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LGHL LGHL’s sure-fire, bet-your-bottom-dollar Ohio State 2023 NFL Draft first round predictions
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LGHL’s sure-fire, bet-your-bottom-dollar Ohio State 2023 NFL Draft first round predictions
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images
Yeah, I wouldn’t actually bet your bottom dollar on this.
FINALLY! The 2023 NFL Draft starts tonight on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network, meaning that the crazy season that we have to suffer through every year in which sports media members and NFL “insiders” just start making shit up and losing all semblance of sanity is finally coming to an end.
Personally, I think there is waaaaaaaaay too long between the end of the season and the draft. As I said on Twitter earlier this week, the NFL should really move the draft to the first weekend after the end of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. It would only save us a few weeks, but those few weeks are often the most painful ones to get through when it comes to the draft #discourse.
So, since it is finally time for teams to be on the clock, I am making my final, absolutely accurate, no chance these could be wrong predictions as to which Buckeyes will end up being first-round selections and where they will end up going.
The conversation around C.J. Stroud’s draft stock has been absolutely stupid, and earlier this week, I wrote about how tired of it I am, especially coming just two years after the equally stupid discussion around Justin Fields.
Whether its the fact that there’s too much time between the Super Bowl and the draft leading to media members needing to come up with increasingly bonkers hot takes; or all of the insiders and scouts needing to go off the board in order to prove how smart they are; or dumb people just generally talking out of their asses because that’s what dumb people do, the talk of cognitive tests, the history of Ohio State quarterbacks, and Stroud as a leader has been maddening.
But, if there’s anybody who knows just how special the Buckeye quarterback is, it is a former Buckeye. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Mike Vrabel would trade up to get Stroud. While Ryan Tannahill has been a solid starter, he’s not a star and he’s not the future; Stroud is both. Whether the Titans would keep the veteran or trade him away is to be seen, but Stroud in Nashville would be a really good fit.
There have been reports that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray loves Paris Johnson Jr., I mean, what quarterback wouldn’t? So, in trading the No. 3 pick for Tennesse’s 11th pick, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cards were hoping PJJ would still be available. However, that will not come to pass as another QB who knows how to use his legs will get the benefit of the future All-Pro tackle.
Keeping with the theme of Buckeyes appreciating Buckeyes, Justin Fields needs a competent left tackle and there is none better in this draft than PJJ. If the Bears actually want to compete anytime soon, they need to protect Fields so that he can actually have a pocket to pass out of and doesn’t need to make scrambling the primary focus of the offense.
If Arizona doesn’t end up trading, I could see them taking Johnson at No. 3, but they need a lot of players, so trading down and getting extra picks makes sense.
The Packers did not select a wide receiver in the first round during the entire time that Aaron Rodgers was the team’s starting quarterback, so it would be absolutely hilarious if they took JSN just days after shipping A-Aron to the Jets.
It will be even more hysterical when Smith-Njigba ends up winning the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award with Jordan Love throwing the ball to him.
I know that things have not been trending in the right direction for the gargantuan offensive lineman, but the Bengals need a right tackle and being from Indiana and playing for Ohio State, Dawand is essentially a hometown kid, so who better to protect Buckeye Joe?
It is very possible that Dawand slides into the second (or even third) round, but he has proven that he is a first-round talent. I know that the rumors and rumblings about his commitment have been increasing toward the end of the draft process, but anytime I hear a bunch of negative comments in the last few days before the draft, I assume that is at least hyperbolic and at worst out-right lies, both designed to serve as a smokescreen to disguise teams’ interest in a player. So, I still think there’s a pretty decent shot that this mountain of a man gets picked tonight, and what better place than down I-71?
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
Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images
Yeah, I wouldn’t actually bet your bottom dollar on this.
FINALLY! The 2023 NFL Draft starts tonight on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network, meaning that the crazy season that we have to suffer through every year in which sports media members and NFL “insiders” just start making shit up and losing all semblance of sanity is finally coming to an end.
Personally, I think there is waaaaaaaaay too long between the end of the season and the draft. As I said on Twitter earlier this week, the NFL should really move the draft to the first weekend after the end of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. It would only save us a few weeks, but those few weeks are often the most painful ones to get through when it comes to the draft #discourse.
So, since it is finally time for teams to be on the clock, I am making my final, absolutely accurate, no chance these could be wrong predictions as to which Buckeyes will end up being first-round selections and where they will end up going.
First Round, No. 3: C.J. Stroud | Tennessee Titans (trade with Arizona)
The conversation around C.J. Stroud’s draft stock has been absolutely stupid, and earlier this week, I wrote about how tired of it I am, especially coming just two years after the equally stupid discussion around Justin Fields.
Whether its the fact that there’s too much time between the Super Bowl and the draft leading to media members needing to come up with increasingly bonkers hot takes; or all of the insiders and scouts needing to go off the board in order to prove how smart they are; or dumb people just generally talking out of their asses because that’s what dumb people do, the talk of cognitive tests, the history of Ohio State quarterbacks, and Stroud as a leader has been maddening.
But, if there’s anybody who knows just how special the Buckeye quarterback is, it is a former Buckeye. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Mike Vrabel would trade up to get Stroud. While Ryan Tannahill has been a solid starter, he’s not a star and he’s not the future; Stroud is both. Whether the Titans would keep the veteran or trade him away is to be seen, but Stroud in Nashville would be a really good fit.
First Round, No. 9: Paris Johnson Jr. | Chicago Bears
There have been reports that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray loves Paris Johnson Jr., I mean, what quarterback wouldn’t? So, in trading the No. 3 pick for Tennesse’s 11th pick, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cards were hoping PJJ would still be available. However, that will not come to pass as another QB who knows how to use his legs will get the benefit of the future All-Pro tackle.
Keeping with the theme of Buckeyes appreciating Buckeyes, Justin Fields needs a competent left tackle and there is none better in this draft than PJJ. If the Bears actually want to compete anytime soon, they need to protect Fields so that he can actually have a pocket to pass out of and doesn’t need to make scrambling the primary focus of the offense.
If Arizona doesn’t end up trading, I could see them taking Johnson at No. 3, but they need a lot of players, so trading down and getting extra picks makes sense.
First Round, No. 13: Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Green Bay Packers
The Packers did not select a wide receiver in the first round during the entire time that Aaron Rodgers was the team’s starting quarterback, so it would be absolutely hilarious if they took JSN just days after shipping A-Aron to the Jets.
It will be even more hysterical when Smith-Njigba ends up winning the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award with Jordan Love throwing the ball to him.
First Round, No. 28: Dawand Jones | Cincinnati Bengals
I know that things have not been trending in the right direction for the gargantuan offensive lineman, but the Bengals need a right tackle and being from Indiana and playing for Ohio State, Dawand is essentially a hometown kid, so who better to protect Buckeye Joe?
It is very possible that Dawand slides into the second (or even third) round, but he has proven that he is a first-round talent. I know that the rumors and rumblings about his commitment have been increasing toward the end of the draft process, but anytime I hear a bunch of negative comments in the last few days before the draft, I assume that is at least hyperbolic and at worst out-right lies, both designed to serve as a smokescreen to disguise teams’ interest in a player. So, I still think there’s a pretty decent shot that this mountain of a man gets picked tonight, and what better place than down I-71?
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LGHL Five Ohio State and Big Ten predictions for the 2023 NFL Draft
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Five Ohio State and Big Ten predictions for the 2023 NFL Draft
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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
The first round kicks off tonight from Kansas City, where there should be three Buckeyes taken early.
The 2023 NFL Draft kicks off tonight in Kansas City, with the first round taking place this evening, rounds two and three tomorrow, and rounds four through seven on Saturday. Over the next three days, numerous Buckeyes will find out where their NFL careers will begin. Heading into this year’s draft there are a number of juicy storylines involving former Ohio State players, which will help to shape how the first round and beyond will play out.
Since the landing spots for this year’s crop of former Buckeyes are all over the map, I figured it would be fun to try and predict how things will play out in the draft. With the introduction of sports gambling in Ohio, now there are some NFL Draft props, so maybe these predictions can even help you win a little coin.
Just as a warning, I have no inside information, these are just my predictions as someone that watches a lot of football.
It seems pretty obvious that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is going to be taken with the first pick by the Carolina Panthers. For a while this offseason C.J. Stroud was the favorite to be the first quarterback taken, but lately there has been chatter that Will Levis would be the next quarterback taken after Young. Anthony Richardson is also in the mix to be taken in the top-10 in this year’s draft.
Stroud has been hurt lately by an alleged cognitive test score, as well as questions about his maturity. Even with everything recently, Stroud is still the best option after Young in this year’s draft, and honestly might even be a better option than the Alabama quarterback. Stroud is a better option than Levis or Richardson if NFL teams want to win sooner rather than later.
One perception that Stroud is fighting is Ohio State quarterbacks haven’t done anything in the NFL. While there is truth to that, Justin Fields played well last year on a bad Chicago Bears team. If Stroud is going to get dinged for playing quarterback at Ohio State, then teams should have some trepidation about drafted Levis after the failures of quarterbacks like Zach Wilson, Jake Locker, and a number of other similar sized quarterbacks that weren’t as talented but pumped up by the media.
In the end, I think Stroud ends up with the Indianapolis Colts. After Young is taken by the Panthers, Houston ends up taking either Will Anderson or Tyree Wilson, followed by Arizona taking whichever of those two defensive ends is still on the board. In the AFC South that has a lot of questions after the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts establish themselves as the clear second-best team in the division.
Over the last couple days there has been a lot of smoke about Paris Johnson Jr.’s stock rising and the offensive tackle being taken by the Arizona Cardinals with the third pick in the draft. Even though Johnson will be a tremendous pick for an Arizona team that needs to find a way to protect Kyler Murray, who suffered a torn ACL last season, I think the Cardinals either take a defensive end or trade the pick.
There are two spots I think are more in play for Johnson early in the first round. Who I’d love to see pick Johnson is the Chicago Bears. Buckeye Nation would have a new favorite team if the Bears added Johnson to protect quarterback Justin Fields. If Chicago doesn’t pick Johnson, the Tennessee Titans should be interested in the Ohio State offensive tackle, especially after they parted ways with Taylor Lewan. I’m sure Mike Vrabel would love to add another Buckeye to the roster in Nashville.
Just to be clear, I think Smith-Njigba is the best receiver in this year’s draft. Just because I think the Ohio State receiver is the top prospect at the position in this year’s draft, it doesn’t mean teams around the NFL think so. For some reason I keep thinking that a team is going to pull off a bit of a shocker and opt to pick Boston College receiver Zay Flowers over Smith-Njigba.
If a team picks Flowers ahead of Smith-Njigba, they’ll still be getting a very good wide receiver. In the long run, Smith-Njigba is likely going to have the better professional career, though. The Buckeye receiver was hurt because he was barely able to get on the field this year with injuries, which brought up questions about his toughness and desire to play the game. Ohio State fans know this is a bunch of bologna, but NFL teams could let this factor into their decision-making process if they are looking at picking a wide receiver.
Smith-Njigba is a favorite to go to the Packers with pick 13 in the first round. Even though Green Bay sounds interested in Smith-Njigba, we all have seen over the years how reluctant the Packers are to bring in skill position players in the draft. It would be ironic if as soon as Green Bay traded Aaron Rodgers then they start to bring in some skill position talent with their first round pick.
It feels like almost a certainty that eight players from Big Ten schools will be selected in the first round of the draft. Stroud, Johnson, and Smith-Njigba should all be taken within the first 15 picks of the draft. Along with the trio of Buckeyes, Devon Witherspoon of Illinois, Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, and Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. will likely come off the board in or around the first half of the first round. Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness and cornerback Deonte Banks from Maryland look to be the other consensus first round picks this year.
So how does the Big Ten get past eight picks in the first round this year? I feel like a team could take Mazi Smith of Michigan even though the defensive end dealt with some legal trouble in Ann Arbor that Jim Harbaugh refused to do anything about. Another popular name at the end of the first round is Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore, who can play both defensive end and defensive tackle. While the SEC will be the conference with the most players selected in the first round, the Big Ten places a respectable second.
As much as it pains me to predict this, I think Michigan will have more players selected over this year’s seven round draft. Ohio State will dominate the first round of the draft with three players selected on Thursday, but it feels like the Wolverines are going to make up ground over the next two days of the draft. Along with the rivalry tightening back up on the field, so is the battle for draft bragging rights.
The race for the most picks in this year’s draft for the rivals is going to be close. When it is all said and done, I think Michigan has 7-8 players drafted, while Ohio State falls one or two players short of matching that total. At least when the careers of all the players between the two schools are drafted, the Buckeyes should have the highest career salary total, since they have three first round picks that could demand big money in the future.
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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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
The first round kicks off tonight from Kansas City, where there should be three Buckeyes taken early.
The 2023 NFL Draft kicks off tonight in Kansas City, with the first round taking place this evening, rounds two and three tomorrow, and rounds four through seven on Saturday. Over the next three days, numerous Buckeyes will find out where their NFL careers will begin. Heading into this year’s draft there are a number of juicy storylines involving former Ohio State players, which will help to shape how the first round and beyond will play out.
Since the landing spots for this year’s crop of former Buckeyes are all over the map, I figured it would be fun to try and predict how things will play out in the draft. With the introduction of sports gambling in Ohio, now there are some NFL Draft props, so maybe these predictions can even help you win a little coin.
Just as a warning, I have no inside information, these are just my predictions as someone that watches a lot of football.
C.J. Stroud will be the second quarterback taken in this year’s draft
It seems pretty obvious that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is going to be taken with the first pick by the Carolina Panthers. For a while this offseason C.J. Stroud was the favorite to be the first quarterback taken, but lately there has been chatter that Will Levis would be the next quarterback taken after Young. Anthony Richardson is also in the mix to be taken in the top-10 in this year’s draft.
Stroud has been hurt lately by an alleged cognitive test score, as well as questions about his maturity. Even with everything recently, Stroud is still the best option after Young in this year’s draft, and honestly might even be a better option than the Alabama quarterback. Stroud is a better option than Levis or Richardson if NFL teams want to win sooner rather than later.
One perception that Stroud is fighting is Ohio State quarterbacks haven’t done anything in the NFL. While there is truth to that, Justin Fields played well last year on a bad Chicago Bears team. If Stroud is going to get dinged for playing quarterback at Ohio State, then teams should have some trepidation about drafted Levis after the failures of quarterbacks like Zach Wilson, Jake Locker, and a number of other similar sized quarterbacks that weren’t as talented but pumped up by the media.
In the end, I think Stroud ends up with the Indianapolis Colts. After Young is taken by the Panthers, Houston ends up taking either Will Anderson or Tyree Wilson, followed by Arizona taking whichever of those two defensive ends is still on the board. In the AFC South that has a lot of questions after the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts establish themselves as the clear second-best team in the division.
Paris Johnson Jr. won’t be taken with the third pick in the draft
Over the last couple days there has been a lot of smoke about Paris Johnson Jr.’s stock rising and the offensive tackle being taken by the Arizona Cardinals with the third pick in the draft. Even though Johnson will be a tremendous pick for an Arizona team that needs to find a way to protect Kyler Murray, who suffered a torn ACL last season, I think the Cardinals either take a defensive end or trade the pick.
There are two spots I think are more in play for Johnson early in the first round. Who I’d love to see pick Johnson is the Chicago Bears. Buckeye Nation would have a new favorite team if the Bears added Johnson to protect quarterback Justin Fields. If Chicago doesn’t pick Johnson, the Tennessee Titans should be interested in the Ohio State offensive tackle, especially after they parted ways with Taylor Lewan. I’m sure Mike Vrabel would love to add another Buckeye to the roster in Nashville.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba won’t be the first wide receiver taken
Just to be clear, I think Smith-Njigba is the best receiver in this year’s draft. Just because I think the Ohio State receiver is the top prospect at the position in this year’s draft, it doesn’t mean teams around the NFL think so. For some reason I keep thinking that a team is going to pull off a bit of a shocker and opt to pick Boston College receiver Zay Flowers over Smith-Njigba.
If a team picks Flowers ahead of Smith-Njigba, they’ll still be getting a very good wide receiver. In the long run, Smith-Njigba is likely going to have the better professional career, though. The Buckeye receiver was hurt because he was barely able to get on the field this year with injuries, which brought up questions about his toughness and desire to play the game. Ohio State fans know this is a bunch of bologna, but NFL teams could let this factor into their decision-making process if they are looking at picking a wide receiver.
Smith-Njigba is a favorite to go to the Packers with pick 13 in the first round. Even though Green Bay sounds interested in Smith-Njigba, we all have seen over the years how reluctant the Packers are to bring in skill position players in the draft. It would be ironic if as soon as Green Bay traded Aaron Rodgers then they start to bring in some skill position talent with their first round pick.
At least nine players from the Big Ten will be selected in the first round
It feels like almost a certainty that eight players from Big Ten schools will be selected in the first round of the draft. Stroud, Johnson, and Smith-Njigba should all be taken within the first 15 picks of the draft. Along with the trio of Buckeyes, Devon Witherspoon of Illinois, Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, and Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. will likely come off the board in or around the first half of the first round. Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness and cornerback Deonte Banks from Maryland look to be the other consensus first round picks this year.
So how does the Big Ten get past eight picks in the first round this year? I feel like a team could take Mazi Smith of Michigan even though the defensive end dealt with some legal trouble in Ann Arbor that Jim Harbaugh refused to do anything about. Another popular name at the end of the first round is Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore, who can play both defensive end and defensive tackle. While the SEC will be the conference with the most players selected in the first round, the Big Ten places a respectable second.
Michigan will have more players drafted than Ohio State
As much as it pains me to predict this, I think Michigan will have more players selected over this year’s seven round draft. Ohio State will dominate the first round of the draft with three players selected on Thursday, but it feels like the Wolverines are going to make up ground over the next two days of the draft. Along with the rivalry tightening back up on the field, so is the battle for draft bragging rights.
The race for the most picks in this year’s draft for the rivals is going to be close. When it is all said and done, I think Michigan has 7-8 players drafted, while Ohio State falls one or two players short of matching that total. At least when the careers of all the players between the two schools are drafted, the Buckeyes should have the highest career salary total, since they have three first round picks that could demand big money in the future.
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LGHL Ohio State will host another pair of transfer portal targets this weekend
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Ohio State will host another pair of transfer portal targets this weekend
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The recruiting efforts are ongoing even in the transfer portal as two more guests will soon be in Columbus.
With a visit for transfer portal offensive lineman Josh Simmons planned for this weekend, the Buckeyes are certainly in the mix here as they try to land more talent and depth for an offensive line that could use some additions to say the least. Without freaking out too much and writing off the position group completely, the Buckeyes simply have some work to do to get this group up to their typical standard, and that’s going to take some time. Fortunately, they do have the summer months and fall camp season to get it straightened out.
Back to the recruiting of the portal, Ohio State has long been calculated with who they go after when it comes to transfers. Looking at guys like Justin Fields, Jonah Jackson, Trey Sermon, etc. it’s a clear strategy of chasing specific needs rather than just diving into it all. The coaching staff does have a plan of action for these kinds of situations, and while this year may seem to be a little more active than others, it’s all a plan to improve the roster the best they can for the 2023 campaign.
In addition to Simmons, two more names have surfaced as a pair of portal players with intentions to see Ohio State this coming weekend. Both were players the Buckeyes had offered out of high school, and now potentially have a chance to get once again.
The first one is a familiar name in Lorenzo Styles Jr. The former Notre Dame product is the son of former Ohio State player Lorenzo Styles Sr., and brother to current Buckeye, Sonny Styles. Styles Jr. is spending time on campus this weekend, and while his playing days for the Irish were on the offensive side of the ball, he is looking to make the switch to defensive back at his next school of choice.
Family ties and position are the two easy areas to look at with Lorenzo and his chances of becoming a Buckeye. The addition of Davison Igbinosun already this offseason at the spot does make you wonder if this is the right fit overall. This ensuing visit should tell all in terms of how this one sorts out, but again, you can never have enough talent in the defensive secondary with the way college football is played these days.
The second visitor worth mentioning for this weekend is also a familiar name. New Jersey native Tywone Malone is set to arrive to see the Buckeyes soon, and this is yet another target who saw Ohio State attention during his high school recruitment. The class of 2021 defensive lineman chose Ole Miss out of nearly 30 offers, and while the Buckeyes made his first top schools list which included 14 programs, they did not make the cut for his second trimming when he narrowed it down to just six schools.
Also a baseball player for Ole Miss, it will be interesting if baseball once again is part of the process here. Not that it was a hinderance for Larry Johnson back during his recruitment, it’s still not common at a place like Ohio State and maybe that creeps up again. Either way, like the aforementioned cornerback position, defensive line is very much the same in that you can never have enough talent. Specifically speaking, with his position being on the interior, that’s an area the Buckeyes could use some more depth on.
Overall, the transfer portal for the 2023 season will sort itself out eventually for the Buckeyes, but offensive line is still far and away the most needed area to pay attention to. These two additional guests this weekend are still very much interested, and it will soon be seen how realistic it is if either end up at Ohio State this season.
Making more of a local stop, Brian Hartline traveled west to Wapakoneta, Ohio to visit and check in with the talent the Redskins have to offer. None of the current players have Ohio State offers, but this is another sign of the staff doing their due diligence in-state to check in on the Ohio products right in their back yard. The 2024 class has some incredible talent still very much high on the Buckeyes, but it’s never a bad idea to continue recruiting your own state.
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
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The recruiting efforts are ongoing even in the transfer portal as two more guests will soon be in Columbus.
With a visit for transfer portal offensive lineman Josh Simmons planned for this weekend, the Buckeyes are certainly in the mix here as they try to land more talent and depth for an offensive line that could use some additions to say the least. Without freaking out too much and writing off the position group completely, the Buckeyes simply have some work to do to get this group up to their typical standard, and that’s going to take some time. Fortunately, they do have the summer months and fall camp season to get it straightened out.
Back to the recruiting of the portal, Ohio State has long been calculated with who they go after when it comes to transfers. Looking at guys like Justin Fields, Jonah Jackson, Trey Sermon, etc. it’s a clear strategy of chasing specific needs rather than just diving into it all. The coaching staff does have a plan of action for these kinds of situations, and while this year may seem to be a little more active than others, it’s all a plan to improve the roster the best they can for the 2023 campaign.
In addition to Simmons, two more names have surfaced as a pair of portal players with intentions to see Ohio State this coming weekend. Both were players the Buckeyes had offered out of high school, and now potentially have a chance to get once again.
The first one is a familiar name in Lorenzo Styles Jr. The former Notre Dame product is the son of former Ohio State player Lorenzo Styles Sr., and brother to current Buckeye, Sonny Styles. Styles Jr. is spending time on campus this weekend, and while his playing days for the Irish were on the offensive side of the ball, he is looking to make the switch to defensive back at his next school of choice.
Family ties and position are the two easy areas to look at with Lorenzo and his chances of becoming a Buckeye. The addition of Davison Igbinosun already this offseason at the spot does make you wonder if this is the right fit overall. This ensuing visit should tell all in terms of how this one sorts out, but again, you can never have enough talent in the defensive secondary with the way college football is played these days.
The second visitor worth mentioning for this weekend is also a familiar name. New Jersey native Tywone Malone is set to arrive to see the Buckeyes soon, and this is yet another target who saw Ohio State attention during his high school recruitment. The class of 2021 defensive lineman chose Ole Miss out of nearly 30 offers, and while the Buckeyes made his first top schools list which included 14 programs, they did not make the cut for his second trimming when he narrowed it down to just six schools.
Also a baseball player for Ole Miss, it will be interesting if baseball once again is part of the process here. Not that it was a hinderance for Larry Johnson back during his recruitment, it’s still not common at a place like Ohio State and maybe that creeps up again. Either way, like the aforementioned cornerback position, defensive line is very much the same in that you can never have enough talent. Specifically speaking, with his position being on the interior, that’s an area the Buckeyes could use some more depth on.
Overall, the transfer portal for the 2023 season will sort itself out eventually for the Buckeyes, but offensive line is still far and away the most needed area to pay attention to. These two additional guests this weekend are still very much interested, and it will soon be seen how realistic it is if either end up at Ohio State this season.
Quick Hits
- Most of the recruiting efforts feel like they’re being done through the portal, but Ohio State is still on the road as they scour the country for the next commitment to join the 2024 class that currently sits at No. 2 in the rankings.
Making more of a local stop, Brian Hartline traveled west to Wapakoneta, Ohio to visit and check in with the talent the Redskins have to offer. None of the current players have Ohio State offers, but this is another sign of the staff doing their due diligence in-state to check in on the Ohio products right in their back yard. The 2024 class has some incredible talent still very much high on the Buckeyes, but it’s never a bad idea to continue recruiting your own state.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: What sports will you be focusing on now that spring football is over?
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You’re Nuts: What sports will you be focusing on now that spring football is over?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
When people ask me what my favorite season is, I don’t give a standard answer. It’s not Autumn’s delights, or summer fun for me.
My favorite season is Baseball Season.
And so, with Spring Football having wrapped up, leaving us to dream of crisp Fall Saturday mornings, I have tunnel vision on baseball until further notice.
This includes collegiate and professional baseball — and softball too, because you know I love to support athletic ladies!
Baseball is, to me, the most romantic thing in the world. Perhaps it’s because I was lucky enough to grow up just two blocks behind the ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field, a place that always makes me feel a bit like I’ve had to time-travel to come home. There’s magic in her walls. When Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” she meant Wrigley Field.
But personal biases aside, I’ve felt this in other baseball stadiums too — I’ve felt it watching the Buckeye baseball team. I’ve felt it watching my brother play Little League. And — speaking as a tried-and-true Cubs fan who saw a lot of rock-bottom days before we got to the good ones — baseball feels magical and romantic regardless of how your team is doing.
There’s a communal energy in baseball that is the byproduct of the tempo of the game. Ample downtime between innings leaves time to make memories with friends and family or to make friends with the people around you. During my time at Ohio State, classmates and I would road trip to Cleveland to take in a game for the now-Guardians, and more than once I walked out of the ballpark friends with the people around me, having bonded over the hot dog races (Team Mustard for life, because even in Cleveland I’m a Chicagoan who believes hot dogs should never have Ketchup).
While some people find baseball to be boring (games are too long and too low-scoring, season feels endless), that’s the beauty. Every game counts, AND one bad game won’t end your season. It feels like the antithesis of college football, where a single loss can crush a team’s dreams. Even the worst team will deliver a win every once in awhile. And for as much as I love the stakes of football, I appreciate the breathing room baseball brings me while I wait for football to ramp back up.
And also, if we’re being honest, for as romantic as baseball is, it’s also petty as heck. Football fans? We’ve got a little bit of a violent streak in us. We’ve all heard the stories of fans fighting in parking lots or of cars and dumpsters set ablaze after the OSU-Michigan game (I do not condone arson, I am just acknowledging that it has happened). Football is a physical sport, and I find that fans sometimes mirror that energy.
Baseball, on the other hand, is more underhanded. Fans still have rivalries (the last words on my death bed will be “Go Cubs, Beat the Dodgers”), but we have to be more calculating. Balls being thrown back on the field by toddlers after an away team home run. Petty overhead plane banners. Heckling other batters. I once watched a San Francisco Giants fan pop a Dodgers fan’s beach ball for no good reason other than “rivalry.” It’s not that there’s never a physical element to the game, but it’s not quite the same as tackling the ever-loving heck out of your opponent. You take the violent urges out on the ball itself, whacking it to kingdom come, not on the opposing players themselves.
Once again, good breathing room until football season.
So if you’re looking to turn your energy elsewhere in these long summer days, look no further than the baseball diamond — whether you’re rooting for Buckeye baseball, supporting a local minor league team, or cheering for your favorite MLB team, even the so-called dull moments are exciting if you’re paying attention.
Like Jami, I too love baseball season. I grew up with baseball as my primary sport, and I spent more than a decade coaching baseball and (primarily) softball at the club, high school, and college level. However, since my beloved Cincinnati Reds are one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball this season, my excitement has waned a bit. I used to say that as long as the Reds could stay in contention to get us to August when the Buckeyes started fall camp, I would be happy, and anything beyond that would be a bonus.
Well, that isn’t really in the cards this season. So, while I will be looking forward to the NCAA Softball Tournament starting next month, the Women’s College World Series wraps up in early June, so I need something that gets me a big closer to football fall camp.
So, I am opting for The Basketball Tournament. It’s been nearly four years since the Ohio State alumni team Carmen’s Crew cut down the TBT nets in 2019, and after sitting out last summer’s tournament, the boys are ready to come back in 2023.
This summer will be the 10th-anniversary tournament, and while details are still scarce, we know that Carmen’s Crew will be in the field.
Last summer’s TBT took place in July and August, so unless things change dramatically, I would guess it will happen around the same time. Honestly, given the Women’s World Cup starting in late July, I wouldn’t mind this happening from late June into mid-July, that way we can space out our pre-football sporting events.
But, if the year off has made you forget about all of the excitement that Carmen’s Crew has brought to the summer months, here are some of the names that have represented the (mostly) Ohio State alumni team in TBT over the years:
William Buford
Aaron Craft
Jon Diebler
Kosta Koufos
Dallas Lauderdale
David Lighty
Byron Mullens
Greg Oden
Evan Ravenel
LaQuinton Ross
Shannon Scott
Lenzelle Smith Jr.
Jared Sullinger
Deshaun Thomas
Keyshawn Woods
This is in addition to Evan Turner who has served as a coach and GM for the team as well.
And this isn’t including some of the impactful players from other schools who have Central Ohio connections granting them a right to be on the team. Players like:
Malik Dime
Julian Mavunga
Demetri McCamey
Nate Miller
Courtney Pigram
Leon Rodgers
John Williamson
and perhaps my favorite non-Buckeye Buckeye of all-time Jeff Gibbs.
These teams throughout the years have been insanely entertaining, even when the enjoyment came in part because of their messiness. But that 2019 run — which earned the team a collective $1 million — was special. William Buford was unstoppable, Aaron Craft was as annoying to opponents as ever, and each and every game was thrilling.
I’m not sure what this new generation of Carmen’s Crew is going to look like; whether some of these “old-time” Ohio State stars will be back, or if a new generation of former Buckeyes will don the scarlet and gray once again, but I am absolutely pumped to watch them again this summer, and I hope another deep run will speed up the agonizing wait for the start of college football season.
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
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: What sports will you be focusing on now that spring football is over?
Jami’s Take: Baseball Season
When people ask me what my favorite season is, I don’t give a standard answer. It’s not Autumn’s delights, or summer fun for me.
My favorite season is Baseball Season.
And so, with Spring Football having wrapped up, leaving us to dream of crisp Fall Saturday mornings, I have tunnel vision on baseball until further notice.
This includes collegiate and professional baseball — and softball too, because you know I love to support athletic ladies!
Baseball is, to me, the most romantic thing in the world. Perhaps it’s because I was lucky enough to grow up just two blocks behind the ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field, a place that always makes me feel a bit like I’ve had to time-travel to come home. There’s magic in her walls. When Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” she meant Wrigley Field.
But personal biases aside, I’ve felt this in other baseball stadiums too — I’ve felt it watching the Buckeye baseball team. I’ve felt it watching my brother play Little League. And — speaking as a tried-and-true Cubs fan who saw a lot of rock-bottom days before we got to the good ones — baseball feels magical and romantic regardless of how your team is doing.
There’s a communal energy in baseball that is the byproduct of the tempo of the game. Ample downtime between innings leaves time to make memories with friends and family or to make friends with the people around you. During my time at Ohio State, classmates and I would road trip to Cleveland to take in a game for the now-Guardians, and more than once I walked out of the ballpark friends with the people around me, having bonded over the hot dog races (Team Mustard for life, because even in Cleveland I’m a Chicagoan who believes hot dogs should never have Ketchup).
While some people find baseball to be boring (games are too long and too low-scoring, season feels endless), that’s the beauty. Every game counts, AND one bad game won’t end your season. It feels like the antithesis of college football, where a single loss can crush a team’s dreams. Even the worst team will deliver a win every once in awhile. And for as much as I love the stakes of football, I appreciate the breathing room baseball brings me while I wait for football to ramp back up.
And also, if we’re being honest, for as romantic as baseball is, it’s also petty as heck. Football fans? We’ve got a little bit of a violent streak in us. We’ve all heard the stories of fans fighting in parking lots or of cars and dumpsters set ablaze after the OSU-Michigan game (I do not condone arson, I am just acknowledging that it has happened). Football is a physical sport, and I find that fans sometimes mirror that energy.
Baseball, on the other hand, is more underhanded. Fans still have rivalries (the last words on my death bed will be “Go Cubs, Beat the Dodgers”), but we have to be more calculating. Balls being thrown back on the field by toddlers after an away team home run. Petty overhead plane banners. Heckling other batters. I once watched a San Francisco Giants fan pop a Dodgers fan’s beach ball for no good reason other than “rivalry.” It’s not that there’s never a physical element to the game, but it’s not quite the same as tackling the ever-loving heck out of your opponent. You take the violent urges out on the ball itself, whacking it to kingdom come, not on the opposing players themselves.
Once again, good breathing room until football season.
So if you’re looking to turn your energy elsewhere in these long summer days, look no further than the baseball diamond — whether you’re rooting for Buckeye baseball, supporting a local minor league team, or cheering for your favorite MLB team, even the so-called dull moments are exciting if you’re paying attention.
Matt’s Take: The Basketball Tournament
Like Jami, I too love baseball season. I grew up with baseball as my primary sport, and I spent more than a decade coaching baseball and (primarily) softball at the club, high school, and college level. However, since my beloved Cincinnati Reds are one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball this season, my excitement has waned a bit. I used to say that as long as the Reds could stay in contention to get us to August when the Buckeyes started fall camp, I would be happy, and anything beyond that would be a bonus.
Well, that isn’t really in the cards this season. So, while I will be looking forward to the NCAA Softball Tournament starting next month, the Women’s College World Series wraps up in early June, so I need something that gets me a big closer to football fall camp.
So, I am opting for The Basketball Tournament. It’s been nearly four years since the Ohio State alumni team Carmen’s Crew cut down the TBT nets in 2019, and after sitting out last summer’s tournament, the boys are ready to come back in 2023.
This summer will be the 10th-anniversary tournament, and while details are still scarce, we know that Carmen’s Crew will be in the field.
en’s Crew (@CarmensCrew) Last summer’s TBT took place in July and August, so unless things change dramatically, I would guess it will happen around the same time. Honestly, given the Women’s World Cup starting in late July, I wouldn’t mind this happening from late June into mid-July, that way we can space out our pre-football sporting events.
But, if the year off has made you forget about all of the excitement that Carmen’s Crew has brought to the summer months, here are some of the names that have represented the (mostly) Ohio State alumni team in TBT over the years:
William Buford
Aaron Craft
Jon Diebler
Kosta Koufos
Dallas Lauderdale
David Lighty
Byron Mullens
Greg Oden
Evan Ravenel
LaQuinton Ross
Shannon Scott
Lenzelle Smith Jr.
Jared Sullinger
Deshaun Thomas
Keyshawn Woods
This is in addition to Evan Turner who has served as a coach and GM for the team as well.
And this isn’t including some of the impactful players from other schools who have Central Ohio connections granting them a right to be on the team. Players like:
Malik Dime
Julian Mavunga
Demetri McCamey
Nate Miller
Courtney Pigram
Leon Rodgers
John Williamson
and perhaps my favorite non-Buckeye Buckeye of all-time Jeff Gibbs.
These teams throughout the years have been insanely entertaining, even when the enjoyment came in part because of their messiness. But that 2019 run — which earned the team a collective $1 million — was special. William Buford was unstoppable, Aaron Craft was as annoying to opponents as ever, and each and every game was thrilling.
I’m not sure what this new generation of Carmen’s Crew is going to look like; whether some of these “old-time” Ohio State stars will be back, or if a new generation of former Buckeyes will don the scarlet and gray once again, but I am absolutely pumped to watch them again this summer, and I hope another deep run will speed up the agonizing wait for the start of college football season.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State to host transfer offensive tackle; is top Ohio target trending to TTUN?
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Ohio State to host transfer offensive tackle; is top Ohio target trending to TTUN?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Twitter | @AaronScottJr1
The Buckeyes dish out first 2026 offer.
Spring football might be over, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not plenty for Ohio State football fans to get freaked out about online. So, today, I’ve got a couple of things for Buckeye fans stress about. One is a potential plug at a major of position of need, and the other would be a rage-inducing failure on the recruiting trail.
Enjoy!
If there is one area that the Ohio State football team needs some reinforcements, it’s the offensive line. With three starters set to be drafted this week, and a disturbing lack of high-quality depth, the o-line is by far the biggest concern heading into the 2023 season — especially considering that they will have to protect a first-time starting quarterback.
Well, Justin Frye and company are hoping to pick up some reinforcements in former four-star prospect Josh Simmons, who will be on campus on Friday. The La Mesa, Cali. native was the No. 342 player in the 2021 cycle, and had offers from Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, UCLA (we’ll come back to this), USC, Utah, Washington, and many others.
However, because of the ban on official visits at the height of the COVID-19 restrictions, Simmons had only been able to take an unofficial visit to San Diego State, so that’s where he ended up. Now, however, he has entered the portal, and will be in Columbus on Friday.
As first reported by 247Sports’ Chris Hummer, Simmons will make an official visit on April 28, in part thanks to his connections with Frye. Not only was the OSU offensive line coach one of the first people to reach out when the lineman entered the portal, but the pair have a long-standing relationship. When Frye was at UCLA, he recruited Simmons and worked with him at the Bruins’ camps.
At 6-foot-6, 305 pounds, Simmons played at right tackle for the Aztecs, but could move over to left if needed. However, he was not exactly a highly productive player at San Diego State. Pro Football Focus had him graded at 47.1 for the 2022 season, which is literally lower than anyone on Ohio State’s offense. He gave up four sacks on 24 pressures and had 17 penalties.
While those are obviously less-than-ideal numbers, Simmons does have some upside, especially because he has at least three years of eligibility remaining, potentially four, if he exercises his COVID year. So, even if he decides to put on the scarlet and gray and he doesn’t become an instant starter, he does provide depth for the foreseeable future in the offensive line room.
Simmons is also set to visit Florida on May 5 and Colorado on May 20, but he told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic that he would like to have a decision sooner rather than later, so that he can get on campus and start learning the playbook.
Aaron Scott knows that the most expected thing would be to become a Buckeye. A Springfield, Ohio native, the high four-star cornerback could commit to the team that he grew up rooting for and everybody would be happy, but it might not be that easy for the Buckeyes.
The No. 61 player nationally according to 247Sports Composite Ratings and No. 7 corner, Scott recently told Dotting the Eyes’ Jeremy Birmingham, “It’s good to stay at home and play at home if that’s where you’re needed, but if it’s not, then I think players need to think about getting away.”
Both 247Sports Director of Football Recruiting and Bucknuts’ esteemed recruiting analyst Bill Kurelic have crystal balls for Scott to commit to OSU dating back to last fall, and Josh Edwards — a Kentucky insider — logged an OSU CB for Scott earlier this month. However, there is a bit of concern growing that Columbus might not be the talented corner’s ultimate destination.
247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong wrote yesterday, “There is a lot of buzz Michigan leads for 247Sports No. 4 cornerback and No. 1 recruit in Ohio Aaron Scott.”
Now, I’m in no way going to freak out about this in April, this would a disastrous turn of events, especially since Scott told Birm that his relationship with Ohio State cornerback coach Tim Walton is getting stronger every day and that his relationship with Ryan Day is the best of any head coach he talks to.
Ultimately, Ohio State will never be able to keep all of the big-time talent from the state at home, and some of them will go to Michigan. But it would be a pretty horrible outcome to lose a guy this good at a position of need to your rival.
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
Twitter | @AaronScottJr1
The Buckeyes dish out first 2026 offer.
Spring football might be over, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not plenty for Ohio State football fans to get freaked out about online. So, today, I’ve got a couple of things for Buckeye fans stress about. One is a potential plug at a major of position of need, and the other would be a rage-inducing failure on the recruiting trail.
Enjoy!
Ohio State Hopes to Land Transfer Lineman
If there is one area that the Ohio State football team needs some reinforcements, it’s the offensive line. With three starters set to be drafted this week, and a disturbing lack of high-quality depth, the o-line is by far the biggest concern heading into the 2023 season — especially considering that they will have to protect a first-time starting quarterback.
Well, Justin Frye and company are hoping to pick up some reinforcements in former four-star prospect Josh Simmons, who will be on campus on Friday. The La Mesa, Cali. native was the No. 342 player in the 2021 cycle, and had offers from Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, UCLA (we’ll come back to this), USC, Utah, Washington, and many others.
However, because of the ban on official visits at the height of the COVID-19 restrictions, Simmons had only been able to take an unofficial visit to San Diego State, so that’s where he ended up. Now, however, he has entered the portal, and will be in Columbus on Friday.
As first reported by 247Sports’ Chris Hummer, Simmons will make an official visit on April 28, in part thanks to his connections with Frye. Not only was the OSU offensive line coach one of the first people to reach out when the lineman entered the portal, but the pair have a long-standing relationship. When Frye was at UCLA, he recruited Simmons and worked with him at the Bruins’ camps.
At 6-foot-6, 305 pounds, Simmons played at right tackle for the Aztecs, but could move over to left if needed. However, he was not exactly a highly productive player at San Diego State. Pro Football Focus had him graded at 47.1 for the 2022 season, which is literally lower than anyone on Ohio State’s offense. He gave up four sacks on 24 pressures and had 17 penalties.
While those are obviously less-than-ideal numbers, Simmons does have some upside, especially because he has at least three years of eligibility remaining, potentially four, if he exercises his COVID year. So, even if he decides to put on the scarlet and gray and he doesn’t become an instant starter, he does provide depth for the foreseeable future in the offensive line room.
Simmons is also set to visit Florida on May 5 and Colorado on May 20, but he told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic that he would like to have a decision sooner rather than later, so that he can get on campus and start learning the playbook.
Is Ohio State Fading for Top-100, In-State Cornerback?
Aaron Scott knows that the most expected thing would be to become a Buckeye. A Springfield, Ohio native, the high four-star cornerback could commit to the team that he grew up rooting for and everybody would be happy, but it might not be that easy for the Buckeyes.
The No. 61 player nationally according to 247Sports Composite Ratings and No. 7 corner, Scott recently told Dotting the Eyes’ Jeremy Birmingham, “It’s good to stay at home and play at home if that’s where you’re needed, but if it’s not, then I think players need to think about getting away.”
Both 247Sports Director of Football Recruiting and Bucknuts’ esteemed recruiting analyst Bill Kurelic have crystal balls for Scott to commit to OSU dating back to last fall, and Josh Edwards — a Kentucky insider — logged an OSU CB for Scott earlier this month. However, there is a bit of concern growing that Columbus might not be the talented corner’s ultimate destination.
247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong wrote yesterday, “There is a lot of buzz Michigan leads for 247Sports No. 4 cornerback and No. 1 recruit in Ohio Aaron Scott.”
Now, I’m in no way going to freak out about this in April, this would a disastrous turn of events, especially since Scott told Birm that his relationship with Ohio State cornerback coach Tim Walton is getting stronger every day and that his relationship with Ryan Day is the best of any head coach he talks to.
Ultimately, Ohio State will never be able to keep all of the big-time talent from the state at home, and some of them will go to Michigan. But it would be a pretty horrible outcome to lose a guy this good at a position of need to your rival.
Quick Hits
- On Tuesday, the Buckeyes extended an offer to four-star running back Jordan Lyle. The No. 319 player in the country, he is a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — the alma mater of Joey and Nick Bosa and Duron Carter. The Buckeyes are looking to add at least one more running back to the 2024 class, following the commitment of the No. 78 player nationally James Peoples.
- The Buckeyes also offered high school freshman linebacker Samu Moala yesterday. This marks the first player to officially get a scholarship offer from OSU for the 2026 cycle. The Lawndale, Cali. native already has offers from Auburn, Colorado, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, Utah, Washington, and others. Since he is still a freshman, there are no recruiting rankings available yet, but it seems safe to assume he will be highly regarded when those numbers become available.
- Yesterday, high four-star tight end Brady Prieskorn committed to Michigan. The No. 56 player in the country and No. 2 TE pushes the Harboys to the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, 5.03 points above the No. 2 Buckeyes. However, Michigan has two more commits than OSU does, and Ohio State maintains a 1.44 points per player advantage over its rivals.
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