Confusing incompetence with malice.

You’re Nuts: Who will be the “X-factor” on this Ohio State men’s basketball team?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images

Team 124’s roster is locked in. Which player’s performance (or lack thereof) will be the most vital to Ohio State’s success?

With the addition of former Oklahoma State guard Isaac Likekele via transfer, Ohio State’s 2022-2023 roster is now set. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll be seeing on the court come November:

• Seth Towns (F)
• Justice Sueing (F)
• Kalen Etzler (F)
• Zed Key (C)
• Gene Brown (F)
• Roddy Gayle (G)
• Bruce Thornton (G)
• Bowen Hardman (G)
• Brice Sensabaugh (F)
• Felix Okpara (C)
• Isaac Likekele (G)
• Tanner Holden (G)
• Sean McNeil (G)

It’s an intriguing roster with a ton of new faces and quite a bit of versatility. The starting lineup you see in early November won’t be the same in early December, and it certainly won’t be the same in early March. It’ll be interesting to see how the minutes get broken down — who forces Holtmann’s hand with their play, who fades towards the back of the rotation, etc.

But first, let’s backtrack. Last week, Connor and Justin drafted their own Ohio State teams made up exclusively of Buckeyes since the year 2000 — and then we asked you to vote. Justin’s team won overwhelmingly with 73% of the vote, giving him another win and bringing him closer and closer to Connor’s 21 wins.


After 48 weeks:

Connor- 21
Justin- 19
Other- 6

(There have been two ties)


This week, Connor and Justin took a look at the roster and picked one player and anointed them as Ohio State’s X-factor. Here is the definition of X-factor from the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

“X-factor: a circumstance, quality, or person that has a strong but unpredictable influence”

So essentially, a player whose productivity is unknown, but whose performance will have a very strong influence on the team’s success. With about six months until the season starts, here’s who we went with:

Today’s question: Who will be the “x-factor” on this Ohio State men’s basketball team?

Connor: Zed Key

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Ohio State was 12th in the Big Ten in rebounds per game last season, in front of only Minnesota and Nebraska — who combined for eight conference wins. They were also 12lfth in offensive rebounding and 10th in defensive rebounding. Last season’s team was bad on the glass all-around, and it was painfully obvious on some nights.

And with three of Ohio State’s four leading rebounders gone (E.J. Liddell, Kyle Young, Malaki Branham), I really expected the Buckeyes to pick up at least one post player in the transfer portal. They did not, instead opting for a true shooting guard in Sean McNeil and two hybrid guards who could play multiple positions in 6-foot-6 Tanner Holden and 6-foot-5 Isaac Likekele.

Liddell’s absence also means increased pressure and attention to the Buckeyes’ three-point shooting, which at 37.3% was third-best in the Big Ten behind Purdue and Michigan State. Gone are the days of Liddell dribbling into post-ups by himself, forcing double-teams and drawing the defense in.

All of the above adjustment explains why third-year center Zed Key is going to be so crucial for the Buckeyes this season.

Key was one of the more popular targets of Ohio State fans’ frustrations last season, criticizing his shortcomings to do.... well, anything. People were upset he didn’t rebound enough (he averaged 5.6 per game), turned the ball over too often (1.1 turnovers per game), or in general was just too “soft.” Someone told me that Key might be better at power forward rather than focusing on the post, and another commented that Key is “A MAC player at best.”

Key actually improved all of his counting stats from his freshman to sophomore seasons and nearly doubled his minutes. His points (5.2 to 7.8), rebounds (3.4 to 5.6), assists (0.3 to 0.5) and free throw percentage (55% to 58%) all improved. His overall field goal percentage dropped from 61.6% to 56.2%, but part of that has to do with his increased minutes (11.7 minutes as a freshman to 19.8 as a sophomore) and usage (3.2 field goal attempts per game as a freshman to 5.8 as a sophomore).


The Buckeyes need Key to make a similar jump from his sophomore to junior season if they have any hope for competing for a Big Ten title. This Ohio State roster isn’t built to rain down a high volume of three-pointers or dominate the glass. Key needs to lead this team in rebounds and needs to stay out of foul trouble so that he is able to do that.

He also needs to continue to shoot at that same efficient clip (55%-60%) and draw double-teams — something Liddell did often that opened up the floor for others to get open looks. Since this team only has two established perimeter threats (McNeil and Towns) Key’s ability to draw defenders in will be crucial to the Buckeyes’ success scoring the basketball.

If Zed doesn’t take a big step forward this season, everyone else’s job gets considerably harder. His development is the biggest plotline to watch, and that’s why he is Ohio State’s x-factor this season.

Justin: Isaac Likekele

Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

First of all, can we talk about this comeback in the polls I am making? Don’t look now, but I think I have a chance at this thing. Of course, we don’t know when this is actually over, so there is that.

This team is truly fascinating and I think will be one of the more interesting teams in the country. I don’t know how good they are going to be, but they will be intriguing.

My pick for the X-factor this season is the final piece to the puzzle. The Buckeyes just two days ago added Oklahoma State guard/forward Isaac Likekele as a grad transfer and the 13th scholarship to the team. Likekele is the most important player on this team to me.

Likekele is everything you look for in a transfer when you have a fairly young team. A four-year starter at a major university, versatile athlete and plays both ways well. Likekele is 6-foot-5, 215 pounds and can play and guard the 1-4 positions. There is a decent chance that he will be the starting point guard for the Buckeyes if they elect to bring Bruce Thornton off the bench, at least to start the season.

Interestingly enough, Likekele is coming off his wort statistical season of his career. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. For his four-year career, Likekele averaged 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He also averaged 1.4 steals per game for his career, proving his worth on the defensive end of the floor.

Something the Buckeyes were lacking last season was the Swiss Army Knife. Justice Sueing was thought to be the guy that can fill that role, but he ended up missing all but two games of the season due to injury. Now, Likekele will join Sueing as someone who can fill that role. Also, as mentioned above, he is a guy who can play the 1 through the 4 and can play 30-35 minutes a game if need be. Through all four seasons, he averaged 31.4 minutes per game in Stillwater.

I like the approach the Buckeyes took with this roster. Get some versatile, talented athletes and hand them a basketball and let them go hoop. Likekele’s game is a part of that group.

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Updated the thread title since Jordan Bohannon, with the help of a 6th year due to Covid, now had the B1G career record for 3s. Bohannon had 20 3s in the shortened 2019-20 season, and 91 in his final season that ended recently.

Buck Off Podcast: Offensive line recruiting, Upcoming May Visits, Ryan Day’s program taking shape
Chris Renne 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

Justin Frye is building his position group and the guys get deep into some recruiting stuff.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” Chris and Jordan Williams discuss Ohio State’s huge offensive line recruiting wins by new offensive line coach Justin Frye.

To start the show, the guys get into the commitment of Austin Siereveld and what his commitment really means for the Buckeyes. Then they get into a discussion about what getting the Top-3 in state offensive line means, how this can translate into future recruiting success, and what is next for the offensive line recruiting.

After that, they discuss the incoming May visits from major recruits across the country. We discuss the potential impact of these recruiting weekends including what happens with big names like Brandon Inniss, Carnell Tate, and Tackett Curtis. We also discuss some other big names we’re hoping to see become Buckeyes.

Once they get back from the quick break, one of the guys takes their protective goggles off and takes on the role of full fledge recruiting expert. They discuss some situations and make predictions for potential Buckeye commits. After that, they go through the list of summer enrollees and discuss each players potential Fall impact.

They close out the show discussing if Ryan Day has actually overachieved in his tenure.


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for May 6, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

On the Gridiron


Looking at some of the most notable ‘fives’ from Ohio State sports
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State reschedules home-and-home series with Boston College
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

It’s absolutely silly that we’re getting games scheduled for 14 years from now.


Ryan Day reflects on 2021, excited to see what C.J. Stroud, receivers can do in 2022
Sam Marsdale, 247Sports

C.J. Stroud’s push for QB1 and 9 more Buckeyes to watch for the 2023 NFL Draft (paywall)
Bill Landis, The Athletic

Column: Justin Frye closes on in-state talent, creates momentum in OL recruiting
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

2024 four-star linebacker had ‘excellent’ visit to Ohio State
Charles Doss, Land-Grant Holy Land

This is going to be an absolute shit show.


How Ohio State football is money in, money out
Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com

Saints WR Chris Olave talks Ohio State NFL pipeline, Michael Thomas after NFL Draft
Brad Crawford, 247Sports

Final thoughts on the 2022 NFL Draft
David M. Wheeler, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Ohio State’s Isaac Likekele planning to show more for Buckeyes
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Mike Netti promoted to Ohio State assistant coach as staff finalized
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Women’s Tennis: Buckeyes Garner Big Ten Accolades
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Ice Hockey: Three Incoming Buckeyes in NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings
Ohio State Athletics

As both an Ohio State and Cincinnati Reds fan, all I can say is, “I’m sorry.”

And now for something completely different...


Trust me when I tell you that this is a truly special Instagram account:


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Top safety sets official visit with Ohio State, Buckeyes makes the cut for top-10 receiver
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


5-star, Caleb Downs | 247sports

The Buckeyes will host Caleb Downs in June as they look to land the five-star top safety.

Thursday was yet another solid day on the recruiting front for Ohio State. After seeing some more positive momentum for the 2023 class in terms of visit dates being scheduled and making a top schools list, you get the feeling the next couple of months are going to be pretty exciting times for this class and the Buckeyes overall. Without further hesitation, here’s a look at yesterday’s happenings.

Official visit set for nation’s best safety


Ohio State currently has two safeties committed in their 2023 recruiting class. Thanks to commitments from both Cedrick Hawkins and Malik Hartford, position coach Perry Eliano is off to a really solid start in his short time with the Buckeyes on the recruiting trail. Still, with the defense that Coach Knowles runs, Ohio State is still actively pursuing elite safeties to join the fold, and are fortunate enough to be in the mix for some of the top guys this cycle has to offer.

On Thursday, the top target on Ohio State’s board at the safety spot gave the coaching staff some good news for later this summer. The nation’s top safety and the 10th best player overall per 247Sports, Caleb Downs took to his Twitter account to share that his official visit with the Buckeyes was locked in for June 24-26, which is already shaping up to be one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the summer for Ryan Day and his crew. Having Downs on-hand for this visit will be a major opportunity for the Buckeyes, and hopefully can put them over the top as he continues his recruitment process.

At 6-foot, 185 pounds, Downs has every intangible and asset any college program is looking for in their safety prospects. The Georgia native has range, ball skills, and the ability to come downhill in run support with the best of them. At nearly 40 offers to his name from every major program in the country, it’s easy to see why Downs is considered the top player at his position in the 2023 class and a unanimous five-star target.

Getting him back to Columbus is everything the coaching staff wants and certainly the red carpet will be rolled out in full display as they look to land their top guy on the board.

Bucks make the cut for top-10 receiver prospect


If you watched the recent NFL Draft, it didn’t take long for Brian Hartline to further be cemented as the nation’s best receiver coach. His recruiting is off the charts and the development he’s provided has followed suit. Sure, he’s had some incredible players to work with, but nobody can deny what Coach Hart is doing in Columbus for his group of players year in and year out. As long as he’s at Ohio State, the receivers are going to be at or near the top of the college landscape.

In the 2023 class, the Buckeyes currently have one receiver committed in Bryson Rodgers. The first of what could be three to even four receivers in this class, Hartline is very keyed in on a few names right now and looking to be in great position for each of them. Guys such as Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and Noah Rogers are among the top players in the country at their position, and while none of the three have given the verbal yet, it’s not out of context to believe Ohio State and can land all three of those guys, which would be yet another epic haul.

On Thursday, the Buckeyes did make the cut for another top-10 receiver when the nation’s seventh best player at the position, Jalen Hale, trimmed his list to a top six schools that still remain for his services. The 40th best player nationally has nearly 40 offers so getting down to single digits couldn’t have been easy, but fortunately for the Buckeyes, they join the likes of USC, Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Texas to still be in the running.

The Texas native does have one Crystal Ball prediction submitted, but that pick is for Oklahoma, and with them not making his top six it’s a little bit more clear that this recruitment is still there for the taking. As mentioned, Ohio State has some other names they have been more closely linked to, but this talent would be too good to pass up if Hale was that serious about what’s going on in Columbus.

Quick Hits

• 2024 Virginia native tight end prospect Luca Puccinelli has plans to get to Columbus and camp at Ohio State on June 6. A 6-foot-7, 225 pound tight-end, Puccinelli is currently the 12th best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite rankings and a three-star prospect. Offers from Virginia Tech and Duke have come so far, but him hitting the camp circuit shows he’s looking to get a little more exposure to his name.

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Looking at some of the most notable ‘fives’ from Ohio State sports
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 Andy Lyons/Getty Images

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we found some interesting ways in which Ohio State and five have tied together.

Since today is Cinco de Mayo, what better way to celebrate than by looking at some of the best fives in Ohio State history. This doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to be only players that have worn the No. 5 while at Ohio State, it could also be a ranking, number of titles, or really any way that the number five can be shoehorned into anything Ohio State.

If there are any important fives at Ohio State that you feel we have forgot about, hit us up on the Twitter machine at @Landgrant33 or drop your fabulous five tie-ins in the comments.

Football


Braxton Miller

During his first three years at Ohio State, Braxton Miller wore No. 5 for the Buckeyes. Miller threw for over 5,000 yards and 52 touchdowns, while also running for over 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns while playing quarterback. Miller was a force when Urban Meyer arrived in Columbus in 2012, winning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013. After missing 2014 due to shoulder surgery, Miller would not only shift to wide receiver, but he would also trade in his No. 5 jersey for the No. 1 jersey.

Raekwon McMillan

For any Ohio State fan that had a No. 5 jersey heading into the 2014 season, Raekwon McMillan made sure that number was put to good use with Miller on the shelf. McMillan made a splash as a freshman for the Buckeyes, totaling 54 tackles in Ohio State’s championship season. The linebacker would go on to even better numbers over the next two years, registering over 100 tackles as a sophomore and junior. McMillan is one of the best defenders over the last decade at Ohio State, and is the last great linebacker the Buckeyes have produced.

Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Garrett Wilson

The latest No. 5 to star for Ohio State was recently a first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Garrett Wilson is one of the newest members of the New York Jets after being taken with the 10th overall pick in last week’s draft. While at Ohio State, Wilson caught 143 passes for 2,213 yards and 23 touchdowns. In 2020, Wilson became just the second Buckeye to record four-straight games with at least 100 receiving yards.

Title game appearances this century

Between the BCS and CFP, Ohio State has appeared in five title games since 2000. The first came in 2002, when the underdog Buckeyes were able to defeat Miami in overtime in Arizona to shock the college football world. The next two championship game appearances aren’t quite as fun to look back on, with Florida and LSU beating the Buckeyes in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

Set Number: X159161 TK1

The next moment of glory for Ohio State came in the first CFP Championship Game in 2014. The Buckeyes not only shocked Alabama in the semifinal to earn a spot in the title game, Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott powered Ohio State to an easy win over the Ducks. Alabama would get their revenge in 2020, blowing out the Buckeyes in the championship game in a year that was marred by COVID-19.

End of year ranking

Ohio State has finished fifth in the AP rankings on six different occasions. The last time Ohio State was ranked in that spot in the final poll came in 2017 after a Cotton Bowl win over USC. Prior to that, five was a popular spot for Ohio State under Jim Tressel, as the Buckeyes finished the season there in 2007, 2009, and 2010, with the last two seasons ending in BCS bowl game wins. The other two finishes in the fifth spot in the AP Poll came back in 1955 and 1970. Ohio State didn’t play in a bowl game in 1955, and the fell to Stanford 27-17 in the Rose Bowl at the end of the 1970 season.

Basketball


John Havlicek

It didn’t take Hondo long to leave his mark at Ohio State, as he was part of the 1959-60 team that went on to win the national championship. Havlicek averaged 12.2 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game during that season. The forward would see his numbers increase over the next two years, averaging 17 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game by the time he left Columbus.

Havlicek would go on to be drafted by the Boston Celtics with the seventh pick in the 1962 NBA Draft, winning eight NBA titles, and making the All-Star team 13 times during his legendary NBA career. Ohio State went on to retire Havlicek’s No. 5, making him one of five Buckeye basketball players to have their jersey retired. The 11 of Jerry Lucas, Evan Turner’s 21, Jim Jackson’s number 22, and Gary Bradds’ 35 are the other numbers of Ohio State men’s basketball players hanging in the rafters at Value City Arena.


5-seed

The five-seed hasn’t been very kind the Ohio State men’s and women’s basketball programs over the years in the NCAA Tournament. The men’s basketball team has only been a five-seed once in the NCAA Tournament. Back in 2018, Ohio State beat South Dakota State 81-73 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Gonzaga 90-84 in their next game.

The Ohio State women’s team has been tagged with the five-seed three times in the NCAA Tournament, and each time gone a little farther in the Big Dance than their previous appearance as the five-seed. In 1984, Ohio State fell to Ole Miss 77-55. It would be 31 years until the Buckeyes would make their next trip to the tournament as a five-seed, beating James Madison in the first round in 2015 before dropping a heartbreaker to North Carolina 86-84. Then two years later, Ohio State would beat Western Kentucky and Kentucky before getting smoked by Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: 2022 NFL Draft recap, early preview of 2023 NFL Draft
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes saw six players taken in this year’s NFL Draft.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On this week’s episode, the guys break down each of the six Buckeyes selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, discussing each player’s fit on their new team as well as how big an impact they can potentially have in the league in their rookie seasons. They then take a quick pit stop to Chicago to complain about the Bears’ apparent hatred of any help for Justin Fields on offense before breaking down some of Ohio State’s biggest prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

“Hangout in the Holy Land” is will now return to one episode a week during the offseason, dropping every Wednesday (don’t hold us to that). Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Column: Justin Frye closes on in-state talent, creates momentum in OL recruiting
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Frye came into a challenging situation, but by cleaning up on in-state talent he has built a foundation to take the offensive line to the next level

When it comes to in-state recruiting for the Ohio State Buckeyes, an offer is usually enough to gain a commitment from the best recruits in the state. The Buckeyes have landed the No. 1 recruit in the state every year since 2012 except for 2016 and 2018, according the 247Sports Composite rankings.

The reason those years stand out — besides missing on the best player in the state — is because in both years offensive line coach Greg Studrawa missed on the top linemen in the state who were also the No. 1 players in Ohio. Studrawa lost one of those battles for Tommy Kraemer out Cincinnati Elder, who chose Notre Dame, and the other to Clemson in the recruitment of Jackson Carman. With recruiting being the lifeblood of a program, this puts a clot in the potential ceiling on arguably the most important position group. This is something we are seeing with current depth concerns on the offensive line for the Buckeyes.

When you’re in a talent rich state like Ohio, the emphasis needs to be on building a fence around the border to secure the best players, which should be the utmost of priorities for a position coach. This is especially the case when the state you’re in puts out a high rate of elite players at the position group you coach.

Those two recruiting years makes what happened in recruiting this week that much more important. The Buckeyes received a commitment from the Austin Siereveld out of Lakota East (Middletown, OH). This commitment means that in his first recruiting class, Justin Frye landed the top-three offensive line recruits in the state, building the proverbial recruiting fence. With this hot start, there is a lot to look at when it comes the current state of the offensive line, but for the first time in a while there is major momentum, and the youthfulness of Frye has to be playing a big part in it.

The Buckeyes still have questions left that Frye will be tasked to fix, but his wins recruiting so far have created a lot of momentum for this position group moving forward, including depth, why the recruiting wins stand out and what this means for the position moving forward.

Current Offensive Line Depth


The obvious reason for the importance of recruiting the best in-state offensive linemen is the positional depth. Under Studrawa, the Buckeyes were able to recruit interior offensive linemen at a high clip, and he had quite a few major wins for elite tackles. His best out of state prospect at tackle being Nicholas Petit-Frere, and his best in state prospect being Paris Johnson Jr., who were both top-30 recruits.

The issue isn’t in his wins. The amount of losses began stacking up in his tenure, which is a significant reason a change was needed. After missing on some major tackle recruits in the last few classes, the depth at the tackle positions is not where it needs to be. The combined average player rating for the tackles on the roster who aren’t Paris Johnson Jr. is a 0.88 which is a three-star recruit. Now, Dawand Jones has developed into starter, but that is not always going to happen with every recruit in that range.

This is a significant reason there is concerns when it comes to offensive line depth on the roster. From a recruiting stand point, this means Studrawa was living with secondary options and taking flyers in hopes of elite development of lower ranked in-state prospects. That recipe was not successful as we look at the depth situation that was noted.

In this class, the average player rankings of the in-state offensive linemen is 0.937. This says two things – the talent in Ohio on the offensive line is better than the past two cycles, and Frye did his job establishing a foundation with in-state prospects in this class. By landing one elite tackle prospect in-state, this will allow Frye to reach out more nationally and find the depth this offensive line is currently missing.

Lost Battles In Recent Years


Ohio State does not lose often when it comes to in-state offensive line recruits, but there were some big names over the last half-decade that decided to go elsewhere. In 2016, the Buckeyes lost the top-two in state offensive linemen in Liam Eichenberg and Tommy Kraemer to Notre Dame. This would start a trend of less than acceptable recruiting losses on the offensive line.

Losing an offensive line recruit to Notre Dame isn’t unforgivable given their track record of putting offensive linemen in the NFL, but an unacceptable loss is losing a player to a southern school with no history recruiting in Ohio. This happened when Jackson Carman – a five-star recruit — chose to head to Clemson in 2018. By missing on these players it created an additional need for elite linemen in the following season.

A class with Nicholas Petit-Frere and Jackson Carman looks a lot different depth wise for the Buckeyes. This is why these losses added up, instead of having multiple elite players at the position, Ohio State would be lucky to grab one and hopefully a few players who developed into legitimate starters.

Moving forward, Ohio State won’t win every battle and that shouldn’t be the expectation, but lack of consistent in-state recruiting success is unacceptable. This is why what Frye accomplished in gaining commitments from the top-three in state offensive linemen this week is nothing to scoff at. By doing this, there is less pressure in landing an out of state prospect and more freedom to be selective with who they go after to finalize the 2023 class.

Justin Frye’s Recruiting Success So Far


In Siereveld’s recruitment, the final three teams were Alabama, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. When those two schools are trying to come into your state, that means the player is pretty special. By closing on this recruitment that gives Frye multiple wins over Notre Dame in his short tenure, and establishes him as a serious player in the Midwest. His first three commitments were Carson Hinzmann, Luke Montgomery, and Austin Siereveld — all of which will add immediate depth to a roster in need of it.

In those three battles, Frye beat out schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Alabama, among others. All five of those schools have a history of sending elite offensive linemen to the NFL, and have all won battles against Ohio State for offensive line recruits. This is no small task, especially with Frye only being hired in January, and by winning these recruiting battles early he can continue to build momentum.

With these wins, Frye showed he has the chops to recruit against some of the larger programs that will be constant challengers when it comes to Ohio talent. The success of fending off other powerhouses is already a significant jump recruiting wise for the Buckeyes. Winning these battles is a way to measure success in the immediate. Frye beat out huge names to secure all three of his 2023 commitments, and that should be something that gets Ohio State fans excited for what’s to come.

Conclusion


Even with the wins so far, the job is not done for Frye, but closing on the top three offensive linemen in-state is an incredible start in his first full recruiting cycle. With the current state of the depth on the line, the interior offensive line is actually in a really steady place. The main concern is tackle depth. Both Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson Jr. are draft eligible this next season, and behind them on the depth chart is little certainty when it comes to who may be next. This has led to many people predicting that Donovan Jackson will move outside next season.

For the players who came in as tackles, not every one of them will share the same success as Dawand Jones – who was a lower-rated recruit that has developed into a potential first round pick. This is why Frye cannot afford to miss in this class. Frye will do his best to help the current players on the roster turn into the next Jones, but the future of the offensive line needs to rely less on long term development and get back to relying on elite recruiting plus development. By recruiting at a high level with in-state recruits, Frye will give himself an opportunity to look at national recruits like Alaus Olinen, Chase Bisontis, and Samson Okunlola. These are the type of players that can potentially replenish the room in one class.

Overall, landing all three Ohio recruits is an incredible start for Frye, especially in comparison to his predecessor who lost the top two offensive line recruits in his first season as the offensive line coach. Moving forward, the question will be if these three recruits are the new ceiling or a potential stepping stone to the level of recruiting we’ve seen at other positions. Time will tell, but the Buckeyes under Frye are off to a great start. Now it’s time for Frye to build on that momentum and take this room to the level expected by the Buckeye faithful.

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2024 four-star linebacker had ‘excellent’ visit to Ohio State
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Four-star LB Kristopher Jones | Photo Via Kristopher Jones/@bigkris4422

We caught up with one of the Buckeyes latest visitors. See what the four-star prospect had to say about his time on the OSU campus, and more.

Visitors, visitors, visitors. It seems that almost everyday the Ohio State coaching staff is back at it showing many of the nation's top high school recruits around the historic Columbus campus this spring. One of the latest prospects to have a shot to see what the Buckeyes are putting together was four-star class of 2024 linebacker Kristopher Jones.

“The visit was excellent, and I was amazed at the things Ohio State had to offer,” the Mountain View (VA) standout sophomore stated to Land-Grant Holy Land soon after his trip to OSU last Friday.“I had a chance to take pictures in the uniform and we toured the shoe and the campus as well as the other facilities. Outside of just football, I really liked the Real Life Wednesdays they had for the team. It shows that the program cares about the players' future outside of football and their careers.”


While some of the staff were on the road either tracking down talent or celebrating now-former Ohio State greats such as Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave getting drafted, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Jones had the chance to meet up with a pair of the Buckeyes' newest hires.

“I spoke with Koy McFarland and coach Matt Guerrieri. Coach Day was in Las Vegas and Coach Knowles was on a recruiting trip in Florida. But Coach G says he loves the way I play and how athletic I am at the linebacker position and wants to see me at a camp which I’ll be going to in June.”

Holding over a dozen scholarship offers at the moment, Jones is starting to focus harder on where he’ll end up calling his home when he moves on to the collegiate level.

“The programs that are really sticking out to me right now are Virginia, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Arizona State, and Notre Dame. As of right now, I’m looking for a school that’s gonna develop me not only on the field but off the field, and somewhere I can grow and hopefully get to the next level.”

So where does OSU fit? Just starting to build their relationship, the Buckeyes have yet to dish out an offer Kristopher’s way, but if they do, it won’t be something that the Virginia native will take very lightly.

“When I would watch college football (growing up),” he said, “Ohio State was one of the schools I would watch. Ohio State is a top program in the Big Ten and I could definitely see myself playing there. If I did get that offer it would really mean a lot to me.”

Check out Jones’ Highlights:

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Final thoughts on the 2022 NFL Draft
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


1st round pick Garrett Wilson should be a star with the NY Jets | Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

How did the Buckeyes fare?

The 2022 NFL Draft is over, and the dust has now settled (more or less). We know the current status of all of the Ohio State Buckeyes who were eligible for the draft. There’s nothing left now but to talk about it.

The Bucks had six players selected in the seven-round draft. That figure is one fewer than we expected, and a bit below the 10-year average of the Urban Meyer/Ryan Day era (7.6). Anything to be concerned about? No. Of the six, two were taken in the top 11 picks overall, and four were taken in the first three rounds. It’s not surprising that five of the six draftees were on the offensive side of the ball; the 2021 OSU defense just wasn’t that good.

Additionally, several of these players were in the Ohio State recruiting class that fell during the coaching transition year for the Buckeyes, and that recruiting year was sub-par for the Bucks.

Recruits are sure to look at draft results, but they look at a longer picture than a single year. Whether it’s a 10-year span or a forever span, Ohio State is at the top in sending its players to NFL teams.

The competition


Somewhat surprisingly, the Buckeyes didn’t lead the Big Ten in number of players selected. That honor belongs to the Penn State Nittany Lions, who placed eight in the seven rounds (fourth among all NCAA teams this year) — one in the first round, two in the second. In-state rival Cincinnati demonstrated that they had the talent to belong in the championship playoffs, as the Bearcats had nine players drafted, with five going in the first three rounds.

National champion Georgia set a new record with 15 Bulldogs drafted, besting the previous mark of 14, set by the Buckeyes in 2004. The draft was really enormous for Georgia; five Dawgs were gone by the end of the first round, and five more were taken in rounds two and three. The five first-rounders were all members of that vicious Georgia defense. LSU was second in number of players drafted with 10, followed by Cincinnati and Penn State. Alabama and Oklahoma had seven players each. Ohio State joined UCLA, Baylor, and Ole Miss with six. Other Big Ten teams: Michigan (five), Wisconsin (five), Michigan State (four), Minnesota (four).

Although Ohio State wasn’t at the top of the list, with two receivers going back-to-back in the first round and a tight end chosen in the third round, the Bucks can obviously use the results of the draft to promote its passing offense to the quarterbacks and receivers that it’s recruiting. All in all, a decent enough draft for OSU. Here’s how I see individual former Buckeyes’ NFL futures.

What we can expect

Garrett Wilson: 1st round, No. 10 overall pick — New York Jets


As we expected, the talented Buckeye receiver was the first Buck chosen. Although many draft observers expected Wilson to be the first wide receiver off the board, he wasn’t. With the No. 8 overall pick, the Atlanta Falcons opted for size and picked Southern Cal’s Drake London.

Wilson joins a Jets club that needs a lot of help. Frankly, they’ve needed a lot of help for a pretty long time. The Jets played a throng of quarterbacks as they went 4-13 in 2021, as injuries and poor performance necessitated some juggling. Three of those QBs are still on the roster and are likely to be when the season starts: Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco.

Flacco, at 37, played in only a couple of games last year and may be just about done. Zach Wilson, a young hotshot out of BYU, struggled in 2021, as reflected by his numbers. He completed only 55.6% of his 383 passes for 2334 yards, five touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. His average per attempt of 6.1 yards is low, by any standard, and the speedy Garrett Wilson might help out here. Mike White’s stats were a little better than Zach Wilson’s, but not the stuff from which boasts are made. Whoever starts — it’ll be Zach Wilson — is not going to be All-Pro, at least just yet.

At the receiver positions, the Jets feature Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and Braxton Berrios. All are competent, and Moore may emerge eventually as a star. There’s certainly room for Wilson, though, and by mid-season, he may be the favorite Jets’ target.

Prediction: Day-one starter, with star potential quickly in his NFL career.

Chris Olave: 1st round, No. 11 overall pick — New Orleans Saints


For all of you discussing who would go first, Wilson or Olave, it was a tossup, as they went back-to-back. A great day for the OSU receiving corps. Olave becomes a Saint, as so many other Buckeyes have before him. He joins former Buckeye and current NFL superstar Michael Thomas. We’re all hoping that Thomas’s health issues are now resolved and that he’s full-go for 2022. If so, he and Olave will be perfectly complementary: the larger Thomas over the middle, the faster Olave going deep.

Saints’ quarterback Jameis Winston also had injury troubles in 2021, but when he played, he was good. He completed 59% of his passes and threw for 14 touchdowns with only three interceptions. Winston’s 102.8 passing rating is nothing to sneeze at, and Olave finds himself with a really good QB, other strong receivers (Marquez Calloway and Deonte Harris, notably, in addition to Thomas), and a superb running back in Alvin Kamara. A potent offense that should allow Olave to show his stuff.

Prediction: Immediate starter and solid-to-stellar performer for many years to come.

Nicholas Petit-Frere: 3rd round, No. 69 overall pick — Tennessee Titans


It’s no surprise that NPF was chosen as highly as he was. Third round was the prediction by just about everybody. The Titans are, of course, coached by former Buckeye, Mike Vrabel.

Last season, the Titans were a powerhouse and should be again this year. They went 12-5 with a very balanced offense that produced over 2,400 yards on the ground. Yes, Derrick Henry still carries the ball for the Titans. Petit-Frere will find that his run-blocking skills will have to be sharp if he’s going to crack this lineup.

Prediction: For the first couple of seasons, I expect Petit-Frere to play a lot of snaps and then become a starter in his third year, or so. He’ll need some fine-tuning.

Jeremy Ruckert: 3rd round, No. 101 overall pick — New York Jets


Yes, Ruckert and Garrett Wilson will still be on the same team. Ruckert grew up on Long Island and grew up a Jets fan. His excitement about the draft is genuine.

Some experts rated Ruckert the best tight end in this class, or at least the best blocking tight end. But we know that he can run routes and catch passes too. Ruckert has good size and speed and should vie for playing time from the get-go.

Prediction: Ruckert makes the roster easily and sees a lot of snaps after excelling in pre-season action. Maybe not a starter yet – but soon.

Tyreke Smith: 5th round, No. 158 overall pick — Seattle Seahawks


At Ohio State, Smith was a defensive end, or edge rusher. I had high hopes for Smith, and, although he showed flashes of brilliance, he was no Bosa or Chase Young. If reports are accurate, Seattle plans to use a 3-4 look more in the future and to put Smith at outside linebacker. It might be a really good fit. Smith is quick rather than overpowering.

Prediction: I’m stumped here and always have been with Smith. I’ve always liked him, but he’s been a bit disappointing. In the pros, he could be a star or a bust. Let’s go for star!

Thayer Munford: 7th round, No. 238 overall pick — Las Vegas Raiders


Most pundits had Munford going in the fourth or fifth round. It’s quite a drop to seventh. The rap on Munford was inconsistency — looking really good on some plays, not so good on others. The Raiders went 10-7 last year and should be in the hunt for a playoff spot again this year. Munford should make the roster, but will have to work hard in the camps.

Prediction: Marginal player with upside. Career as spot starter and fill-in at several offensive line positions.

Undrafted free agents


Master Teague signed on with the Chicago Bears. I like Teague’s chances of making a roster with somebody. He’s a decent running back and, with his speed and size, would make a good special teams player.

Defensive lineman Haskell Garrett signed with the Tennessee Titans. I’m sure that Garrett’s disappointed that he wasn’t drafted. Most expected him to go in the late rounds. His odds of making a roster are long, I would think. He’s going to have to show something to the Titans that he didn’t always show with the Buckeyes.

Demario McCall. I’m delighted to see that McCall signed a deal with the Bears. He brings versatility and speed to the table. I don’t know what Chicago has in mind for him, but at least he’s still in the game.

Antuan Jackson was invited to the NY Giants’ rookie minicamp, and Chris Booker was invited to participate in the Arizona Cardinals’ camp.

Good luck to all of these former Buckeyes as they begin their pro careers.

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cb by Miami insider Lake to OSU

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Just one guy's prediction; but never the less an interesting read.

This story was mentioned in one of the threads for the 2021 season in the college football forum a few months back. I guess that it was put in the archives. A new article on this story was published yesterday:

Father of High School Quarterback Robbie Roper Speaks Out About the Real Cause of Player's Death
It was initially reported that the talented player died due to complications from routine shoulder surgery but his family is now speaking out about what led to his tragic passing
By Olivia Jakie lMay 04, 2022 09:40 PM

https://people.com/sports/father-of...ie-roper-speaks-out-about-cause-of-his-death/

The father of Georgia high school quarterback Robbie Roper, who died in December at age 18, is speaking out about his untimely death.

It was initially reported that the talented player died due to complications from routine shoulder surgery, however, in a USA Today Sports interview published Wednesday, his father James Roper revealed the chain of events that led to his son's tragic death.

"I just wanted him remembered as a perfect kid. I just didn't want anybody thinking that he had some abnormality when they thought about him," James said when asked why he waited so long to address the cause of his son's death.

James told the outlet the 2022 college football recruit had urea cycle disorder (UCD), a rare genetic disorder that can result in elevated blood ammonia levels that become toxic, according to the Medical Journal of Australia. Something, he said medical professionals overlooked.

CREDIT: GOFUNDME

Patrick Moore, an attorney representing the Roper family who specializes in medical malpractice, told USA Today Sports that the disorder can be triggered by corticosteroids or can be set off by a surgical procedure – "fasting beforehand, anesthesia and physical trauma." Robbie underwent shoulder surgery on Dec. 14.

PEOPLE's request for additional comment from Moore was not immediately returned.


The weekend before Robbie's death, the family had traveled to St. Augustine, Florida for a family reunion, James told the outlet.


"He was fine,'' he said. "He was on the beach, laughing and carrying on and having a good time on Saturday. And then Sunday he started throwing up, and we just thought he had a stomach flu or something. You know, you don't rush to the hospital just for throwing up.''


When his condition worsened, Robbie's mom took him to urgent care, and then to a hospital. At the hospital – which the Roper family has declined to name – the medical staff allegedly insisted that Robbie was on drugs, even though the family said he was a good kid who never messed around with illegal substances.

"We called all of his friends and asked what did he use, and all of them said they'd never seen Robbie touch a drug. I mean, the kid was a straight arrow, 3.9 GPA. All the kid wanted to do all his life every day was play football and play Xbox. He never really hung out with friends and went to parties and all that. He was just a real quiet kid," said James.

While the drug tests came back showing nothing, additional tests showed that Robbie's ammonia levels were nearly four times the normal amount. He was then airlifted to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, where he was put on dialysis – but it was too late, according to James.

"If they would have been more aggressive in putting him on dialysis, he'd probably still be alive,'' James said of the first hospital.

"He was the biggest joy to our family," the statement read in part. "We are proud of the young man he has become. He will be missed by his friends and family dearly."

Robbie was a class of 2022 recruit. He had earned the interest of numerous schools including the University of Florida, Ole Miss, TCU, and the University of Michigan. He had also recently been offered a scholarship offer from the University of Massachusetts, according to Sports Illustrated.

"It's definitely been crazy. I mean the first game of the season, I think I put up 450 [yards] passing and about 70 on the ground, so I knew what season it could end up being," he told the publication of his star season in an interview published just two days before he died. "Lately it's just been crazy. I know it's a little late in the game, but there's still a lot of schools that have been very interested and Florida has definitely been one of them."

A GoFundMe set up by a member of Robbie's extended family has raised over $55,000 since it was created, with the hopes of setting up an athletic scholarship fund in his name.

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Column: Analyzing an NFL Draft that brought more parity than you expected
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by David Becker/Getty Images

And a Big Ten that’s, well, nicely rounded.

When all was said and done Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs achieved what no program had in the modern draft era: finishing the weekend with 15 players drafted. It was a storybook end to a season that saw the Bulldogs’ first national title in 40+ years and a defeat of their bogeyman, Alabama.

The mark broke Ohio State’s record of 14 players selected in the 2004 NFL Draft (which LSU tied in 2020, when Joe Burrow was taken No. 1-overall). It’s also an indication of a shift in the direction this draft took overall which, in some ways, is a reflection of a college football landscape that might be changing more than we realize.

Some other shocking facts include:

• Ohio State was not the top team in the Big Ten with just six players drafted in seven rounds. (Of course, two were first-round receivers, so take it with a grain of salt)
• A Group of Five school — Cincinnati — had nine players drafted, trailing only Georgia and LSU
• Penn State (the top program in the Big Ten by draft picks) had eight players drafted, edging out Alabama
• Michigan had the fewest players drafted (5) of any program that made the College Football Playoff this year, despite having two first round picks, including the second-overall pick in Aidan Hutchinson
• Notre Dame had just two players taken in the draft. Texas had none

Beyond individual programs, when it comes to conference themes, the SEC ran away with things as they’ve done in recent years:

• SEC: 65 players drafted
• Big Ten: 48 players drafted
• Big 12: 25 players drafted
• Pac-12: 25 players drafted
• ACC: 21 players drafted

The gap between the SEC and Big Ten (yes, I’m lumping them together) and everyone else has grown into a gulf. That trend reflects the College Football Playoff this season (when the SEC and Big Ten were the only Power Five conferences represented) TV ratings and revenue (where the Big Ten is actually tops, followed by the SEC) and recruiting rankings (where the Big Ten and SEC hold five of the top-six spots for the 2022 class).

Moreover, in a trend that is really good for the conference at large, it’s not just Ohio State anchoring the Big Ten anymore. A dozen Big Ten programs saw multiple players drafted, and Northwestern was the only Big Ten team without a selection in this year’s draft — though it’s possible the Wildcats are still riding high from two first round selections last year, and they’re projected to have another first rounder in 2023 with Peter Skoronski.

The disparity between Ohio State and everyone else when it comes to the conference is dwindling and, while that might seem scary, it behooves the Ohio State team that can run the table and benefit from a strong schedule.

Further, the types of players drafted have bucked once and for all the decades-outdated reputation of the Big Ten for lacking speed. In fact, seven receivers from six Big Ten schools were taken in the draft, including three of six selected in the first round (well, 3.5 if you want to partially claim Jameson Williams). It’s a testament to how deep this receiver class is that Purdue’s David Bell fell to the Cleveland Browns in the third round. Yes, to repeat, the consensus First Team All-American receiver and former Big Ten Freshman of the Year fell to the third round.

When it comes to the others in the Power Five, we’ve known the Big 12 has been on the decline for awhile. Oklahoma, the pride of the conference (for the time being) netted out with seven players, but it would take the 32nd pick in the second round for the first Sooner to come off the board. However, what’s become salient this season is just how much the ACC was relying on Clemson as its anchor in recent years. The Tigers, for what it’s worth, had two picks last weekend.

The Big Ten West alone had almost as many players taken (20) as the whole of the ACC. While we’re on the subject, the Big Ten East beat out the Big 12 and Pac-12 with 28 players selected.

Which brings us to one of the other stories of the first round, when no Big 12 players were taken. As it turns out, Cincinnati, which boasted the No. 4-overall pick in Sauce Gardner, is going to be a much needed addition to the struggling conference.

Despite the Big 12’s struggles, the first round brought more parity than we’ve seen in a long time. The top-six picks represented five different conferences, including the AAC and Pac-12. In all, 25 different programs had players drafted in the first round. Beyond Gardner, other non-Power Five picks included:

• Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa)
• Tyler Smith (Tulsa)
• Cole Strange (Chattanooga)

The only schools with multiple players taken in the first round? Georgia (5), Ohio State (2), Michigan (2) and Alabama (2) — no surprises there.

Overall, the SEC boasted 12 first round selections from seven schools, while the Big Ten had seven picks from five programs. Rounding things out, the Pac-12 had four and the ACC three. And as mentioned, the Big 12 got a big fat zero. It’s a big deal, though, to see a sizable portion of players coming from outside the Power Five. Perhaps, like Cincinnati being part of the CFP this year, it means more of a chance for parity in college football moving forward.

What does all this mean for Ohio State? The downward trend in draft picks is reflective of a down season, just as Georgia’s cornucopia of selections reflects an outstanding one. Of course, Penn State has been taking steady steps to climb the ladder of the Big Ten East, and this solid draft — which included a first round pick Jahan Dotson — might be indicative of a formidable foe for years to come.

However, as alluded to, the major takeaway of the draft, when it comes to the Big Ten, is that the conference is a competitive and well-rounded one — and one that, both collectively and with individual programs like Ohio State, is poised to compete with the best in college football.

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A way-too-early and destined-to-be-wrong look at Ohio State’s 2023 NFL Draft class
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Spoiler alert: Stroud and Smith-Njigba are likely to go very (very) early in the 2023 NFL Draft | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

It’s never too early to look ahead. But rather than give you a list of players, here are surefire predictions on where current Buckeyes will land in the future.

Just days removed from the completion of the 2022 NFL Draft, 2023 mock drafts are already circulating. Hell, they were being published, shared, or tweeted out before this most recent draft even took place. But I am here to add to the insanity, with Land Grant Holy Land’s Ohio State-centric version. The editors have been given assurances that most of these predictions will come true, and very few will be ridiculed during this time next year.


Ohio State should have a loaded 2023 draft class, depending on the progression of guys like Zach Harrison, Dawand Jones, and Ronnie Hickman, to name a few. But the same could have been said prior to last season, and it never really came to fruition. Harrison was a projected 2022 first-rounder, and Sevyn Banks’ name showed up in first-round mocks as well. Even a guy like Haskell Garrett – who went undrafted this weekend – was pegged as a second or third-rounder 12-18 months ago.

When all was said and done, only six Buckeyes were selected in the 2022 draft, with four of them coming off the board in the third round or later. I definitely expect a better showing from OSU in Kansas City next year (2023’s host city).

To try my hand at any sort of 2023 mock draft, I first had to take a stab at the order in which teams would select. I do not see many teams from this year’s “bottom 10” suddenly making a jump up, so I stuck relatively close to the 2022 draft order. Previous trades of 2023 first-round picks were taken into account, and I am only looking at the OSU players I consider most likely to go high(ish) in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes will likely not come close to matching Georgia’s record of 15 players taken in a modern draft, but I would not be surprised if they approach double digits.

First round candidates


C.J. Stroud, Quarterback – 1st overall to the Atlanta Falcons

Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK
Stroud is currently one of the betting favorites to go first in 2023, and NFL talent evaluators already have an eye on him

I was torn on which team would be picking first overall, but I was never torn on who I thought they should take. C.J. Stroud is my pick for a variety of reasons, and I did not hesitate. Most 2023 mocks have the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, or Jacksonville Jaguars earning this prize (or stumbling into a position to choose), but fortune favors the bold. I felt the need to go elsewhere. I have not seen many mocks with the Atlanta Falcons choosing first, but I have seen the team’s projected roster... Yikes.

Atlanta picked eighth overall this season, and arguably got worse during the offseason. Matt Ryan is gone, replaced by Marcus Mariota and/or Desmond Ridder. Also gone are players such as Russell Gage (second-leading receiver) and Foyesade Oluokun (192 total tackles, led the NFL). The Falcons added Casey Heyward and rookies Ridder, Drake London, and Arnold Ebiketie, but they are simply not a good team. Landing Stroud would give them a chance to expedite their rebuild. And having Ridder on the team should not dissuade them from going QB again in 2023. The former Cincinnati Bearcat was picked up in the third round, and will not be tied to a big-money contract.

For my money, Stroud is the best quarterback in the 2023 class (right now). Bryce Young could pass him, and maybe Spencer Rattler re-discovers what made him a 2021 preseason Heisman candidate, but I do not think either scenario is likely. What Stroud showed off last year should have NFL talent evaluators salivating. His accuracy is off the charts, and his ability to read the field improved with each game played. Helping his case is that fact that he will be surrounded by equal, if not better, weapons this season — which is almost ludicrous to say, having just watched Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave go in the first 11 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Falcons would also not hesitate to move on from Mariota, or keep him in the fold as a backup. This would not be an Alex Smith-Patrick Mahomes type of situation. Smith was a playoff winner and Pro Bowl performer. Mariota, on the other hand, owns a 62.8 career completion percentage, and has started just six games in the last three seasons (none since 2019). So, if Stroud (or Young) is available when they pick in 2023, it is hard to image the Falcons passing on a potentially generational talent. Stroud would give them a new franchise QB and hope.

Jaxon Smith-Njiga, Wide Receiver – 5th overall to the Chicago Bears

Perhaps you could call me a homer for having JSN this high. Or maybe... just maybe... you could see things from my point of view, and admit that the Chicago Bears might just hate Justin Fields. The former Ohio State Buckeye was supposed to be their franchise savior, but the organization has failed to meet even the lowest expectations when it comes to acquiring offensive talent. Fields’ top receiving options are Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle, for crying out loud! Chicago has committed team-building malpractice, but JSN would give them a shot at redemption.

While I realize that No. 5 overall seems high for a wide receiver – especially one who does not have the physical makeup of a Randy Moss or Calvin Johnson – the Bears have to do something. And JSN is currently the top pass catcher projected to go in the 2023 NFL Draft. There is also some level of familiarity between these two former (in this instance) Buckeyes, making the pick even more of a no-brainer. Fields and JSN, while they did not share the field often, could potentially replicate the teammate connection and success currently enjoyed by Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati.

JSN is a smooth operator, capable of playing inside or outside. I personally prefer him in the slot, and I believe he would excel in such a role for the Bears. As a young quarterback, Fields could use a security blanket capable of making plays after the catch. JSN is more than capable, and he would be a clear upgrade over any pass catcher currently on Chicago’s roster. So while the Bears would be making a huge investment, it would be at a position that they have largely ignored since 2015. It is imperative that they help their franchise QB.

Paris Johnson Jr., Left Tackle – 20th overall to the Dallas Cowboys

I have seen other mock drafts with Johnson (Jr.) going inside the top-10, but I am not quite there yet. I need to see him play, I dont know, one game at left tackle. I don’t think that’s asking for too much. But I do think that Johnson is going to be a stud sooner than later. The transition from interior mauler to outside blindside protector has already begun in Columbus, and I expect him be a hell of a bodyguard for Stroud this season.

I settled on Dallas, in the middle of the first round, for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, their offensive line has been picked apart by age, injury, and free agency. The Cowboys used to have the best line (and line depth) in the league, but Tyron Smith and Zack Martin are the only remaining pieces. This unit could use a makeover, and it starts here, with a talented Buckeye.

Beyond the overall health and wellbeing of the entire group, the Tyron Smith issue looms large for Dallas. His subtle drop-off and large salary were the biggest factors in making this decision. When healthy, Smith is one of the best in the league — and one of this most physically-intimidating human beings I have ever laid eyes on. Unfortunately, he has not played a full season since 2015, and carries a cap hit of $17.6 million in 2023. While not an enormous salary for a franchise LT, it far exceeds whatever the Cowboys would have to pay Johnson as the 20th overall pick.

Even if Johnson moves back to guard upon being drafted, it be worth the long-term investment. Both Smith and Martin are getting up there in age, so Johnson gives Dallas an option to replace whichever player falls off or leaves first. His positional flexibility is a luxury for any team looking to upgrade the offensive line. In this case, America’s Team adds another former OSU player to the roster, something they have been accustomed to doing over the years.

Dawand Jones, Right Tackle/Guard – 22nd overall to the Houston Texans

No, I do not think the Texans are sniffing the playoffs. But I am a man of my word, and I told you that 2023 trades were factored in here. This pick actually ends up in Houston as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade. Despite my dislike for the franchise (sorry, not sorry), I could see the Browns making a playoff run as long as Watson plays the majority of their games. Fortunately for Dawand Jones, he is not likely to end up on the Browns if he is indeed taken in the first round.

Projecting Jones to go in the first was definitely the biggest “swing” I took, but you simply can’t coach 6-foot-8, 360 pounds. He showed great progress as a first-year starter, and I could see him taking a leap forward under new offensive line coach, Justin Frye. Jones is more than just a mountain of a man. He moves extremely well for his size, and is a mauler in the run game. His pass pro needs to improve, but I believe he has early round potential.

The Texans need a little bit of everything, but they have a ton of picks to work with, and Jones would give them a monster of a tackle — even if he only has experience on the right side. I did not forget about Laremy Tunsil, but he is a free agent after the 2023 season and currently holds down the opposite side. Jones could start on the right and be groomed to protect the blind side starting in 2024. At the very least, he could be one of Houston’s bookends.

Day Two Potential


Zach Harrison, DE/OLB – 50th overall to the Tennessee Titans

Barbara J. Perenic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Harrison is looking to rebound from an uneven 2021, and he has all the tools to do so

Harrison was a projected first-rounder going into the 2021 college football season, but failed to meet those lofty expectations. That being said, the ceiling is still high for this Columbus, Ohio native, and Buckeye fans hope he is able to flourish under Jim Knowles. While we did not see him in OSU’s spring game, there is a thought that Harrison could alternate between DE and the Jack position(s), hence making him a potential fit for any NFL team running a 3-4 defense. That is where Mike Vrabel and the Titans come in.

Tennessee’s current base is the 3-4, and while they have one stud (OLB) in Harold Landry, the return on Bud Dupree has been disappointing. Here, the Titans are able to pick up a potential replacement with positional versatility. Harrison could replace Dupree if the team decides to move on after 2022, or get after the QB in four-down sets. Vrabel loves his Buckeyes, and Harrison could be a great value in the second round.

Ronnie Hickman, Safety – 60th overall to the Kansas City Chiefs

Something in my gut tells me that Hickman is going to be a defensive weapon for Knowles and the OSU coaching staff. He led the Buckeyes in total tackles last year, and now has access to a much better group of coaches — sorry, it’s true. He might not possess top-end speed, but he is a willing tackler, and the new staff should turn him into much more of a playmaker. If he is able to move around the defensive backfield, it will only help his stock as a draft prospect.

The Kansas City Chiefs love versatile safeties, and they have a couple of good ones in Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill. But in today’s pass-happy league, every NFL team needs to have three or four interchangeable players in the back end. Hickman could join KC’s safety group, or be a replacement for Juan Thornhill. Thornhill is slated to be a free agent after the 2022 season, and coincidentally was drafted by the Chiefs at the end of 2019’s second round (No. 63 overall).

Mid-round Vets


Tanner McCalister, 3rd round — Coverage safeties are in high demand, and McCalister has a ton of experience.

Josh Proctor, 4th round — Another versatile, experienced safety. If Proctor stays healthy, he could go even higher than Hickman and/or McCalister.

Cameron Brown, 5th round — A sticky corner when healthy. Much like Proctor, his draft position will be heavily influenced by health.

Taron Vincent, 6th round — Vincent flashed towards the end of 2021, and could make even greater strides this season. Will need to be disruptive on a consistent basis, and hopefully his efforts are aided by the talent around him.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for May 4, 2022
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

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

On the Gridiron


A look at Justin Frye’s recruiting thus far as Ohio State closes in on a trio of in-state offensive linemen in 2023
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land

Progress Report: Evaluating Ohio State defensive ends after spring camp (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Transfer kicker Parker Lewis primed to compete, win job, details picking Ohio State over long list of offers
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

<eye balls emoji>


Ohio State Seeks Return of Big-Play Pass Defense
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors

Column: Jeremy Ruckert’s draft story is a great one
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

How Each 2022 NFL Rookie from Ohio State Fits with His New Team
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Former Ohio State receiver Johnnie Dixon named USFL Offensive Player of the Week
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Three Buckeyes in the top-13. That’ll do.


You’re Nuts: What former Ohio State players would have fared best in an NIL world?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Haskins Family Foundation Announces Scholarship Fund in Dwayne Haskins’ Name
Kevin Harrish, Eleven Warriors

On the Hardwood


Column: How position-less basketball could work (or fail) for Ohio State this season
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

The impact of Ohio State Women’s Basketball freshmen in 2021-22
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Love this.


How Buckeyes can benefit from Malaki Branham draft declaration (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Germany provided opportunities for Ohio State’s CJ Walker
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Outside the Shoe and Schott


OSU’s tennis teams reach NCAA tourney, will host matches this weekend
Staff Reports, The Columbus Dispatch

Olympic Recap: Swimming’s Armstrong Sets 50M Backstroke Record, Dorenkott Named to USA Swimming Staff, Buckeye Wrestlers Compete at U.S. Open
Chase Brown, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Men’s Lacrosse: Buckeyes, Scarlet Knights Vie for Spot in Big Ten Tournament Title Game
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different:


Yep, this got me.


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Decision day for Ohio State target, four-star offensive lineman
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Austin Siereveld | Dan Harker, 247Sports

The Buckeyes and offensive line coach Justin Frye hope for a BOOMing Wednesday in Columbus.

Ohio State enters today with the No. 6 ranked recruiting class in the country that is made up of nine prospects. The hope for the Buckeyes by the end of the night will be having one of their top offensive line targets on board as well, as he will reveal his decision later today. Plus, a new target emerges in 2025 for running backs coach Tony Alford as the scarlet and gray went to Georgia for their latest offer.

Decision day for Siereveld


After being named a finalist for 2023 four-star interior offensive lineman Austin Siereveld of Lakota East (OH) back in February, Ohio State is set to learn their fate with the Middletown native later today.

The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder initially narrowed his recruitment down to Alabama, Cincinnati, Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame, and of course, the Buckeyes. However, Siereveld has since eliminated the Bearcats, Hawkeyes, and Wolverines which leaves three still in-play for his services.

Ohio State, who offered in October, was on the receiving end of one Crystal Ball prediction ahead of Wednesday's announcement. The latest prediction is just from one of the now five recruiting analyst that are expecting Siereveld to chose the Buckeyes.

The Ohio lineman will reveal his decision live on CBS Sports HQ at 3:00 p.m. ET. If it is Ohio State on the receiving end of the pledge, it would give the scarlet and gray their third offensive line pledge, with the other two already in the fold also being Ohio prospects.

Siereveld is currently graded as the No. 351 prospect overall and 20th highest graded interior offensive line in the class. Not to be forgotten, the Thunderhawks prospect also slots in as the seventh best player from the state of Ohio.

Johnson lands Buckeye offer


Ohio State delivered their eighth offer in the 2025 class on Tuesday as running back Donovan Johnson of Calvary Day School (GA) was the recipient of an offer from the Buckeyes.


Ohio State joins Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and more as the early programs that have wasted no time awarding the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder with a schloarship opportunity.

Johnson is just the second running back prospect in the 2025 class that now holds an offer from Ohio State, joining Jordon Davison of Mater Dei (CA). Johnson also joins offensive tackle Mason Short of Evans (GA) and linebacker Zayden Walker of Schley County (GA) as the other Peach State prospects in the class with Buckeye offers.

According to 247Sports, Johnson showed off his skillset this past season where he tallied over 1,300 yards rushing and added ten touchdowns as a freshman with the Cavaliers.

Quick Hits

• 2023 five-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss of American Heritage (FL) and 2023 four-star linebacker Tackett Curtis of Many (LA) both were predicted to chose the Buckeyes by a pair of respected recruiting analysts on Tuesday. Inniss, the No. 1 WR in the country, was Crystal Balled by 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong, while Curtis, the No. 6 LB, was forecasted by Bucknuts' Bill Kurelic.
• Ohio State pledge and four-star offensive tackle Luke Montgomery of Findlay (OH) announced yesterday that he would be making his official visit on June 24th-26th, and he will be joined by another blue-chip target. 2023 four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen of The Loomis Chaffee School (CT) also revealed on Twitter that he will be using his official visit with the Buckeyes that same weekend.

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The impact of Ohio State Women’s Basketball freshmen in 2021-22
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes’ two freshmen had differing impacts, but show signs of a strong future.

In a series recapping the 2021-22 Ohio State Buckeyes Women’s Basketball season, Land-Grant Holy Land’s focused on each class. Closing it out are a pair of freshmen. The youngest group of Buckeyes didn’t see a lot of the court, but as the season grew, so did the presence of one player.

Listed by order of minutes played, here’s how the first year Buckeyes performed in 2021/22. Transfer status is current as of publishing.

Taylor Thierry


Of the two first-years, forward Taylor Thierry impacted the B1G Regular Season Co-Champions the most. In a way, Thierry’s campaign is a perfect representation of the Buckeyes’ season. Thierry took time to find her footing, and then established herself as a player to watch.

Thierry began the year playing most of her minutes in Ohio State’s non-conference schedule. As the Buckeyes pulled away from teams like Bellarmine University and Mount St. Mary’s, Thierry had more chances to show her impact.

In the first 15 of Thierry’s 30 appearances on the season, she averaged 11 minutes per game. Once the B1G schedule began, it dropped to 7.25 minutes in eight games. At the turn of the calendar into 2022, Thierry’s B1G conference minutes shifted from giving starters a rest to entering the game to change the dynamic.

The Cleveland, Ohio native started coming off the bench halfway through the first quarter of games to give opponents a different look. When Thierry entered the game, she proved to be the most athletic player on the court, a line used often by head coach Kevin McGuff and her Ohio State teammates throughout 2022.

Thierry’s ability to leap for blocks, and the court awareness to put herself into positions to do just that, gave opponents a different look. While offensively, Thierry hit nine points as her season high, her impact defensively and on the boards put Ohio State into positions to win.

On the second to last game of the regular season, against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Thierry had six rebounds, with four coming on the offensive glass. Ohio State’s 78-55 win also included Thierry’s highest number of blocks in a game all season, stuffing six Penn State shots. In one case, Thierry leapt to block a three-point attempt, sending the ball into the stands.

Three days later, against the Michigan State Spartans, Thierry’s second half helped Ohio State put themselves into position for a trophy. With the Spartans in the lead with 3:33 remaining in the fourth quarter, Thierry grabbed an offensive rebound, three defensive rebounds and hit two free throws in the 61-55 victory.

At the final whistle, Thierry had 11 rebounds — her best rebounding game of the season. With the Iowa Hawkeyes defeat of the Michigan Wolverines on the same day, Thierry and the Buckeyes lifted their 16th regular season conference title.

With Thierry’s first season of collegiate basketball, it did come with some learning moments. Fouls were a problem at times. Thierry committed two early fouls against the Indiana Hoosiers in the semifinals of the B1G Conference Tournament. That led to Thierry playing only seven minutes, her only single-digit minutes game in the second half of the season.

During the NCAA Tournament, Thierry returned closer to her regular season form. The forward grabbed 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals in three games.

The future is bright for the soon-to-be sophomore. Entering the 2022-23 season, Buckeyes fans might see Thierry’s name in the starting lineup with guard Braxtin Miller and forward Tanaya Beacham’s departure from the team.

Kaitlyn Costner


Guard was a tough position to break through during the 2021-22 Buckeyes season. The Scarlet & Gray started two First Team All-B1G guards in Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell. Behind them were two guards in Rikki Harris and Kateri Poole who saw most of the Buckeye’s minutes.

Kaitlyn Costner appeared in 11 games for Ohio State. In 59 minutes played, Costner had six points, five assists and a pair of steals.

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I thank the powers that be that this scumbag chose Clemson.

College football's highest-attended spring games of 2022

4. OHIO STATE: 60,007


The first Ohio State spring game with unrestricted attendance since 2019 was a rather emotional one, given it took place shortly after the tragic death of former Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who died April 9 after being struck by a vehicle on a South Florida highway. Ohio State delivered an emotional video tribute to Haskins during the spring scrimmage on a day in Columbus which football at times took a back seat to that matter. Nonetheless, a strong contingent of the Buckeye faithful got a glimpse of what is set to be another talented Ohio State team this fall after the Buckeyes went 11-2 and won the Rose Bowl this past season. Ohio State was just one of four schools to draw 60,000 or more for its spring game.

Entire article: https://247sports.com/college/ohio-...d-spring-games-of-2022-187077182/#187077182_4

You’re Nuts: What former Ohio State players would have fared best in an NIL world?
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 Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

College athletics are so much different from what we saw even five years ago. Not only has the transfer portal allowed for more movement for student-athletes if they find the situation at the college they committed to isn’t quite what they were looking for, but NIL has totally changed the game for student-athletes.

We have already seen the effects of NIL here at Ohio State. It feels like Rick Ricart has supplied every Buckeye football player with a vehicle, which still feels weird after what happened to Maurice Clarett during his short time in Columbus. There also was former Buckeye offensive lineman Harry Miller, who donated his NIL earnings to humanitarian efforts in Nicaragua. It has been incredible to see not only the type of NIL deals that have been struck as we are approaching a full year now that NIL has been available to student-athletes, but also what some are doing with what they have earned from those deals.

What would have been really interesting would have to see how past Ohio State student-athletes would have fared in an NIL world. Just looking at some of the big names in football and basketball over the years, there was a lot of talent that came through Columbus that many local and national businesses would have been itching to throw some money behind.

Today’s question: What former Ohio State players would have fared best in an NIL world?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: Archie Griffin


Just look at how popular Archie Griffin is in Columbus even to this day. The two-time Heisman Trophy running back still is in commercials for numerous local products and companies. Woody Hayes said of Griffin, “He’s a better young man than he is a football player, and he’s the best football player I’ve ever seen.” Not only was Archie Griffin amazing to watch on the football field, he was is the type of guy you wanted to be friends with.

This year will be the first chance we’ll get to see the effect that winning a Heisman Trophy has on NIL deals for a player returning to college, as Alabama quarterback Bryce Young wasn’t yet eligible to declare for the NFL Draft after winning the Heisman Trophy last year. Had NIL been around in the 1970s, I would have expected Archie Griffin to have cleaned up. You know that just about every business that could afford to around central Ohio would have been trying to get in business with Griffin, and there also would have been plenty of national advertising campaigns with their eyes on the running back, as well.

I know that C.J. Stroud has to be getting a ton of NIL offers after the huge season he had for Ohio State last year. I truly think what Stroud has had come across his desk would pale in comparison to what Archie Griffin would have seen. The biggest difference is that Griffin grew up and went to high school in Columbus, so he would carry even more weight around town.

Knowing Archie, he probably would have ended up taking less and putting it back into causes around Columbus. Maybe in terms of money, Griffin wouldn’t have made the most when it comes to past Ohio State players, but he certainly would have had the most interest from companies both locally and nationally that were looking to strike NIL deals with the outstanding running back.

Meredith’s answer: Eddie George


There’s something about running backs and NIL that makes a magic combination. For this week, I’m going to have to go with Eddie George. We’ve seen what he’s done during and after his NFL career, and we’re left to imagine what such a charismatic character would have managed in his collegiate days when it comes to capitalizing on his own name, image and likeness.

One of the differentiators for NIL is personality, something George has in spades. A true Renaissance man, he seems just as comfortable on the football field as on stage for an off Broadway musical, and we could see George leveraging his personal brand to promote any number of products, services or other businesses around Columbus. Heck, he could have been the OG RB for Arby’s.

It doesn’t hurt that, like Archie, George won the Heisman Trophy during his time in Columbus. Of course, George won the trophy after his final season with the Buckeyes, which would certainly have impacted his NIL earnings as a result.

Further, the fact George had a hot start to his pro career (including making four consecutive Pro Bowls) makes the idea of NIL investment during his college days even more valuable. He became a fixture as a public spokesperson in Tennessee, including as part of a campaign to prevent diabetes.

Even after his professional career ended, George continued to build up his personal brand. He completed his degree in landscape architecture from Ohio State and even got his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Now, George is head coach for Tennessee State, and has demonstrated his skills as a recruiter, selling Tennessee State to numerous transfer portal players who are opting to play for the Ohio State legend.

He’s the perfect spokesperson who always feels like the hometown hero, and if he were playing today, he’d be raking in sponsorship deals left and right.

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New options for removing your personally identifiable information from Search
Apr 27, 2022
Michelle Chang
Global Policy Lead for Search
https://blog.google/products/search...sonally-identifiable-information-from-search/

Privacy and online safety go hand in hand. And when you’re using the internet, it’s important to have control over how your sensitive, personally identifiable information can be found.

On Google Search, we already have a set of policies that allow people to request the removal of certain content from Search, with a focus on highly personal content that, if public, can cause direct harm to people. But the internet is always evolving – with information popping up in unexpected places and being used in new ways — so our policies and protections need to evolve, too.

Open access to information is a key goal of Search, but so is empowering people with the tools they need to protect themselves and keep their sensitive, personally identifiable information private. That’s why we’re updating our policies to help people take more control of their online presence in Search.

Request the removal of personally identifiable information that appears in Google Search
For many years, people have been able to request the removal of certain sensitive, personally identifiable information from Search — for example, in cases of doxxing, or information like bank account or credit card numbers that could be used for financial fraud.

Under this new policy expansion, people can now request removals of additional types of information when they find it in Search results, including personal contact information like a phone number, email address, or physical address. The policy also allows for the removal of additional information that may pose a risk for identity theft, such as confidential log-in credentials, when it appears in Search results.

The availability of personal contact information online can be jarring — and it can be used in harmful ways, including for unwanted direct contact or even physical harm. And people have given us feedback that they would like the ability to remove this type of information from Search in some cases.

When we receive removal requests, we will evaluate all content on the web page to ensure that we're not limiting the availability of other information that is broadly useful, for instance in news articles. We'll also evaluate if the content appears as part of the public record on the sites of government or official sources. In such cases, we won't make removals.

It’s important to remember that removing content from Google Search won’t remove it from the internet, which is why you may wish to contact the hosting site directly, if you're comfortable doing so.

We’re always looking for new ways to ensure our policies and built-in safeguards reflect peoples’ evolving needs and are easy to use. For example, in addition to this update, we recently rolled out a new policy to enable people under the age of 18 (or their parent or guardian) to request the removal of their images from Google Search results.

Maximizing access to information while empowering people to be in control of their sensitive, personally identifiable information is a critical balance to strike. We believe these updates are an important step to deliver on that goal and give people the tools they need to protect their safety and privacy online.

To learn more about how you can make use of this expanded policy, visit our help page.

Click to expand...