How Does Ryan Shazier Compare to Other Great tOSU LB's?

[BuckeyeFan 52]

Shazier was a fine Buckeye LB'er, and as a fan, I'm thankful he played on our side. However, as many have already noted, and looking only at Shazier as an individual player (not within the defense as a whole), I personally don't see him above a single player on that list either. I don't know what the NFL holds for Ryan, time will tell, but if I ask myself if I would replace him with any of the players mentioned in the poll, the answer is yes, and honestly, there are a couple of others I would consider selecting beyond #12 (Cie Grant, Steve Bellasari, even Larry Grant enters the convo). Only my opinion. Ryan is a lean, quick, attacking LB'er, but even he misses a fair amount of tackles (esp on the edges) and struggles when being blocked man-to-man. Wish him all the best in the NFL, he deserves a fair shot in the league. Thankful for his effort and production as a Buckeye.

Go Bucks.

 

[akronbuck]

Why isn't Kumerow on it. Drafted by Miami in the first round

 

[WoodyWorshiper]

For me, it's tough to even imagine how a LB could be any better than Hawk...not only was he the best LB at OSU I have seen in my lifetime, but the best LB I have seen in college football period. Plus I think the nature of the game makes it tougher for a LB to dominate at the level that LBs could in the 70s and 80s, or at least to get the # of tackles they did back then...the spread yields way less opportunities for LBs than the I-formation with a halfback dive every play.

As for the rest, I just have to take your word for it since I haven't seen them play. Definitely not disputing you, just can't really judge someone I never saw play. Which unfortunately does kind of make my list a bit moot :/ I can really only judge LBs from about 1996 and on.

Here's an idea on how you can imagine an LB to be better than Hawk.

Think of College Football today, and "imagine" a 6'6" 285 lb LB that can run the field side to side as fast if not faster than just about every RB in the game.
THAT, is what Randy Gradishar was back in the early 1970's.

Randy played at about 6'3" and damn near 240 lbs. In 1973, TOSU produced what I feel is the greatest OL in the history of CFB in John Hicks. John clocked in at 6'3" 258. See the picture? IMO, our greatest linebacker ever and our greatest OT ever are separated by 18 pounds!

People like to use the word "freak" when it comes to an athlete who is just so much bigger, stronger, faster than his peers. If that is true, than Randy was probably the original "freak" in football. He had defensive lineman size to go along with cornerback speed coupled with the best instincts I've ever seen here on the defensive side of the ball.

Simply put, we've been waiting a long time to have someone here better than Gradishar. Some have come close, but none have surpassed. And quite likely, nobody ever will.

Peace

 

[WoodyWorshiper]

Why isn't Kumerow on it. Drafted by Miami in the first round

Really?

Why isn't Craig Powell on it. Drafted by the Browns in the first round.

Here's a hint. Because their value at the next level was greatly overhyped. They were NOT NFL players, and certainly not worthy of top 10 consideration here.

Peace

 

[Mike80]

Shazier was a fine Buckeye LB'er, and as a fan, I'm thankful he played on our side. However, as many have already noted, and looking only at Shazier as an individual player (not within the defense as a whole), I personally don't see him above a single player on that list either. I don't know what the NFL holds for Ryan, time will tell, but if I ask myself if I would replace him with any of the players mentioned in the poll, the answer is yes, and honestly, there are a couple of others I would consider selecting beyond #12 (Cie Grant, Steve Bellasari, even Larry Grant enters the convo). Only my opinion. Ryan is a lean, quick, attacking LB'er, but even he misses a fair amount of tackles (esp on the edges) and struggles when being blocked man-to-man. Wish him all the best in the NFL, he deserves a fair shot in the league. Thankful for his effort and production as a Buckeye.

Go Bucks.

If you want to go there, why wasn't B-Rolle or Schelegel on there? BTW Steve Bellisari didn't play LB

 

[C-busBuck]

Absolutely a f(x) of only being 26... cuz Marek had like 8000 tackles.. Gradishar would have been first team all-world and Pepper Johnson would disintegrate bronze statues (there's a reason he is LB coach for the Patriots since 2000) .. just sayin

Not to mention Pepper was a long time pro playing on the opposite side of LT with the Giants for like a decade.

 

[Jaxbuck]

The thing that hurts his legacy is he never played on an elite Buckeye D or even a good one. Insert him on some of those other rosters and he may be viewed in a different light. He has the best closing speed I've ever seen.

The modern game is the only one he was fit for.

He would never have been a LB in the days of two TE, I formations, fullbacks and Iso plays.

I agree his closing speed was elite, the problem was he couldn't break down and tackle what he closed on very consistently.

 

[C-busBuck]

For me, it's tough to even imagine how a LB could be any better than Hawk...not only was he the best LB at OSU I have seen in my lifetime, but the best LB I have seen in college football period. Plus I think the nature of the game makes it tougher for a LB to dominate at the level that LBs could in the 70s and 80s, or at least to get the # of tackles they did back then...the spread yields way less opportunities for LBs than the I-formation with a halfback dive every play.

As for the rest, I just have to take your word for it since I haven't seen them play. Definitely not disputing you, just can't really judge someone I never saw play. Which unfortunately does kind of make my list a bit moot :/ I can really only judge LBs from about 1996 and on.

I just feel sorry that you never saw these guys from the 70's and 80's, that was the true hay day of Ohio State Line backers. Not taking anything away from the guys today, but look how many more games they got to play then say a Marcus Merek or a Randy Gradishar back in their days. These guys today and for the last decade or longer have had several more games and hence opportunities to increase their stats. Nobody seems to take that into account. The same goes for the Tailback poll.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Why isn't Kumerow on it. Drafted by Miami in the first round

I put only the All Americans on the list, beginning with Gradishar (1972). I ignored earlier All Americans (like Ike Kelley, 1964-65) because I never saw them play.

BTW, Kumerow entered Ohio State as a quarterback (hence his jersey number 14) and was drafted as a defensive end.

 

[akronbuck]

I put only the All Americans on the list, beginning with Gradishar (1972). I ignored earlier All Americans (like Ike Kelley, 1964-65) because I never saw them play.

BTW, Kumerow entered Ohio State as a quarterback (hence his jersey number 14) and was drafted as a defensive end.

True I was trying to find it but, I thought he was all American sorry how about grandson of a Chicago Mafia Boss. I was just scared his name wasn't on it didn't want too be on a list. Lmao

 

[BuckeyeFan 52]

If you want to go there, why wasn't B-Rolle or Schelegel on there? BTW Steve Bellisari didn't play LB

I'm not trying to go anywhere there Mike, simply my opinion on the matter. Schelegel is in the discussion, B-Rolle is in the discussion, among others. I didn't analyze statistics on this matter, simply considered which previously successful LB'ers I would be willing to replace Shazier with inside our current defense. Fortunately, we have many to choose from.

My bad on the mention of Steve Bellasari, I meant Greg. Got the two mixed up.

Ryan Shazier is a great talent and an outstanding LB'er, wish him nothing but the best in the future.

 

[bukIpower]

The truly great LB's change games. They impact a defense so much so that there isn't the possibility of a team being as poor as we were on defense. I think Shazier gets lauded for his speed and how hard he can hit however I just don't see players like AJ Hawk, Big Kat, Spielman, Gradishar, etc drilling a RB out of bounds on that pass interference call or failing to make a game changing play when we need it most. For those reasons I put him 6th and I gave him that spot because of his athletic ability and one great thing about RDS is he was durable and its scary to think were we would've been had we lost him this year.

 

[Mike80]

I'm not trying to go anywhere there Mike, simply my opinion on the matter. Schelegel is in the discussion, B-Rolle is in the discussion, among others. I didn't analyze statistics on this matter, simply considered which previously successful LB'ers I would be willing to replace Shazier with inside our current defense. Fortunately, we have many to choose from.

My bad on the mention of Steve Bellasari, I meant Greg. Got the two mixed up.

Ryan Shazier is a great talent and an outstanding LB'er, wish him nothing but the best in the future.

slow down...it wasn't a flame, it was just an observation....

 

[BuckeyeFan 52]

slow down...it wasn't a flame, it was just an observation....

I understand, we're good, I didn't take it personal. Was asked a question and I just tried to answer it. You made a fair point.

 

[Mike80]

I understand, we're good, I didn't take it personal. Was asked a question and I just tried to answer it. You made a fair point.

Yeah - FWIW I think had the LB corps been deeper (in 2004-2005 he would have been a Strong Safety or STAR probably) I do think his contributions would have been different and maybe his legacy would have been stronger.