LGHL Mitchell Melton is finally healthy, but will he get enough snaps to make an impact?
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Mitchell Melton is finally healthy, but will he get enough snaps to make an impact?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After back-to-back ACL tears, Melton is hoping to achieve his potential in his fifth year in Columbus.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
It’s been a bumpy road to the field for Ohio State linebacker-turned-defensive lineman Mitchell Melton. After being a top-200 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, the Olney, Maryland native has seemed like he was ready to burst through the Buckeye backlog at nearly every turn only to be sidelined due to injury.
In the spring of 2021, Melton tore his left ACL. He then rehabbed for an entire calendar year only to tear his right ACL in the 2022 spring game. After the knee injuries kept him out for two full years, Melton had to start over in 2023. He played 63 defensive snaps and 58 on special teams last year coming in with a very good 78.7 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus in his limited action.
The process has not been easy for Melton, but throughout it all, he has had support to keep him focused on his ultimate goals.
“I think my support system has been great,” he told the media last week. “My family and my teammates, they’ve all reached out and given me the resources I need to stay mentally enthused and motivated because I understand my ability and what I can do on the field.”
Now that he has been healthy for over a year, and has a full season in the rotation under his belt, Melton is now slotted into a defensive end spot that will hopefully take full advantage of his natural athleticism and pass-rushing ability. His ability to finally contribute to the team in the way that he has always wanted to is leading to a much different mindset from the fifth-year player.
“It’s definitely a mental struggle,” Melton said. “Teaching my mind to not let the little parts of the game or something that held me back before keep holding me back in the future ... I’ve never loved football so much until right now. I think that was the biggest thing coming back, was trying to find a love for it and keep my confidence at a high level. I think I’ve done that ... I feel great.”
Despite how great Melton feels, it’s still not exactly clear how defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive line coach Larry Johnson see him working into the defense. Though he came in as a linebacker, all of his 2023 snaps were on the line. For years, he has been held up as a potential example of what the “Jack” or “Leo” position could be in a Knowles defense, but that spot has never really materialized for anyone. So how exactly will Melton be deployed on the field this season?
“We call it playing basketball on grass,” Johnson said. “That’s what he has. That crossover move in basketball, he can put you to sleep. Just with his head movement. He’s really unique, he’s fast, he’s coming.”
Melton is clearly it is as an edge rusher, in the way that we have seen OSU’s defensive line work in recent seasons. But Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are firmly entrenched as the starters, and then last year’s backups Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry return to bring even more depth to the rotation. So, just how many snaps are available for a healthy Melton, especially when five-star end Eddrick Houston is also likely competing for playing time?
While a Rushman Package of three or four ends is always possible, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton are incredibly strong up the middle, so how often do the Buckeye coaches want to bring them off the field? We’ve heard that linebacker C.J. Hicks could be used as a third-down blitz machine, potentially taking away snaps from Melton as well.
There has always seemingly been a push and pull between how Knowles and LJ envision the defensive line rotation, but word out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center makes it clear that there is excitement about what Melton could potentially do this season. There is palpable hype for what he brings to the mix, but as it often is on the defensive line, it becomes a question of just how many snaps he can get.
One of the major conversations from the OSU coaching staff this offseason has been about the potential to play 17 games — although Ryan Day and company often couch it as 16, assuming a first-round bye — if they make the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The coaches seem to realize that two additional games will bring a significant amount of extra wear and tear on players’ bodies, especially when you could be playing five postseason games against high-quality competition.
So, if Larry Johnson can figure out how to best make use of all of his weapons, then there is reason to believe that Melton could finally have a significant impact on the field for the Buckeyes this fall. While the fifth-year senior knows that the unit still has to prove it on the field, he has high hopes for his defensive line compatriots.
“I hope we’re known for doing our job and playing at a violently high level,” Melton said, “each and every snap going as hard as we can. If that’s who we are, then I think we can hang our hat on that for sure.”
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After back-to-back ACL tears, Melton is hoping to achieve his potential in his fifth year in Columbus.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
It’s been a bumpy road to the field for Ohio State linebacker-turned-defensive lineman Mitchell Melton. After being a top-200 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, the Olney, Maryland native has seemed like he was ready to burst through the Buckeye backlog at nearly every turn only to be sidelined due to injury.
In the spring of 2021, Melton tore his left ACL. He then rehabbed for an entire calendar year only to tear his right ACL in the 2022 spring game. After the knee injuries kept him out for two full years, Melton had to start over in 2023. He played 63 defensive snaps and 58 on special teams last year coming in with a very good 78.7 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus in his limited action.
The process has not been easy for Melton, but throughout it all, he has had support to keep him focused on his ultimate goals.
“I think my support system has been great,” he told the media last week. “My family and my teammates, they’ve all reached out and given me the resources I need to stay mentally enthused and motivated because I understand my ability and what I can do on the field.”
Now that he has been healthy for over a year, and has a full season in the rotation under his belt, Melton is now slotted into a defensive end spot that will hopefully take full advantage of his natural athleticism and pass-rushing ability. His ability to finally contribute to the team in the way that he has always wanted to is leading to a much different mindset from the fifth-year player.
“It’s definitely a mental struggle,” Melton said. “Teaching my mind to not let the little parts of the game or something that held me back before keep holding me back in the future ... I’ve never loved football so much until right now. I think that was the biggest thing coming back, was trying to find a love for it and keep my confidence at a high level. I think I’ve done that ... I feel great.”
Despite how great Melton feels, it’s still not exactly clear how defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive line coach Larry Johnson see him working into the defense. Though he came in as a linebacker, all of his 2023 snaps were on the line. For years, he has been held up as a potential example of what the “Jack” or “Leo” position could be in a Knowles defense, but that spot has never really materialized for anyone. So how exactly will Melton be deployed on the field this season?
“We call it playing basketball on grass,” Johnson said. “That’s what he has. That crossover move in basketball, he can put you to sleep. Just with his head movement. He’s really unique, he’s fast, he’s coming.”
Melton is clearly it is as an edge rusher, in the way that we have seen OSU’s defensive line work in recent seasons. But Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are firmly entrenched as the starters, and then last year’s backups Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry return to bring even more depth to the rotation. So, just how many snaps are available for a healthy Melton, especially when five-star end Eddrick Houston is also likely competing for playing time?
While a Rushman Package of three or four ends is always possible, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton are incredibly strong up the middle, so how often do the Buckeye coaches want to bring them off the field? We’ve heard that linebacker C.J. Hicks could be used as a third-down blitz machine, potentially taking away snaps from Melton as well.
There has always seemingly been a push and pull between how Knowles and LJ envision the defensive line rotation, but word out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center makes it clear that there is excitement about what Melton could potentially do this season. There is palpable hype for what he brings to the mix, but as it often is on the defensive line, it becomes a question of just how many snaps he can get.
One of the major conversations from the OSU coaching staff this offseason has been about the potential to play 17 games — although Ryan Day and company often couch it as 16, assuming a first-round bye — if they make the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The coaches seem to realize that two additional games will bring a significant amount of extra wear and tear on players’ bodies, especially when you could be playing five postseason games against high-quality competition.
So, if Larry Johnson can figure out how to best make use of all of his weapons, then there is reason to believe that Melton could finally have a significant impact on the field for the Buckeyes this fall. While the fifth-year senior knows that the unit still has to prove it on the field, he has high hopes for his defensive line compatriots.
“I hope we’re known for doing our job and playing at a violently high level,” Melton said, “each and every snap going as hard as we can. If that’s who we are, then I think we can hang our hat on that for sure.”
Continue reading...
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