Ohio State had the best draft class in modern history
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Quality over quantity, folks.

"It wasn't a surprise that Ohio State produced a top-notch draft class in 2016. What is surprising is that it's the most impressive draft class in modern history."

- Chase Stuart, FiveThirtyEight


We knew Ohio State was going to have a great end result to the 2016 NFL Draft. There were hopes that the Buckeyes would eclipse the previous record for most players held in a draft, which the Buckeyes own (14), but they fell two short at 12. And while they didn't cross that number, this still appears to be the best draft class in modern history, as FiveThirtyEight explores the numbers. But it's much more than just having a bunch of players selected, the quality of the players is what sets the 2016 draft class apart from the rest.

All of the Buckeyes selected were picked in the first four rounds of the draft, with Cardale Jones being the final selection at 139. The Texas Longhorns had the most draft picks of all time in a single draft with 17 (when there were 12 rounds), but eight of those players were selected with the 180th pick or later, according to FiveThirtyEight. The publication used a draft value chart where they were able to better approximate the value of the prospects aside from just the quantity, and the numbers put the Buckeyes just short of the 1946 Notre Dame draft class. The next closest modern draft class was the 2004 Miami Hurricanes', and that's pretty good company to be in.



The Ohio State Buckeyes will face off against the UConn Huskies in a non-conference matchup on December 10th next basketball season. The two teams played each other this past December, and almost everything went in the Huskies way, who ran off with a 75-55 win over what was a very young Ohio State team. The Buckeyes won't be immensely older next season, but will be more seasoned, and have home court advantage against the Huskies the second time around.

The Bucks lost four players from their 2015 recruiting class, including Daniel Giddens, Austin Grandstaff, A.J. Harris, and Mickey Mitchell. Luckily, the Buckeyes still have guard JaQuan Lyle, who has tons of potential. With key pieces like Keita Bates-Diop, Jae'Sean Tate, Marc Loving, and Trevor Thompson back, the Buckeyes shouldn't look too different, but it definitely won't be the same product we saw on the floor last season. Hopefully they're able to knock off the Huskies this time around.

Ezekiel Elliott has the second best odds to win NFL's Rookie of the Year, per Bovada


It seems like the NFL season can't get here soon enough for Buckeye fans. After an exciting NFL Draft weekend, the anticipation surrounding the debuts of the rookie Buckeyes is already building. Bovada released some early odds for the 2016 NFL season, and Ezekiel Elliott is all over the early props, as well as being in good favor to win the Rookie of the Year. Zeke's odds to win Rookie of the Year are at 5/2, who is only behind the draft's top selection in quarterback Jared Goff, whose odds are 2/1. Behind Elliott is Heisman winner and now Tennessee Titan Derrick Henry at 7/1, as well as former Baylor wideout Corey Coleman at 15/2.

Bovada has their over/under for total rushing yards in the 2016 regular season for Elliott set at 900. They also have his total touchdown's in the 2016 regular season set at 7.5. Joey Bosa also made an appearance, with his total sacks in the 2016 regular season over/under set at 5.5. I'm not a gambling man, but I'm pretty confident in the Buckeyes and would gladly go over for all three of those bets. The 2016 season should be especially fun in watching how the Buckeyes translate to the NFL game.

"I think it's kind of disrespectful. The half-shirt at the draft? I mean it's a traditional thing."

- Lamarr Houston, Chicago Bears linebacker, via ESPN's SportsNation


While Ezekiel Elliott showed off a half-shirt at the draft, and it was a huge hit with so many people who know that to be the running back's trademark, Chicago Bears linebacker Lamarr Houston felt otherwise. While making an appearance on ESPN's SportsNation, he expressed his dismay for the display of abs on the draft's red carpet, saying he felt it was disrespectful. He added that it was disrespectful of "everybody who's ever been to the draft." Houston further tried to solidify himself as being a higher-being than Elliott by saying "I hate wearing suits. I dressed appropriately for the event."

Houston seemed to be taking any shots he could pull while he was getting his time on air, as he also called Aaron Rodgers arrogant. Which totally makes sense, considering the Bears-Packers rivalry. But to poke at Elliott for having fun on the biggest night of his life seems cheap. Roger Goodell has turned the first round of the NFL Draft into a show, and there probably wasn't a better showman there than Elliott himself. Elliott's display was fine, and he was great for the draft.

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Ohio State Buckeyes backup QB likely out for season - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes backup QB likely out for season
Dayton Daily News
Ohio State Buckeyes backup quarterback Stephen Collier will most likely miss the 2016 season after suffering an injury in the spring game April 16 and undergoing surgery Wednesday, an Ohio State spokesman confirmed. According to multiple reports, ...
Ohio State football | Buckeyes reserve QB undergoes surgeryColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State quarterback Stephen Collier has knee surgeryESPN
Reports: Ohio State loses backup QB Stephen Collier for the seasonAkron Beacon Journal (blog)
247Sports -Eleven Warriors (registration) -OSU - The Lantern
all 11 news articles »

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Ohio State football | Buckeyes reserve QB undergoes surgery - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Buckeyes reserve QB undergoes surgery
Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State sophomore quarterback Stephen Collier underwent surgery today to repair a knee injury suffered in the spring game, an OSU spokesman confirmed. Collier likely will miss the 2016 season as a result, the spokesman also said. Collier had been in ...
Ohio State quarterback Stephen Collier has knee surgeryESPN
Ohio State QB Stephen Collier out for season due to injury247Sports
Reports: Ohio State loses backup QB Stephen Collier for the seasonAkron Beacon Journal (blog)
Eleven Warriors (registration) -NBCSports.com -BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
all 10 news articles »

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Baylor Quarterback Commit Kellen Mond Says Buckeyes Are Recruiting Him the Hardest, Thinking Summer Decision - Eleven Warriors (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Baylor Quarterback Commit Kellen Mond Says Buckeyes Are Recruiting Him the Hardest, Thinking Summer Decision
Eleven Warriors (registration)
On Monday, Ohio State quarterback coach Tim Beck was in Bradenton, Florida, checking out IMG quarterback Kellen Mond, who is fast becoming a priority for the Buckeyes in their 2017 class. "(Tim) Beck was at the school," Mond told Eleven Warriors.


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5 players whose NBA Draft decisions will impact Ohio State's chances of winning the Big Ten
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Trevor Thompson is expected to return to the Buckeyes, but any chance Ohio State has at winning the Big Ten next winter vanishes if he bolts.

There are 10 players from the Big Ten who have until May 25 to decide whether they want to return to college or keep their name in for the NBA Draft: James Blackmon Jr. (Indiana), Vince Edwards (Purdue), Nigel Hayes (Wisconsin), Peter Jok (Iowa), Corey Sanders (Rutgers), Caleb Swanigan (Purdue), Trevor Thompson (Ohio State), Melo Trimble (Maryland), Andrew White (Nebraska), and Troy Williams (Indiana).

Maryland's Robert Carter and Diamond Stone as well as Michigan State's Deyonta Davis have also declared for the NBA Draft, but those three have forfeited their remaining collegiate eligibility by hiring agents.

With their present roster, the Buckeyes are on the fringe of Big Ten title race next winter, with Michigan State, Indiana, and Wisconsin generally regarded as the top threats to take the conference crown in 2016-17. Purdue, Michigan, and Ohio State would fall into the next tier of teams. However, with a few breaks in player movement from other Big Ten squads, the Buckeyes could inch closer to contention.

Here are five players whose upcoming decision of whether to stay in school or leap to the pros will affect Ohio State's position in challenging for the 2016-17 regular-season Big Ten championship:

Trevor Thompson


The Buckeyes' frontcourt has already dealt with a surprising (at least to those outside of the program) exit when freshman Daniel Giddens opted to transfer after the season. Thompson stands to be Ohio State's top big man as a redshirt junior in 2016-17, but if he were to bolt, the Buckeyes would find themselves in a real bind. David Bell, who remains raw and played just 47 minutes during Big Ten play this past season as a redshirt freshman, is the only other forward/center on the roster with collegiate playing experience.

Ohio State does have two freshmen bigs in 6-10 Micah Potter and 6-9 Derek Funderburk entering the fold next winter, but it remains to be seen whether either player will be physically mature enough to play significant minutes at the Division I level.

Thompson, who averaged 6.5 points and 5.1 rebounds last season, may not even crack the top five when it comes to naming the Buckeyes' five best players, but at this juncture, Thompson just may be Ohio State's most indispensable player. Without Thompson -- who is expected to return to Columbus -- Matta would be forced to scramble for another big body -- probably from a JUCO -- to fill the void left by Thompson.

Nigel Hayes


Hayes, a veteran of two Final Fours and three Sweet 16s, led the Badgers in scoring in 2015-16, even if his shooting numbers suffered as result of his increased usage. The Badgers' three-man core of Hayes, guard Bronson Koenig, and forward Ethan Happ would be unmatched in the Big Ten in terms of returning production next season, with strong support provided by experienced role players Vitto Brown and Zak Showalter.

With Hayes, Wisconsin is a veritable threat to win the Big Ten. Without the 6-8 Toledo native, however, the Badgers would be left without a premier scorer and would fall back to the middle class.

James Blackmon Jr.


Indiana coach Tom Crean has been carrying the torch for Josh Newkirk, even though the ex-Pittsburgh guard (who averaged almost six points and three assists per game in 2014-15) has yet to suit up in a game for the Hoosiers after sitting out the 2015-16 campaign as a transfer. But make no mistake about it, Blackmon remains Indiana's most important guard for 2016-17.

Blackmon tore an ACL 13 games into last season, but he was averaging nearly 16 points per game prior to the injury and shooting 46 percent from 3. With additional distributing duties headed his way, Blackmon will need to get his teammates more involved next season (he's averaging 1.6 assists per game for his career) and his defense remains a work in progress, but the junior-to-be's scoring and shooting prowess is well-suited to replace Yogi Ferrell's 17.3 points per game.

Aside from Blackmon and Newkirk (who is recovering from microfracture surgery), rising junior Robert Johnson is the only other Hoosier guard back that received meaningful playing time in 2015-16. (Indiana did sign three guards in its incoming recruiting class.) Sans Blackmon, Indiana would be less of a realistic threat to win the Big Ten title and be more of a second-tier squad in the conference, though that the blow of losing Blackmon would be softened if swingman Troy Williamed returns to school.

Caleb Swanigan


If Purdue loses Swanigan or the Boilermaker to follow him in this article to the draft, the team's chances for winning the 2016-17 Big Ten crown leave with them.

Swanigan averaged 10.2 points and 8.3 rebounds as a freshman and should be in line for a jump in production with A.J. Hammons graduating. Directly behind Swanigan on Purdue's depth chart is junior-to-be Isaac Haas, a 7-2 monster who has flashed dominance but has yet to acquire the endurance to play more than 15 minutes per game. Behind Swanigan and Haas is little-used 6-10 reserve forward Jacquil Taylor, who appeared in only 12 games last season.

Vince Edwards


Edwards, a 6-7 forward who just completed his sophomore season for the Boilermakers, is one of the Big Ten's more versatile players. Edwards is able to check just about any off-guard or forward in the conference defensively, and he's a double-digit scorer who made 40 percent of his triples last winter.

Purdue is actually thinner on the wing than in its frontcourt, as Basil Smotherman, who redshirted last season after playing a minor role with the team from 2013-15, is the Boilermakers' lone option behind Edwards. Losing either Swanigan or Edwards would demote Purdue from the top of the Big Ten's second tier to a squad more in line with Michigan or Ohio State.

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Stephen Collier to Miss 2016 With ACL Injury
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


One of Ohio State’s young quarterbacks will miss his opportunity to compete for the backup position in fall camp.

Redshirt Sophomore Stephen Collier will more than likely miss the whole 2016 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee.

According to Eleven Warriors’ Eric Segar, the injury happened during Ohio State’s spring game on April 16. From 11W:


Collier pretty much confirmed the news with a couple of tweets this afternoon.







The criminolgy major took a heavy amount of snaps this spring, as just one of two fully-healthy quarterbacks on the roster. He was in a competition with Joe Burrow for the backup spot throughout the spring, and played in his second spring game of his career.

The three-start recruit enrolled at Ohio State in May of 2014, after a spectacular senior year at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia. Collier passed for 2,291 yards in his final year and added 24 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,021 yards as the Southwest Georgia player of the year.

According to the report from Eleven Warriors, Collier had surgery to repair the tear and is expected to make a full recovery.



The post Stephen Collier to Miss 2016 With ACL Injury appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State QB Stephen Collier out for the year, per report
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


OSU's down a QB after a spring game injury.

Prospective third string quarterback and well regarded locker room presence Stephen Collier is out for the year, according to a report by Eleven Warriors.

Though Collier had seemed some distance behind redshirt freshman Joe Burrow in the race to be J.T. Barrett's principal backup, he's a well renown "glue guy" and someone his teammates and coaches alike hold in very high regards.

According to 11W, Collier suffered an apparent ACL injury during OSU's spring game. Collier saw extended action during the exhibition.

Many suspected something was potentially up after Collier started tweeting the kind of things we're accustomed to seeing from athletes after they've suffered a physical setback early this morning and late last night:





Best of luck to Collier during his rehabilitation.

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Buckeyes, others keeping tabs on top-25 guard Walker - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes, others keeping tabs on top-25 guard Walker
247Sports
One of the most intriguing prospects Ohio State coach Thad Matta and his staff are after for 2017 is Lithia Springs (Ga.) Jonesboro combo guard M.J. Walker. (Check out video of Walker in action above.) The 6-5 Walker is Big Ten-ready at 210 pounds.


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OSUWG: NCAA Regionals, Round 2
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

(Team photo and tournament information courtesy of Ohio State Athletic Department and GolfChannel.com. Event scoring and statistics courtesy of GolfStat.com)

You’d be all smiles, too, if you just won back-to-back-to back conference titles,

The Buckeyes headed west for the NCAA Regionals. They are 8th seed in the Stanford (Stanford GC, Stanford, CA) Regional. The field consists of 18 teams and 6 Individuals. The teams are listed in seeded order, followed by their Golfstat ranking. The event is from May 5 -7. The low six teams from each Region advance to the NCAA Finals in Eugene OR (Eugene CC) from May 20-25,

Teams:

1 – USC (2)
2 – Arkansas (7)
3 – Stanford (12)
4 – Virginia (15)
5 – UNLV (18)
6 – San Diego State (21)
7 – Texas Tech (26)
8 – Ohio State (31)
9 – Colorado (34)
10 – Wake Forest (39)
11 – Michigan State (42)
12 – North Carolina (45)
13 – Pepperdine (49)
14 – San Jose State (54)
15 – UC Riverside (96)
16 – Idaho (100)
17 – Richmond (127)
18 – Seton Hall (198)

Individuals

1 – Kassidy Teare (Long Beach State)
2 – Martina Edberg (Cal State Fullerton)
3 – Andrea Wong (UC Davis)
4 – Katrina Prendergast (Colorado State)
5 – Paige Lee (UC Davis)
6 – Kristin Simonsen (Fresno State)

The Buckeyes are: Katja Pogacar, Jessica Porvasnik, Jaclyn Lee, Rio Watanabe, Niki Schroeder and Zoe-Beth Brake.


1st Round

This was high drama all day long. First, Ohio State and Northwestern were paired together, so you always had your main adversary in your sights. They trailed Northwestern by 2 strokes entering the round and for most of the day could not gain ground on them. However, the Buckeyes chased down the Wildcats simply by playing better golf at the end. Over the last half hour (or so) of play, Ohio State was -1 to par while Northwestern was +3. This is the fine edge; 54 holes of golf and a championship comes down to two holes at the end…

Buckeyes had sub-par rounds by Katja Pogacar (again), Jessica Porvasnik (again) and Rio Watanabe (again). Niki Schroeder and Zoe-Beth Brake shot very good rounds and by any measure Jaclyn Lee’s round was solid. They were relentless on Sunday and it paid off with a championship. This was another outstanding round of team golf.

They shot a team score of 280 (-8), a 1 stroke improvement from Saturday. The Buckeyes were led by Katja Pogacar 67 (-5), Rio Watanabe 69 (-3) and Jessica Porvasnik 71 (-1). Niki Schroeder 73 (+1), Zoe-Beth Brake 73 (+1) and Jaclyn Lee (75 (+3) all shot superb rounds.

Niki started strongly, with 2 birdies in her first 6 holes. A couple of late round bogeys bumped her score to 73. A fine first go-round in post-conference play.

Jessica was even par through 4 holes, recorded 1 birdie and 13 pars to close out her round of -1, 71.

Rio birdied her first 2 holes(again), then birdied 2 of her last 3 holes for her 70.

Katja birdied her first hole (always a good start) and birdied #7/#8 for a front 9, 33, -3. She birdied 2 of her last 3 holes to close with a back 9 34, -1. This was simply outstanding tournament golf.

Jaclyn had a ton of pars (15) enroute to her solid round of 75. Another good post-season performance.

Zoe-Beth was +2 on her front side, then carded two birdies for a back nine -1 for a solid, needed round of 73.

Below is the Buckeye scoring:

Big Ten Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Total
Team 291 281 280 852
Katja Pogacar 69 72 67 208
Jessica Porvasnik 71 70 71 212
Jaclyn Lee 76 74 75 225
Rio Watanabe 75 70 69 214
Niki Schroeder 77 69 73 219
Zoe-Beth Brake 79 76 73 228
291 281 280 852
3 -7 -8 -12

The Buckeyes put together a round comprised of 19 birdies, 74 pars and 15 bogeys. This was their second consecutive round scoring no score higher than bogey. Think about it; 216 holes and nothing worse than bogeys.

Through three rounds, Ohio State played the par 3’s fairly well, averaging a 3.07, +5 to par, ranking them 2nd. They played the par 4’s very well, to an average of 4,11, +19 to par, ranking them T-2nd. They played the par 5’s to an average of 4.81, -14 to par, ranking them 2nd. That is consistently a high level of golf.

Over three rounds, Ohio State had 223 pars, ranking them 1st, and 47 birdies, ranking them T-3rd.

Next up, the NCAA Championships.

Go Buckeyes!

The post OSUWG: NCAA Regionals, Round 2 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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OSUWG: NCAA Regionals, Round 1
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

(Team photo and tournament information courtesy of Ohio State Athletic Department and GolfChannel.com. Event scoring and statistics courtesy of GolfStat.com)

You’d be all smiles, too, if you just won back-to-back-to back conference titles.

The Buckeyes headed west for the NCAA Regionals. They are 8th seed in the Stanford (Stanford GC, Stanford, CA) Regional. The field consists of 18 teams and 6 Individuals. The teams are listed in seeded order, followed by their Golfstat ranking. The event is from May 5 -7. The low six teams from each Region advance to the NCAA Finals in Eugene OR (Eugene CC) from May 20-25.

The Stanford Course will play to 6,269 yards and to a par of 71. The format is ‘play 5, count 4’.

Participating teams are:

1 – USC (2)
2 – Arkansas (7)
3 – Stanford (12)
4 – Virginia (15)
5 – UNLV (18)
6 – San Diego State (21)
7 – Texas Tech (26)
8 – Ohio State (31)
9 – Colorado (34)
10 – Wake Forest (39)
11 – Michigan State (42)
12 – North Carolina (45)
13 – Pepperdine (49)
14 – San Jose State (54)
15 – UC Riverside (96)
16 – Idaho (100)
17 – Richmond (127)
18 – Seton Hall (198)

Individuals

1 – Kassidy Teare (Long Beach State)
2 – Martina Edberg (Cal State Fullerton)
3 – Andrea Wong (UC Davis)
4 – Katrina Prendergast (Colorado State)
5 – Paige Lee (UC Davis)
6 – Kristin Simonsen (Fresno State)



The Buckeyes on the course were: Katja Pogacar, Jessica Porvasnik, Jaclyn Lee, Rio Watanabe and Niki Schroeder.


1st Round

This was high drama all day long. First, Ohio State and Northwestern were paired together, so you always had your main adversary in your sights. They trailed Northwestern by 2 strokes entering the round and for most of the day could not gain ground on them. However, the Buckeyes chased down the Wildcats simply by playing better golf at the end. Over the last half hour (or so) of play, Ohio State was -1 to par while Northwestern was +3. This is the fine edge; 54 holes of golf and a championship comes down to two holes at the end…

Buckeyes had sub-par rounds by Katja Pogacar (again), Jessica Porvasnik (again) and Rio Watanabe (again). Niki Schroeder and Zoe-Beth Brake shot very good rounds and by any measure Jaclyn Lee’s round was solid. They were relentless on Sunday and it paid off with a championship. This was another outstanding round of team golf.

They shot a team score of 280 (-8), a 1 stroke improvement from Saturday. The Buckeyes were led by Katja Pogacar 67 (-5), Rio Watanabe 69 (-3) and Jessica Porvasnik 71 (-1). Niki Schroeder 73 (+1) and Jaclyn Lee (75 (+3) all shot superb rounds.

Niki started strongly, with 2 birdies in her first 6 holes. A couple of late round bogeys bumped her score to 73. A fine first go-round in post-conference play.

Jessica was even par through 4 holes, recorded 1 birdie and 13 pars to close out her round of -1, 71.

Rio birdied her first 2 holes(again), then birdied 2 of her last 3 holes for her 70.

Katja birdied her first hole (always a good start) and birdied #7/#8 for a front 9, 33, -3. She birdied 2 of her last 3 holes to close with a back 9 34, -1. This was simply outstanding tournament golf.

Jaclyn had a ton of pars (15) enroute to her solid round of 75. Another good post-season performance.



Below is the Buckeye scoring:

Big Ten Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Total
Team 291 281 280 852
Katja Pogacar 69 72 67 208
Jessica Porvasnik 71 70 71 212
Jaclyn Lee 76 74 75 225
Rio Watanabe 75 70 69 214
Niki Schroeder 77 69 73 219
Zoe-Beth Brake 79 76 73 228
291 281 280 852
3 -7 -8 -12

The Buckeyes put together a round comprised of 19 birdies, 74 pars and 15 bogeys. This was their second consecutive round scoring no score higher than bogey. Think about it; 216 holes and nothing worse than bogeys.

Through three rounds, Ohio State played the par 3’s fairly well, averaging a 3.07, +5 to par, ranking them 2nd. They played the par 4’s very well, to an average of 4,11, +19 to par, ranking them T-2nd. They played the par 5’s to an average of 4.81, -14 to par, ranking them 2nd. That is consistently a high level of golf.

Over three rounds, Ohio State had 223 pars, ranking them 1st, and 47 birdies, ranking them T-3rd.

Next up, the NCAA Regionals.

Go Buckeyes!

The post OSUWG: NCAA Regionals, Round 1 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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2016 Draft: AFC East, Post-Draft Post Script
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


(Image courtesy hngn.com)

I’m almost done with the 2016 NFL Draft at this point. Almost. I have a few closing comments on this year’s “talent acquisition”* efforts. I’ll skip the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins since they not only did not acquire any Buckeyes, they made some bizarre, if not entertaining choices. Besides, as a Bills fan, I have a great deal of animus towards these teams, so… That leaves us with Buffalo and New York (Jets). Onward we go.



Buffalo Bills

As you well know by now, the Bills drafted Adolphus Washington and Cardale Jones. The current roster situation sets up well for them sets up well for them. As it turns out, the situation may have tilted quite favorably in Cardale’s favor, due to Bills’ player personnel decisions regarding quarterback EJ Manuel. This means that 2016 is probably EJ’s last season with the Bills. Cardale is now “on the clock”.

Regarding Adolphus Washington? Whether he can produce like “The Dancing Bear” remains to be seen, but AWash’s athleticism would indicate that he can. This is going to be fun to watch Adolphus get playing time.

This was a very good draft for the Bills, but the “talent acquisition” would have worked out better if they’d drafted/signed Jalin Marshall. The Bills lost their slot receiver, Chris Hogan, to the dastardly Patriots. I think that Jalin would have a chance to stick with the Bills; let’s not forget that he had a good on-field chemistry with Cardale.



New York Jets

Again, Darron Lee was a great pick. Hopefully, he’ll be tormenting the New England offense for years to come (what’s not to like?) and in a year or so he’ll be chasing down his former team mate in Buffalo twice a year.

Speaking of Jalin Marshall, the Jets signed him to an UDFA contract. As mentioned, above, I’d have rather seen him in Buffalo, but at least he is getting a legitimate opportunity to make his case that he should be in the NFL. His situation with the Jets is a bit sketchy right now because they really don’t have anyone in place to throw the ball to him. Ryan Fitzpatrick remains a free agent, unsigned at this point. Next up is Geno Smith. The next, Next Up is Bryce Petty. Finally, the Jets drafted PSU’s Christian Hackenberg. Geesh. Good luck, Jalin.



*Draft and subsequent UDFA signings



The post 2016 Draft: AFC East, Post-Draft Post Script appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Position by Position Recruiting Summary – Offensive Line
Ben Van Ooyen via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Today’s “Future of Ohio State Recruiting” brought to you by the offensive line. These guys up front give quarterbacks enough time to make throws and open up holes for running backs to run for big gains. Over the past two seasons, Ohio State has enjoyed arguably two of the best offensive lines in college football, and it all boils down to recruiting the right guys and developing them into quality starters. The Buckeyes lost Taylor Decker, Jacoby Boren, and Chase Farris from the 2015 roster, and the team hopes to replace them with the abundance of young talent that have been waiting on the sidelines. Regardless of talent, replacing 3/5ths of an offensive line unit is a challenge. Luckily the line will have early home games against Bowling Green and Tulsa so the young guys can get meaningful playing time in a friendly environment before what’s likely to be a prime-time night game showdown in Norman. The earlier they can develop a rapport and get into a rhythm, the faster they can grow together and develop as a unit.

The only certainties going into this season are Pat Elflein at center, Billy Price at left guard, and recently-named starter Jamarco Jones at left tackle. The other two spots are up for grabs, and the battles will continue up until fall practice finishes. Isaiah Prince and freshman Michael Jordan have stood out in spring ball and have a slight edge heading into the fall camp. However, guys like Malcolm Pridgeon, a former JUCO standout, and redshirt freshman Matthew Burrell may come in and push for immediate playing time. Demitrius Knox, Brady Taylor, Branden Bowen and whoever loses out on the RG/RT battle in fall camp should see some playing time this year on the second unit. It seems like Evan Lisle and Kyle Trout have been recruited over, so their chances at playing time are looking bleak. It should be interesting to see who lines up where when the Buckeyes take the field against Bowling Green the first weekend in September.

2016 Projected Depth Chart:

LT: Jamarco Jones – Junior

– Kevin Feder – Freshman (RS)

LG: Billy Price – Junior (RS)

– Demetrius Knox – Sophomore (RS)

C: Pat Elflein – Senior (RS)

– Brady Taylor – Sophomore (RS)

RG: Michael Jordan – Freshman

– Malcolm Pridgeon – Junior

RT: Isaiah Prince – Sophomore

– Branden Bowen – Freshman (RS)

Unless Billy Price decides to leave early after this season, we should have 4/5ths of our line returning in 2017, which will be nice for cohesiveness in front of JT Barrett – assuming he returns as well. You can never have too much depth at any of those spots, however, so Urban Meyer has been recruiting offensive linemen heavily. Let’s see what the future potentially holds for the Buckeye offensive line over the next couple of years.

The 2017 class got off to a big start with commitments from consensus top 10 player Josh Myers and high-four star Jake Moretti. Myers hails from Miamisburg, OH and has been committed to the Buckeyes since January 2015. Moretti is an out-of-state recruit from Arvada, CO who committed to the Buckeyes on July 4th of last year. It seems like both guys are finished with the recruiting process and have made their final decisions, so I believe that they’ll both remain part of the Buckeyes’ 2017 class. As I’ve discussed before, Ohio State is short on scholarship space in this class – with the number of players already in the queue for the Buckeyes, I can see maybe one to two more guys becoming a part of this class. Some names to keep in mind are Isaiah Wilson and Robert Hainsey, and Joel Honigford. The first two guys are long shots at best, but Honigford is definitely one to keep an eye on. He hasn’t received an offer from Ohio State yet, but he seems willing to wait for one before making any sort of decision. I can see him camping at Ohio State this summer and pulling in that much-coveted offer … and possibly even committing on the spot. If he doesn’t get one for some reason, I think he heads north to Michigan State, but when all is said and done, I say he earns his offer and becomes the third member of the offensive line class of 2017.

Bringing back almost the entire offensive line in 2017 will be big because the unit will have a full year of experience behind it, almost like the 2015 season when Chase Farris was plugged in to replace Darryl Baldwin. In 2017, I see Brady Taylor taking over for Pat Elflein at center, with Jack Wohlabaugh being his backup. Again, Malcolm Pridgeon could very well start this season, which means he would be again next year, but for now I have him listed as a co-starter for 2016 and 2017.

2017 Projected Depth Chart:

LT: Jamarco Jones – Senior

– Kevin Feder – Sophomore (RS)

LG: Billy Price – Senior (RS)

– Demetrius Knox – Junior (RS)

C: Brady Taylor – Junior (RS)

– Jack Wohlabaugh – Freshman (RS)

RG: Michael Jordan – Sophomore

– Malcolm Pridgeon – Senior

RT: Isaiah Prince – Junior

– Branden Bowen – Sophomore (RS)

The Buckeyes are be poised to lose three of these starters due to graduation after the 2017 season, so Urban Meyer and Greg Studrawa will have some big holes to fill during recruiting. Offensive line recruiting for 2018 hasn’t taken off yet, and the Buckeyes currently only have offers out to four players. Jackson Carman is the one to watch – he hails from Fairfield, OH and seems to be one of the Buckeyes’ biggest targets for 2018. I thought he might commit at the spring game, but that didn’t happen; however, a commitment could come at any time, and Carman would instantly become a leader of the class of 2018. Two others with offers are Nick Petit-Frere out of Tampa, FL, and Will Lawrence from Memphis, TN. Yesterday Matt Jones out of Brooklyn Erasmus received an offer, and it was one he was coveting. He can either play defensive line or offensive line so it is uncertain if he would fit into the offensive line discussion yet. With potentially four guys’ eligibility running out at the end of 2018, the Buckeyes will look to add three or four offensive linemen in this class. I think Carman will be the only current offer to be in the class, but I expect more and more linemen will receive offers as recruiting for the 2018 class gets rolling over the next few months.

2018 Projected Depth Chart:

LT – Kevin Feder – Junior (RS)

– Josh Myers – Freshman

LG – Demetrius Knox – Senior (RS)

– Matthew Burrell – Junior (RS)

C – Brady Taylor – Senior (RS)

– Jack Wohlabaugh – Sophomore (RS)

RG – Michael Jordan – Junior

– Tyler Gerald – Sophomore (RS)

RT – Isaiah Prince – Senior

– Branden Bowen – Junior (RS)

The offensive line is always a hard one to predict. Case in point: I didn’t see Michael Jordan becoming a starter after spring ball, but it’s looking like that might happen unless Malcolm Pridgeon comes in and takes his spot. Projecting farther than this season is even more of a guessing game because so much can happen between now and then. What I know for certain is that we have two of the best coaches in America in Greg Studrawa and Ed Warriner. Hopefully their talents will lead to great development and a consistently strong unit from year to year. The offensive line has been a strong suit for the Buckeyes since Urban took over, and I fully expect that to continue with top notch recruiting and player development.




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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 5-4-2016
Ben Van Ooyen via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Buckeye Coaches out Recruiting Hard:





Buckeye Draft Dollar$:








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Ohio State Football: Realistic Expectations for the Buckeyes' 2016 Season - Bleacher Report
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Football: Realistic Expectations for the Buckeyes' 2016 Season
Bleacher Report
Offensively, the Buckeyes will be strong up the middle with center Pat Elflein (who's transitioning from right guard), left guard Billy Price and quarterback J.T. Barrett all back for another year. The Buckeyes' coaching staff is using those three as ...
Ohio State roundup | Men's volleyball wins NCAA Tournament openerColumbus Dispatch
Men's volleyball: Ohio State advances to NCAA semifinalsNCAA.com
A grand slam sinks Ohio State baseball against UABLand-Grant Holy Land

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Offers rolling in, Buckeyes to see Ohio offensive lineman - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Offers rolling in, Buckeyes to see Ohio offensive lineman
247Sports
When it comes to recruiting Portsmouth (Ohio) Sciotoville East offensive lineman Blaine Scott has blown up this spring. Scott entered the spring with a handful of scholarship offers, but has seen his list grow to 16. In recent weeks Scott has added ...


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Like it is Buckeyes reign as draft kings; Tide rule field - Arkansas Online
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Like it is Buckeyes reign as draft kings; Tide rule field
Arkansas Online
So why aren't the Buckeyes the defending national champions? The Crimson Tide had only seven players drafted last week, yet the King of SEC Swing won the latest national championship 45-40 over Clemson, which beat Oklahoma 37-17 in the semifinals.
Big Ten NFL draft rewind: Quarterbacks, Buckeyes and surprises247Sports.com
NFL shows love to Buckeyes, winnersTimes Daily
Two Buckeyes Made Different Choices, Similar Results?Scarlet and Game
Fredericksburg.com -The Buckeye Battle Cry -Campus Sports
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Ohio State tries to plant the recruiting flag in New York
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State sent out an offer to Matthew Jones. Do the Bucks have a shot?

An offer was sent out to DL/OL Matthew Jones (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Erasmus Hall) on Tuesday. Jones is currently rated a four-star prospect and the No.2 rated defensive tackle in the class of 2018 according to 247Sports. Ohio State identified Jones as a prospect well over a year ago and have been in pursuit for him since. Along with now holding an offer from the Buckeyes, Jones also holds prestigious offers from Alabama and Clemson.

Ohio State has fared well on the East Coast the last few years, so it's no shock to these prospects when the Buckeyes come knocking. The Buckeyes will have a real shot in this recruitment and are actually thought to be the early leader, according to 247Sports. Ohio State will work to get him on campus this summer in order to further strengthen the coaching staff's relationship with Jones.

Jones currently checks in at 6'4", 300 pounds. The question comes that is currently being checked on is what position Jones will be at when he plays college football.



The second offer of the day went out to tight end Alexander Marshall (Andover, Mass. / Andover). Though Marshall is rated as a three-star, he holds 28 total offers from some of the biggest programs in the country. Aside from Ohio State, Marshall's offer list includes Florida State, Florida, UCLA, Alabama and USC.

His measurables have something to do with that.

Marshall currently stands at a towering 6'7" and weighs 240 pounds. College coaches see an instant mismatch with a frame that can continue to add a good chunk of muscle. With spots being tight for Ohio State's 2017 class and tight end position that they took two from last year, this is a legit offer and Marshall is a prospect that the Buckeyes aren't playing any games with. He's a take.

Florida State is thought to be the favorite at this point, according to 247Sports, but things can quickly change once Urban Meyer becomes involved. A visit to Columbus this summer would be the next thing to look for if Marshall has any interest in the Bucks.



According to reports, Ohio State will be starting their pursuit for in-state offensive lineman Blaine Scott (Portsmouth, Ohio / Sciotoville) within the coming weeks. Greg Studrawa is expected to pay Scott a visit sometime this month. Scott, a 2018 prospect, is not currently ranked by any recruiting services, but he does hold 15 total offers and is projected to be one of the top linemen in the country by the time his senior year rolls around.

Though his offer list is slowly growing each month, he does not yet have an offer from the Buckeyes. At 6'5", 300 pounds, there's a solid chance that Scott will grow even more between now and his graduation day. Scott is a road grader in the running game and can rely on his brute strength to move defensive linemen off the ball. From Sciotoville High School, Scott has been to Columbus on several occasions and is very familiar with the campus. He's expected to visit for Friday Night Lights this summer as well. We'll know more after coach Studrawa's visit later this month and if Ohio State will make Scott a serious prospect moving forward.

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Scout Profile
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HUDL Highlights



Dodge City CC (Dodge City, KS)
Ht: 6'1''
Wt: 220 lbs
Class: 2017 (JUCO)

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Offers rolling in, Buckeyes to see Ohio offensive lineman - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Offers rolling in, Buckeyes to see Ohio offensive lineman
247Sports
When it comes to recruiting Portsmouth (Ohio) Sciotoville East offensive lineman Blaine Scott has blown up this spring. Scott entered the spring with a handful of scholarship offers, but has seen his list grow to 16. In recent weeks Scott has added ...


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A grand slam sinks Ohio State baseball against UAB
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes couldn't fight back from an early deficit, falling to the Blazers 6-3.

One big swing was all it took for Ohio State to find itself on the wrong side of a 6-3 ballgame on Tuesday evening in Columbus against Alabama-Birmingham. A grand slam in the second inning by Blazer senior Griffin Gum proved to be too much for the Buckeyes to overcome.

Gum was 2-for-5 with four runs batted in and two runs scored on the night to lead UAB to the victory.

Ohio State scattered seven hits on the night as five UAB pitchers combined for a solid outing. Junior center fielder Troy Montgomery was one of the few bright spots, going 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored.

Freshman Ryan Feltner had a tough go of things on the bump for the Buckeyes. The right-hander lasted just four innings, getting tagged for five runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out four, as he fell to 1-3 on the year.

For the fifth consecutive game, Ohio State spotted its opponent an early lead. UAB got a run off Feltner in the top of the first thanks to a two-out RBI single by Carter Pharis.

The Buckeyes answered right back in the bottom of the frame, though, tying the game. Montgomery singled to lead things off, stole second, and came home on a two-out double by Troy Kuhn. It was the 42nd double of Kuhn's career, pulling him into a tie for 17th with Nick Swisher on the program's all-time list.

The Blazers put a crooked number up in the top of the second thanks to the grand slam by Gum, taking a 5-1 lead as Feltner looked shakier on the mound than he has in weeks. It was the fourth career longball and first of the season for the Gum.

It was Montgomery again in the fourth that got Ohio State on the board, launching a no-doubt solo homer to right field. It was the Fortville, Indiana product's eighth of the season.


Austin Woodby relieved Feltner in the fifth, and abruptly gave the run right back to UAB. Pharis drew a leadoff walk and came around on an RBI single two batters later by Adam Smith to push the lead to 6-2.

Craig Nennig led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and came around to score on a Jacob Bosiokovic groundout to cut the lead to 6-3, but this was not the Buckeyes' night. Thomas Lowery came on out of the bullpen to close things out for UAB, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings for his eighth save of the season.

The good news is that the loss does not impact Ohio State's standing in the Big Ten, where it is currently occupying eighth place, which would be good enough to make the conference tournament. The top eight teams will be headed to Omaha at the end of May to compete for an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament.

Game two of this midweek series is scheduled for Wednesday evening at 6:35 p.m. ET and will be streaming live on BTN Plus. Senior Daulton Mosbarger is slated to take the hill for the Buckeyes, while the Blazers' starter is still to be determined.

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Buckeyes offer top 2018 prospect - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer top 2018 prospect
247Sports
Jones is a 6-foot-4, 300-pound two-way lineman, who the Buckeyes are looking at more so right now on the offensive side of the ball. After a shaky Friday Night Lights performance last summer, after his freshman season, OSU was looking like they were ...


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Photo: Taylor Decker meets pair of leopards named after him
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

Former Ohio State standout Taylor Decker had his dream come true when he was selected in the first round of this past week’s NFL Draft. But during his time in Columbus, Decker had much more on his plate outside of football. He wasn’t a communications, marketing or business major. Instead, Decker majored in Animal Sciences at OSU. He spent the past two summers interning at the Columbus Zoo, where he worked with several rare animals. Today, Decker got to meet a pair of clouded leopards at the Columbus Zoo, which were named after him. The female leopard is named Taylor,

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Buckeyes offer East Coast 2017 tight end - 247Sports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer East Coast 2017 tight end
247Sports.com
In April Bucknuts.com reported the Buckeyes were interested in Andover (Mass.) tight end Alexander Marshall. Marshall had been talking with Ohio State Director of Player Personnel Mark Pantoni and Buckeye tight ends coach Ed Warinner. Then more ...


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Top NFL Games in 2016 Involving Ohio State Buckeyes - The Buckeye Battle Cry
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top NFL Games in 2016 Involving Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeye Battle Cry
For college football fans that love their Ohio State Buckeyes, the NFL season got more intriguing this weekend. Overall, 13 former Ohio State Buckeyes (including Noah Spence) were selected by NFL teams. So far, two other former Ohio State players have ...
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer suffers savage rejection at NFL draftNEWS.com.au
Big Ten links: 2017 NFL Draft, Nebraska team unity & moreBig Ten Network
Lucky 21: Ohio State redshirt frosh report247Sports

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