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Payton Pierce, Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs on Top, Three Offensive Linemen at Bottom of Pro Football Focus’ Grades for Ohio State’s Loss to Miami
1. LB Payton Pierce (97.5)
Pierce's score of 97.5 is the highest for a Buckeye player in any game this season. In fact, his grade against Miami was the highest of any offensive or defensive player during the bowl season. Pierce's 97.5 is almost six points higher than the second-highest graded linebacker, Pittsburgh's Rasheem Biles, who had a 91.7 against East Carolina.
Perhaps more impressive is Pierce's 99.9 grade in rush defense against Miami. This number is a full nine points higher than Hawaii defensive lineman Carsen Stockinksi, who graded out at 90.9 against the run.
This marks the first time this season for a linebacker to take the top spot among Ohio State's players for a game. Surprisingly, Pierce is the only linebacker to be rated in the top three among Buckeye players this season, despite backing up Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles all season.
2. WR Jeremiah Smith (84.1)
During bowl season, Smith led all Big Ten receivers with seven catches and only trailed USC's Tanook Hines (90.5) for the highest grade among the conference's receivers with at least two catches in a bowl game.
Smith finished the season with an overall offensive grade of 90.7. That is one-tenth of a point behind USC's Makai Lemon for the best overall grade among receivers this year.
3. S Caleb Downs (83.3)
Downs finished as one of Ohio State’s three highest-graded players for the second time in three games to end the season.
The unanimous All-American led Ohio State's defenders in coverage (87.2) against Miami and also had the best grade in run defense among the Buckeyes in the secondary.
Extra Points
- Kayden McDonald had the highest tackling grade (77.8) among all defensive tackles during bowl season. McDonald also finished the season as the Big Ten's best defensive tackle with an overall defensive grade of 86.7, and he also had a conference-best grade of 91.2 in rush defense among the conference's players in his position group.
- Jermaine Mathews Jr. led the team with a tackling grade of 82.8 in the Cotton Bowl.
- Austin Siereveld and Gabe VanSickle earned pass-blocking grades of 0.0 against Miami. Army's Ned Brady and Minnesota's Marcellus Marshall were the only other players to grade out with a 0.0 in pass-blocking in a bowl game.
- Gabe VanSickle (36.1) had the lowest grade of any Buckeye who played at least 10 snaps against Miami, followed by fellow offensive linemen Phillip Daniels (47.4) and Austin Siereveld (48.3).
- Lorenzo Styles Jr. (29.6) earned the lowest grade of any Ohio State player against the Hurricanes, but played only eight snaps before leaving the game with a shoulder injury.
- Sonny Styles finished the season with a tackling grade of 91.6, which was the best in the nation. He was also the highest-graded Big Ten Linebacker in overall defense (88.2).
