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DE Nick Bosa (Pro Bowl, All Pro, 2019 ROY, 2022 DPOY, San Francisco 49ers)

Ohio State star Nick Bosa can treat this as his senior year, no apology necessary

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Nick Bosa doesn’t have to pretend like he doesn’t know what his future holds.

Just about everybody in the world is already aware that the Ohio State defensive is an NFL-ready superstar and would already be drafted this spring if eligible.

Nick Bosa doesn’t have to apologize for what his future holds.

The rules being what they are, there is nothing at all wrong with him tipping his hand that this will be his final season with the Buckeyes, whether he did it accidentally or leans into it more fully by the time training camp actually rolls around.

Nick Bosa doesn’t even need to address what his future holds beyond the 2018 season ever again.

The only thing Bosa owes the Buckeyes is a true “senior” effort for his last go around with the program. And since he already knows that’s what this will be, it’s been clear since the Cotton Bowl Classic and the end of his sophomore season that Bosa has completely embraced that mentality and all the responsibilities that come with a senior effort.

“This year is going to be full-out, play every snap that means anything for my last year,” Bosa said, smiling when he caught the slip of his tongue. “Or possibly my last year.

“I’ve always been a leader by example, but I’m not used to the whole vocal thing. I’m trying to take that role and [defensive line coach Larry Johnson] wants me to take that role, so I’m just trying to bring guys along instead of just focusing on myself.”

If he can drag along some youngsters with impressive pedigrees of their own, there could be plenty for the Buckeyes to celebrate before the time runs out on their six years of Bosa-brother, pass-rushing dominance.

Ohio State is only in the early stages of figuring out exactly how many more snaps Nick might play before joining his older brother Joey in the NFL. But all signs are pointing to a heavier workload for Bosa, both because of his own development into one of the nation’s best defenders and with the Buckeyes dealing with the loss of veterans Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis and Jalyn Holmes at defensive end.

Between those three, Ohio State is losing plenty of on-field production (16 sacks), and that won’t be easy to replace even with Chase Young poised for a breakout season and Jonathon Cooper in line for a more prominent role. Bosa, of course, is capable of picking up some slack himself after racking up 8.5 sacks last season despite playing in the Rushmen Rotation — but it’s the leadership role that primarily has his attention heading into spring practice next week.

“It’s pretty weird [to be the veteran now], because our leaders were pretty special,” Bosa said. “They were some of the best players and leaders I’ve ever been around, and just to have them gone, it’s like a void.

“They just do everything right. Whether it’s the dynamic warmup or practicing hard every day against the scout team, just being able to watch them for two years and have them give me the mold … it’s kind of like me and Joey in high school. Watching him when I was a freshman. I got to watch him and he gave me the path, and I followed it. It’s kind of the same role that they’ve had for me.”

Entire article: https://www.landof10.com/ohio-state...nior-season-nfl-early-no-apology-leader-vocal
 
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Probably depends on which team is picking.

The unique thing here is that for the first time I can recall, an NFL GM basically gets to draft an exact replica of a current star player.

Being a genetic clone of Joey makes him a safer pick than anyone else. There will be other guys in the conversation for #1 next year but the fear of loss is greater than the hope for gain and while they won't say it that way, it would be hard to imagine a GM taking a bet on a maybe when they know they (essentially) have Joey Bosa in hand.
 
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The unique thing here is that for the first time I can recall, an NFL GM basically gets to draft an exact replica of a current star player.

Being a genetic clone of Joey makes him a safer pick than anyone else. There will be other guys in the conversation for #1 next year but the fear of loss is greater than the hope for gain and while they won't say it that way, it would be hard to imagine a GM taking a bet on a maybe when they know they (essentially) have Joey Bosa in hand.

Tiki and Ronde Barber come to mind. They did play different positions, however.
 
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The unique thing here is that for the first time I can recall, an NFL GM basically gets to draft an exact replica of a current star player.

Being a genetic clone of Joey makes him a safer pick than anyone else. There will be other guys in the conversation for #1 next year but the fear of loss is greater than the hope for gain and while they won't say it that way, it would be hard to imagine a GM taking a bet on a maybe when they know they (essentially) have Joey Bosa in hand.
that's a very good point and i largely agree; however, the projected 2019 defensive line class is absurdly stacked at the top and should rival the best ever. as of right now, bosa's competition for the top spot draws solely from his position group. all of these guys likely go in the top 10 if not the top 8:

nick bosa
ed oliver
dexter lawrence
rashan gary
christian wilkins
clelin ferrell

as you noted, though, drafting nick because of joey's example allays a lot of concern among coaches/managers/owners. i mean, if i'm tasked with arranging the marriage for my son and i'm down to two women, you damn well better believe that i'm going to be checking out their mothers. nick's mother-brother is a hot piece of tail.
 
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FILM STUDY: HOW LARRY JOHNSON MOLDED NICK BOSA INTO THE POTENTIAL TOP PICK IN THE 2019 NFL DRAFT

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Despite never holding a coordinator position at the collegiate level, Larry Johnson Sr. possesses one of the best reputations in his profession. After a decade spent coaching at the high school level, the North Carolina native initially made his name for helping to mold one of the most dominant pass rushers the Big Ten has ever seen, former Penn State end Courtney Brown.

After recording 70 tackles-for-loss and 33 sacks in his storied career, which earned him the Lombardi, Nagurski, and Outland trophies following his senior year, Brown was selected first overall in the 2000 NFL draft. Though he struggled to recreate his success at the next level, his collegiate position coach continued to pump out stars in State College, with Devon Still, William Hayes, Jimmy Kennedy, and Tamba Hali all earning All-American honors under his tutelage. While Hali has had the most successful pro career of the bunch, Brown's college production led to the honor of his name going on the Smith-Brown award, given annually to the Big Ten's best defensive lineman beginning in 2011.

Johnson knows quite a bit about this award, as one of his pupils has taken it home five of the seven times it's been awarded. It's also no coincidence that once he moved to Columbus to take the same job at Ohio State in 2014, the winner of this honor has come from among his platoon every year since.

While Tyquan Lewis won the award in 2016, the other three trophies have made their way to the mantle of the Bosa household, as Joey won it twice (2014 & 2015) followed by his younger brother Nick last fall. As the elder Bosa has gone on to star at the next level, tallying 23 sacks in his first two seasons, pro scouts have begun watching the younger one closely.

As the sons of a former NFL defensive end and the nephews of another, many assume that the brothers' success is simply God-given. However, it's the masterful technique that has come under Johnson's instruction that separates the duo from their peers.

According to Johnson, there are five essential elements required for a defensive lineman to be successful on any play:
  • Stance
  • Attack
  • Neutralize
  • Escape
  • Pursuit
As he has shared at multiple coaching clinics over the years, including Ohio State's own in which he relegated the offensive coordinator to the second stage, these five elements must be drilled on a daily basis. Through the years, he's developed countless methods of training these techniques, which are evident in the younger Bosa's play on gamedays.

STANCE:
"YOU SHOULD NOT OVEREMPHASIZE THE STANCE PARAMETERS OF THE D-LINEMAN. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THE STANCE ALLOWS HIM TO TAKE A SOMEWHAT NEUTRAL POSITION. HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE IN EITHER DIRECTION WITH AN EXPLOSIVE POWER-STEP." - LARRY JOHNSON


Unlike many rush ends that get into a sprinter's stance to spring forward at the snap, Johnson makes sure his players are balanced and able to move laterally if needed. This was one of Joey Bosa's biggest issues upon Johnson's arrival following his freshman season, as the 'Big Bear' needed to rebuild his three-point stance from scratch.

Nick, like his fellow 'Rushmen,' is capable of pushing off either leg and slanting laterally across the face of a blocker thanks to Johnson. Drills like the one below help instill this technique.

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Though fans love to see ends explode upfield in order to beat a blocker around the edge, powerful steps like these allow Bosa to close the inside gap, beating the tight end to his spot and gaining enough leverage to push him back into the ball-carrier to break up the play.

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ATTACK:
"IN ORDER FOR A PLAYER TO CONTACT THE BLOCKER IN A FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND POSITION, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THE PLAYER UTILIZE SHORT, POWERFUL STEPS WHILE MAINTAINING A GOOD BASE."


While a sprinter might shoot out of his stance with long, powerful strides, Johnson drills Bosa to take short, choppy steps through a variety of drills.

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Anyone who has ever played the position is familiar with the 'chute' - the low, iron cage that forces players to shoot out forward instead of standing straight up - but the mini hurdles force the linemen to get up onto the balls of their feet. The recent addition of conducting such drills in a sand pit has helped reinforce this technique.

As Bosa told Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch, “My balance is better from it. That’s the biggest thing,” Bosa said about the sand pit. “When you play so low to the ground, you’re flipping your hips and dipping around. If you can land and keep your feet on sand, then you can keep your feet on turf.”

These short, powerful steps come in handy when Bosa reads a play, allowing him to change direction quickly. Instead of firing off straight into the chest of the right tackle below, he's balanced and able to fight off the block to make a play in the backfield.

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Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-the-potential-top-pick-in-the-2019-nfl-draft
 
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