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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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