skimmed money off the top of sponsorship deals. It’s too early to pass judgment, but it’s not a good look for the Ohio State media sphere with rumors of taking money from players to be floating around.
In other news, we discuss the end of the college basketball season with UConn winning on the women’s side and Florida capturing the title on the men’s. Lastly, Lebron James becomes the first professional male athlete to get a Barbie doll as a part of the Kenbassador program.
The NBA is entering the final week of the season, and once again the Western Conference race is tight with multiple times within 1.5 games of each other. Despite the close race, Dante thinks the Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team from the West capable of winning a title over the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Denver Nuggets are firmly in the playoffs, but have fired head coach Mike Malone seemingly because he was too hard on the players. The timing of this move is concerning, but Jordan believes they fired him now so he doesn’t have a chance to keep his job with a deep playoff run.
With spring ball almost over and many programs hiding from the media and canceling spring games, we try to power rank the Big Ten without any real information. It’s a great exercise to think about the teams before the next transfer portal window.
Unsurprisingly we have the same teams in the bottom four: Maryland, Northwestern, Purdue, and UCLA. We also share the same top three teams with Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State, but in different orders. After winning a national championship, can Ryan Day lead the Buckeyes to a coveted win over Michigan and a Big Ten Title, or will Penn State capture the throne after bringing back a large group of seniors?
In their weekly pitstops, Jordan gives his review of the 1995 movie ‘Casino’ and Dante talks about his new tattoo. As he gets older, it gets harder and harder to sit for sessions longer than two hours.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. To keep up with the show, you can subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed, where new episodes drop every Thursday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
In this episode, we power rank the Big Ten as we near the end of spring practice, but first we talk NBA Playoffs and the OSU media debacle.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
In this week’s traffic update, there is drama in the Ohio State media landscape as two well known reporters were fired for cause and alleged to have skimmed money off the top of sponsorship deals. It’s too early to pass judgment, but it’s not a good look for the Ohio State media sphere with rumors of taking money from players to be floating around.
In other news, we discuss the end of the college basketball season with UConn winning on the women’s side and Florida capturing the title on the men’s. Lastly, Lebron James becomes the first professional male athlete to get a Barbie doll as a part of the Kenbassador program.
The NBA is entering the final week of the season, and once again the Western Conference race is tight with multiple times within 1.5 games of each other. Despite the close race, Dante thinks the Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team from the West capable of winning a title over the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Denver Nuggets are firmly in the playoffs, but have fired head coach Mike Malone seemingly because he was too hard on the players. The timing of this move is concerning, but Jordan believes they fired him now so he doesn’t have a chance to keep his job with a deep playoff run.
With spring ball almost over and many programs hiding from the media and canceling spring games, we try to power rank the Big Ten without any real information. It’s a great exercise to think about the teams before the next transfer portal window.
Unsurprisingly we have the same teams in the bottom four: Maryland, Northwestern, Purdue, and UCLA. We also share the same top three teams with Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State, but in different orders. After winning a national championship, can Ryan Day lead the Buckeyes to a coveted win over Michigan and a Big Ten Title, or will Penn State capture the throne after bringing back a large group of seniors?
In their weekly pitstops, Jordan gives his review of the 1995 movie ‘Casino’ and Dante talks about his new tattoo. As he gets older, it gets harder and harder to sit for sessions longer than two hours.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. To keep up with the show, you can subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed, where new episodes drop every Thursday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State building momentum with a top 2026 running back, have multiple big visitors on tap
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Ohio State building momentum with a top 2026 running back, have multiple big visitors on tap
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes have a ton going on this week, presenting a major recruiting opportunity to close the spring football season.
This week Ohio State had the pleasure of hosting Georgia native four-star running back target, Carsyn Baker. Placing the Buckeyes in his final top five schools list just last week, quickly momentum has given Ohio State the lead in this recruitment following this latest unofficial visit, with several signs of confirmation coming on Wednesday that the Buckeyes sit in the pole position.
Steve Wilftong of On3 submitted his prediction for Ohio State to in fact land Baker when all is said and done. Giving the nod to these pro-OSU updates, Baker took to social media himself to share some recent photos of he and position coach Carlos Locklyn, which doesn’t exactly dismiss the notion that the Buckeyes are the team to beat.
The goal in the 2026 class has always been to take two running backs in the cycle, and if Baker wants in, the Buckeyes will welcome him with open arms. A second back will continue to be a priority, but getting one in the fold sooner rather than later looks to be trending in a positive direction.
The No. 175 player nationally and 14th best running back in the class per the 247Sports Composite, Baker is really feeling the Buckeyes, and that’s exactly where Ohio State’s staff wants to be as they work for his commitment.
Always a major recruiting opportunity, the spring game brings elite talent to campus and this year is no different. All spring long Ohio State’s staff has played host to talent from all over the country, and this weekend looks to be the cap to what has been a very impactful last several weeks for the 2026 class and beyond.
One of the premier visitors to be in town on Saturday, as Ohio State will welcome Georgia linebacker Tyler Atkinson for a massive recruiting opportunity. The No. 7 player nationally and top linebacker per the 247Sports Composite, Ohio State and every other program for that matter are doing what they can to land the five-star talent.
You can guarantee position coach James Laurinaitis and the rest of the staff will roll out the scarlet carpet during his stay.
In addition to Atkinson, the Buckeyes will also host Florida running back Derrek Cooper this weekend. The No. 36 player nationally and second best athlete per the 247Sports Composite, Cooper has made his rounds this spring to his top schools, and now it’s Ohio State’s turn to impress the Chaminade-Madonna product.
The same prep program to produce current Buckeye phenom Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes are in a very solid position recruiting the school and will be for the foreseeable future. Hoping to keep the pipeline open, Ohio State sits in a solid position for multiple running backs in the current class, but will have a hard time saying no to any of these top targets.
Last but certainly not least, recent commit Blaine Bradford will also make a trek to Columbus this weekend to see his future home. Further proof that his commitment is as solid as the “shut down” statements are saying, the best part of having Bradford back this soon after his pledge is he can now put on the peer recruiter hat and be in the ears of the rest of these top 2026 targets also in town.
The No. 23 player nationally and top safety per the 247Sports Composite, Bradford’s words carry some weight to them, and if he’s doing what he can to pitch the Buckeyes to many of the top national players, that’s exactly what the coaching staff will want him to do as a leader of this cycle.
It’s going to be a massive weekend for the Buckeyes, and while plenty of attention will be given to the current roster showing off the next wave of talent, recruiting is right there atop of the priorities for Saturday and beyond.
Much of the attention and headlines this week are going to the visitors that have been and will be flocking to Columbus this week, but the coaching staff is still finding time to evaluate new names. On Wednesday, the latest offer came by way of the 2027 class when North Carolina native Akedran Crumel shared via his social media that the Buckeyes were the latest program to enter his recruitment.
A 6-foot-1, 170 pound cornerback prospect, Crumel is currently unranked via his 247Sports profile, but does have nearly 20 offers to his name. Programs such as Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, South Carolina, USC, and others have taken notice, but Ohio State entering the mix should only help to turn more heads his way.
With the track record of success the Buckeyes have at the cornerback position and the incredible run Tim Walton is on running his position room, any offer that goes out to a cornerback means the kid can flat out play. One of the bigger programs now taking notice, Ohio State will have ample opportunity to build a relationship for the long haul.
As mentioned, the Buckeyes are looking to take two at the position in the current cycle, and should momentum continue with Baker, Akih shouldn’t take much more time.
Maybe one of the more important aspects to this visit, Ojo took to his social media to share that his original plans of visiting Notre Dame today were canceled, and now Ohio State will have him for an increased amount of time. Momentum is building, but more work is needed for the Buckeyes to win out this recruitment.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes have a ton going on this week, presenting a major recruiting opportunity to close the spring football season.
This week Ohio State had the pleasure of hosting Georgia native four-star running back target, Carsyn Baker. Placing the Buckeyes in his final top five schools list just last week, quickly momentum has given Ohio State the lead in this recruitment following this latest unofficial visit, with several signs of confirmation coming on Wednesday that the Buckeyes sit in the pole position.
Steve Wilftong of On3 submitted his prediction for Ohio State to in fact land Baker when all is said and done. Giving the nod to these pro-OSU updates, Baker took to social media himself to share some recent photos of he and position coach Carlos Locklyn, which doesn’t exactly dismiss the notion that the Buckeyes are the team to beat.
The goal in the 2026 class has always been to take two running backs in the cycle, and if Baker wants in, the Buckeyes will welcome him with open arms. A second back will continue to be a priority, but getting one in the fold sooner rather than later looks to be trending in a positive direction.
The No. 175 player nationally and 14th best running back in the class per the 247Sports Composite, Baker is really feeling the Buckeyes, and that’s exactly where Ohio State’s staff wants to be as they work for his commitment.
Major 2026 targets set to see Ohio State
Always a major recruiting opportunity, the spring game brings elite talent to campus and this year is no different. All spring long Ohio State’s staff has played host to talent from all over the country, and this weekend looks to be the cap to what has been a very impactful last several weeks for the 2026 class and beyond.
One of the premier visitors to be in town on Saturday, as Ohio State will welcome Georgia linebacker Tyler Atkinson for a massive recruiting opportunity. The No. 7 player nationally and top linebacker per the 247Sports Composite, Ohio State and every other program for that matter are doing what they can to land the five-star talent.
You can guarantee position coach James Laurinaitis and the rest of the staff will roll out the scarlet carpet during his stay.
In addition to Atkinson, the Buckeyes will also host Florida running back Derrek Cooper this weekend. The No. 36 player nationally and second best athlete per the 247Sports Composite, Cooper has made his rounds this spring to his top schools, and now it’s Ohio State’s turn to impress the Chaminade-Madonna product.
The same prep program to produce current Buckeye phenom Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes are in a very solid position recruiting the school and will be for the foreseeable future. Hoping to keep the pipeline open, Ohio State sits in a solid position for multiple running backs in the current class, but will have a hard time saying no to any of these top targets.
Last but certainly not least, recent commit Blaine Bradford will also make a trek to Columbus this weekend to see his future home. Further proof that his commitment is as solid as the “shut down” statements are saying, the best part of having Bradford back this soon after his pledge is he can now put on the peer recruiter hat and be in the ears of the rest of these top 2026 targets also in town.
The No. 23 player nationally and top safety per the 247Sports Composite, Bradford’s words carry some weight to them, and if he’s doing what he can to pitch the Buckeyes to many of the top national players, that’s exactly what the coaching staff will want him to do as a leader of this cycle.
It’s going to be a massive weekend for the Buckeyes, and while plenty of attention will be given to the current roster showing off the next wave of talent, recruiting is right there atop of the priorities for Saturday and beyond.
2027 cornerback lands Ohio State offer
Much of the attention and headlines this week are going to the visitors that have been and will be flocking to Columbus this week, but the coaching staff is still finding time to evaluate new names. On Wednesday, the latest offer came by way of the 2027 class when North Carolina native Akedran Crumel shared via his social media that the Buckeyes were the latest program to enter his recruitment.
A 6-foot-1, 170 pound cornerback prospect, Crumel is currently unranked via his 247Sports profile, but does have nearly 20 offers to his name. Programs such as Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, South Carolina, USC, and others have taken notice, but Ohio State entering the mix should only help to turn more heads his way.
With the track record of success the Buckeyes have at the cornerback position and the incredible run Tim Walton is on running his position room, any offer that goes out to a cornerback means the kid can flat out play. One of the bigger programs now taking notice, Ohio State will have ample opportunity to build a relationship for the long haul.
Quick Hits
- Sticking with the running back theme, frequent visitor and in-state target Favour Akih (Delaware, Ohio/Rutherford B Hayes) will once again make another trip to Ohio State this weekend for the spring game. The No. 206 player nationally and 15th best running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, this is the fourth visit this spring alone for Akih.
As mentioned, the Buckeyes are looking to take two at the position in the current cycle, and should momentum continue with Baker, Akih shouldn’t take much more time.
Buckeye Nation I will be at THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY April 12th for their spring game! GO BUCKS @Montgomery_DHHS @Birm @mickdwalker pic.twitter.com/X3SA9oaMBz
— Favour Akih 4️ (@FavourAkih) April 9, 2025
- Set to arrive on campus today, offensive line target Felix Ojo will begin his two-day trip with the Buckeyes. The No. 25 player nationally and fourth best offensive tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Ojo is a major priority for Bowen and Ohio State. These next two days will be used for nothing more than to show him how much he would mean to this 2026 class.
Maybe one of the more important aspects to this visit, Ojo took to his social media to share that his original plans of visiting Notre Dame today were canceled, and now Ohio State will have him for an increased amount of time. Momentum is building, but more work is needed for the Buckeyes to win out this recruitment.
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LGHL Who is Buckeye Nation’s favorite top-10 NFL Draft pick?
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Who is Buckeye Nation’s favorite top-10 NFL Draft pick?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33, or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
It’s April, so while spring practice is still going on, our minds are wandering to other football-related topics. With the NFL Draft coming up in a few weeks and us still riding high from the national championship, we are feeling a bit nostalgic, so in our most recent fan survey, we asked Buckeye Nation about some of their favorites from years gone by.
Check out the results below and if your favorite was grossly overlooked, head to the comments at the bottom of the article and let us know.
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You could look at these results and assume that there was some sort of recency bias going on with this one, but I think that there is a lot of validity either way. For years, Ohio State fans have heard about how Buckeye quarterbacks couldn’t succeed at the NFL level. And even though that had mostly been empirically true, it still sucked.
Now, not only is C.J. Stroud the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but he has led his team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, winning a game in each trip.
So, while there are plenty of other incredibly deserving candidates in this category, the fact that C.J. was such an incredibly beloved Buckeye and is now breaking stereotypes in the pros makes him a well-deserving winner.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25945686/OhioState_2_40125.png)
Look, I am always going to be partial to Jim Tressel’s national championship, because that was my senior year in college, so of course it has special meaning. For Christmas that year, my parents got me a ticket to the Fiesta Bowl, so I was there to see the Buckeyes beat Miami, and it remains one of the high points of my life.
As I said before, recency bias is real, so this past season’s title being at No. 2 makes sense, but that ‘02 title was so special, because you basically had to go undefeated back in those days, and the Buckeyes won half of their 14 games by a single score, including the last four games of their season.
Every game felt like it was being played on a knife’s edge, and OSU felt like an underdog in a lot of those games (even some of which they were favored in), so for it to end in a BCS title — AND I WAS THERE — is still kind of wild to me. So, for me, that will always be No. 1!
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33, or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
It’s April, so while spring practice is still going on, our minds are wandering to other football-related topics. With the NFL Draft coming up in a few weeks and us still riding high from the national championship, we are feeling a bit nostalgic, so in our most recent fan survey, we asked Buckeye Nation about some of their favorites from years gone by.
Check out the results below and if your favorite was grossly overlooked, head to the comments at the bottom of the article and let us know.
Question 1: Who is your favorite 21st-century Ohio State top-10 NFL Draft pick?
You could look at these results and assume that there was some sort of recency bias going on with this one, but I think that there is a lot of validity either way. For years, Ohio State fans have heard about how Buckeye quarterbacks couldn’t succeed at the NFL level. And even though that had mostly been empirically true, it still sucked.
Now, not only is C.J. Stroud the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but he has led his team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, winning a game in each trip.
So, while there are plenty of other incredibly deserving candidates in this category, the fact that C.J. was such an incredibly beloved Buckeye and is now breaking stereotypes in the pros makes him a well-deserving winner.
Question 2: What is your favorite Ohio State national championship team?
Look, I am always going to be partial to Jim Tressel’s national championship, because that was my senior year in college, so of course it has special meaning. For Christmas that year, my parents got me a ticket to the Fiesta Bowl, so I was there to see the Buckeyes beat Miami, and it remains one of the high points of my life.
As I said before, recency bias is real, so this past season’s title being at No. 2 makes sense, but that ‘02 title was so special, because you basically had to go undefeated back in those days, and the Buckeyes won half of their 14 games by a single score, including the last four games of their season.
Every game felt like it was being played on a knife’s edge, and OSU felt like an underdog in a lot of those games (even some of which they were favored in), so for it to end in a BCS title — AND I WAS THERE — is still kind of wild to me. So, for me, that will always be No. 1!
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
2027 NC CB Akedran Crumel (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: CB
School: Clayton(NC) Clayton
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 170lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: CB
School: Clayton(NC) Clayton
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 170lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Fun landing spots for some of Ohio State’s NFL Draft prospects
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Fun landing spots for some of Ohio State’s NFL Draft prospects
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images
These aren’t necessarily the best landing spots for some Buckeyes heading to the NFL, but they certainly would be entertaining.
Now that the college basketball season has wrapped up, attention for a lot of sports fans will now turn toward the NFL Draft, which will be held in Green Bay in a few weeks. Over three days in Wisconsin, college football players eligible for the NFL Draft will find out where their professional careers will begin.
Since everyone watching is a certified draft analyst, we’ll know immediately which picks are going to be home runs, and which picks are going to be busts.
Ohio State will hear plenty of players from this year’s team selected over the seven rounds of the draft later this month. With so many players in this year’s draft class, there are plenty of picks that will make sense because they fill an immediate need, or they are a perfect fit for what a team is trying to build. I’m not going to go quite that deep today. Instead, I’m going to try and have a little fun with some player/team matchups.
What I have been looking for when it comes to some of what I came up with today is fun fits because maybe a player is from close and been a fan. Or it could be a situation where (x team) always seems to draft a Buckeye who ends up hurting <rival team>.
Who knows, my criteria isn’t all that strict so maybe I just feel like there are certain players who work with some teams better for marketing opportunities. In the end, I’m just trying to have a few laughs before we all get back to our super serious mock drafts.
Defensive backs in the NFC West would be on notice if the Ohio State wide receiver could join up with former teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle. The Seahawks certainly will be looking for some depth at receiver after both D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett won’t return to the team in 2025. Just look at what new Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold did with receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison last season. Smith-Njigba and Egbuka would have a similar feel.
Another reason why Egbuka to the Seahawks makes a lot of sense is because Egbuka is from the state of Washington. Who knows just exactly how competitive Seattle is going to be when it comes to contending for the playoffs since they’ll have a new quarterback in a NFC West division that is going through a lot of change.
You could tell me the Seahawks could either win the division or finish last and I would think there is equal chance of either happening. No matter how the team plays, at least they’ll have a local product that could turn into a star with the team.
A lot of people won’t be happy with this, but it feels like TreVeyon Henderson and the Dallas Cowboys are a perfect fit. The Cowboys didn’t have much of a rushing threat last year after Tony Pollard moved on to Tennessee, and it’s obvious Ezekiel Elliott’s best years in the NFL are behind him.
Dallas has invested a lot of money in Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, so they’ll have to fill some holes with cheaper options. Running back is one of those areas where rookies can step in and have an immediate impact since shelf life at the position is so short.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25945380/2193344445.jpg "Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic - Ohio State v Texas")
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
Jerry Jones probably had a perfect seat at the Cotton Bowl in January to watch TreVeyon Henderson break a 75-yard touchdown right before halftime. I could just imagine Jones telling anyone he employs that is working on the draft that Henderson needs to be at the top of the team’s board because of his ability to break big plays. If we are being honest, Dallas drafting Henderson would be one of the best picks the team has made in years.
New Orleans and Alvin Kamara can’t have too much time left together. If the Saints were looking to find a back to replace Kamara, a good option would be Quinshon Judkins. The Saints have been a mess over the last few years, but things are looking up with the hiring of new head coach Kellen Moore.
Not saying Judkins is Saquon Barkley, but Moore could try and use Judkins like a Barkley-type back if the Saints were to draft the Buckeye running back.
When one Buckeye retires, another Buckeye replaces him. Recently Sam Hubbard announced he is retiring. What better way to pay tribute to Hubbard than to draft another Ohio State defensive end to take his roster spot? Hubbard had a legendary fumble recovery in a big game with the Bengals, just like Sawyer had a touchdown late in a game that Buckeye fans won’t forget about any time soon.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25945378/2193350984.jpg "Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic - Ohio State v Texas")
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
It’s not just the Hubbard connection that I think Sawyer would be a perfect fit in Cincinnati. The Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson obviously are having issues with a contract extension, so Cincinnati needs to have a contingency plan in place if the sides aren’t able to agree on a deal. Drafting Sawyer would give the Pickerington native time to get his feet under him at the NFL before possibly stepping into Hendrickson’s role next year.
Will Howard - Cleveland Browns (should)
By no means am I saying the Cleveland Browns should take Will Howard with the second overall pick. Early in the second round might still be a little too early for Howard. Maybe later in the second round or definitely in the third round. Cleveland just needs bodies at quarterback, so even if they took a quarterback at the top of the first round, go ahead and take another as a backup since the Browns have to deal with the insanely awful contract they gave to Deshaun Watson.
What is more likely to happen is the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft Howard and he’ll go on to dominate Cleveland for at least a decade. A pairing with the Steelers makes even more sense because Howard was actually born in Pennsylvania and grew up dreaming about going to Penn State. After Howard became a hero in just one year in Ohio, it would be fitting if he turned into an enemy because he was drafted by the Steelers and went on to burn the Browns annually.
It became obvious in the Super Bowl that Patrick Mahomes needs Kansas City to update his offensive line if the Chiefs want to have any chance at continuing to regularly appear in Super Bowls. Josh Simmons would make a tremendous addition to the Kansas City offensive line.
Just imagine how lucky Simmons would be going from playing on an offensive line that eventually went on to win a national title, then getting drafted to play on Patrick Mahomes’ offensive line. After dealing with suffering a knee injury midway through the 2024 season, Simmons deserves that kind of luck.
Since I’m already sending Emeka Egbuka to Seattle, I can’t also send J.T. Tuimoloau to the Seahawks. Instead, I actually think Tuimoloau would be a better fit in Las Vegas. Just imagine a Raiders defensive line with Maxx Crosby on one side, while Tuimoloau lines up on the other.
In a way it’s like at Ohio State except instead of Sawyer you have a perennial NFL All-Pro. Don’t lie, you know Tuimoloau would look good in the silver and black.
New Patriots head coach is going to draft Cody Simon because he can’t stop thinking of John Simon when he hears there is a Buckeye with the last name Simon. The more people think about it, the more the move makes sense. Cody Simon will probably end up playing for 10 years with the Patriots and winning a Super Bowl or two just because Vrabel kept it simple since he knows you can never go wrong drafting a Buckeye.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images
These aren’t necessarily the best landing spots for some Buckeyes heading to the NFL, but they certainly would be entertaining.
Now that the college basketball season has wrapped up, attention for a lot of sports fans will now turn toward the NFL Draft, which will be held in Green Bay in a few weeks. Over three days in Wisconsin, college football players eligible for the NFL Draft will find out where their professional careers will begin.
Since everyone watching is a certified draft analyst, we’ll know immediately which picks are going to be home runs, and which picks are going to be busts.
Ohio State will hear plenty of players from this year’s team selected over the seven rounds of the draft later this month. With so many players in this year’s draft class, there are plenty of picks that will make sense because they fill an immediate need, or they are a perfect fit for what a team is trying to build. I’m not going to go quite that deep today. Instead, I’m going to try and have a little fun with some player/team matchups.
What I have been looking for when it comes to some of what I came up with today is fun fits because maybe a player is from close and been a fan. Or it could be a situation where (x team) always seems to draft a Buckeye who ends up hurting <rival team>.
Who knows, my criteria isn’t all that strict so maybe I just feel like there are certain players who work with some teams better for marketing opportunities. In the end, I’m just trying to have a few laughs before we all get back to our super serious mock drafts.
Emeka Egbuka - Seattle Seahawks
Defensive backs in the NFC West would be on notice if the Ohio State wide receiver could join up with former teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle. The Seahawks certainly will be looking for some depth at receiver after both D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett won’t return to the team in 2025. Just look at what new Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold did with receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison last season. Smith-Njigba and Egbuka would have a similar feel.
Another reason why Egbuka to the Seahawks makes a lot of sense is because Egbuka is from the state of Washington. Who knows just exactly how competitive Seattle is going to be when it comes to contending for the playoffs since they’ll have a new quarterback in a NFC West division that is going through a lot of change.
You could tell me the Seahawks could either win the division or finish last and I would think there is equal chance of either happening. No matter how the team plays, at least they’ll have a local product that could turn into a star with the team.
TreVeyon Henderson - Dallas Cowboys
A lot of people won’t be happy with this, but it feels like TreVeyon Henderson and the Dallas Cowboys are a perfect fit. The Cowboys didn’t have much of a rushing threat last year after Tony Pollard moved on to Tennessee, and it’s obvious Ezekiel Elliott’s best years in the NFL are behind him.
Dallas has invested a lot of money in Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, so they’ll have to fill some holes with cheaper options. Running back is one of those areas where rookies can step in and have an immediate impact since shelf life at the position is so short.
Jerry Jones probably had a perfect seat at the Cotton Bowl in January to watch TreVeyon Henderson break a 75-yard touchdown right before halftime. I could just imagine Jones telling anyone he employs that is working on the draft that Henderson needs to be at the top of the team’s board because of his ability to break big plays. If we are being honest, Dallas drafting Henderson would be one of the best picks the team has made in years.
Quinshon Judkins - New Orleans Saints
New Orleans and Alvin Kamara can’t have too much time left together. If the Saints were looking to find a back to replace Kamara, a good option would be Quinshon Judkins. The Saints have been a mess over the last few years, but things are looking up with the hiring of new head coach Kellen Moore.
Not saying Judkins is Saquon Barkley, but Moore could try and use Judkins like a Barkley-type back if the Saints were to draft the Buckeye running back.
Jack Sawyer - Cincinnati Bengals
When one Buckeye retires, another Buckeye replaces him. Recently Sam Hubbard announced he is retiring. What better way to pay tribute to Hubbard than to draft another Ohio State defensive end to take his roster spot? Hubbard had a legendary fumble recovery in a big game with the Bengals, just like Sawyer had a touchdown late in a game that Buckeye fans won’t forget about any time soon.
It’s not just the Hubbard connection that I think Sawyer would be a perfect fit in Cincinnati. The Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson obviously are having issues with a contract extension, so Cincinnati needs to have a contingency plan in place if the sides aren’t able to agree on a deal. Drafting Sawyer would give the Pickerington native time to get his feet under him at the NFL before possibly stepping into Hendrickson’s role next year.
Will Howard - Cleveland Browns (should)
Will Howard - Pittsburgh Steelers (more realistic)
By no means am I saying the Cleveland Browns should take Will Howard with the second overall pick. Early in the second round might still be a little too early for Howard. Maybe later in the second round or definitely in the third round. Cleveland just needs bodies at quarterback, so even if they took a quarterback at the top of the first round, go ahead and take another as a backup since the Browns have to deal with the insanely awful contract they gave to Deshaun Watson.
What is more likely to happen is the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft Howard and he’ll go on to dominate Cleveland for at least a decade. A pairing with the Steelers makes even more sense because Howard was actually born in Pennsylvania and grew up dreaming about going to Penn State. After Howard became a hero in just one year in Ohio, it would be fitting if he turned into an enemy because he was drafted by the Steelers and went on to burn the Browns annually.
Josh Simmons - Kansas City Chiefs
It became obvious in the Super Bowl that Patrick Mahomes needs Kansas City to update his offensive line if the Chiefs want to have any chance at continuing to regularly appear in Super Bowls. Josh Simmons would make a tremendous addition to the Kansas City offensive line.
Just imagine how lucky Simmons would be going from playing on an offensive line that eventually went on to win a national title, then getting drafted to play on Patrick Mahomes’ offensive line. After dealing with suffering a knee injury midway through the 2024 season, Simmons deserves that kind of luck.
J.T. Tuimoloau - Las Vegas Raiders
Since I’m already sending Emeka Egbuka to Seattle, I can’t also send J.T. Tuimoloau to the Seahawks. Instead, I actually think Tuimoloau would be a better fit in Las Vegas. Just imagine a Raiders defensive line with Maxx Crosby on one side, while Tuimoloau lines up on the other.
In a way it’s like at Ohio State except instead of Sawyer you have a perennial NFL All-Pro. Don’t lie, you know Tuimoloau would look good in the silver and black.
Cody Simon - New England Patriots
New Patriots head coach is going to draft Cody Simon because he can’t stop thinking of John Simon when he hears there is a Buckeye with the last name Simon. The more people think about it, the more the move makes sense. Cody Simon will probably end up playing for 10 years with the Patriots and winning a Super Bowl or two just because Vrabel kept it simple since he knows you can never go wrong drafting a Buckeye.
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