Archives for May 2017

Zone 6 is one of the many crowded position groups that Ohio State has on it football roster.  This is evident as just about every group has their share of talented players patiently working for their shot at big boy football at Ohio State, but the Wide Receiver unit is jam-packed with talent.

The Starter #1:

Johnnie Dixon has battled and endured season after season of debilitating injuries to his knees in back-to-back seasons while at Ohio State.  This is most likely his last shot at glory as his eligibility is running out and as he showcased during the annual spring game, he showed his talent en-route to a stellar multi-touchdown game.  He also showed that, when healthy, he can be that deep threat that Ohio State hasn’t seen since Devin Smith.  Johnnie Dixon showed that he is healthy and working towards a comeback that is eerily similar to what Marshon Lattimore went through during his tenure at Ohio State.  If he can produce the same way that Lattimore has during last season, Ohio State will be lethal.  With a new Offensive Coordinator in Kevin Wilson, who is an offensive genius at the helm, the receivers should have the numbers necessary to keep teams unbalanced and on their heels.  With Dixon, he has the speed and the hands to separate and he is a reliable receiver.  His productivity would just depend on his health.

The Starter #2:

K.J. Hill has the talent to start alongside Dixon.  He also has sure hands and has the ability to obtain RAC yards with ease.  He is elusive and shift, but not Dixon shifty.  He won’t beat defender with blazing speed, but he has the strength to break arm tackles and blow through defenders for big gains.  Hill could also catch between defenders, which would be useful during key third down situations.  With the amount of talent on the roster, this second starter at Wide Receiver could go in any direction, but I am sure that Hill has done enough to catch the eye of the coaching staff.  He is also durable and if other go down, the staff could rest assured that Hill and company have the weapons to plug in and play.  He is a big-play waiting to happen and with his suddenness and burst, he could give defenders headaches throughout the season.  He will be leaned on during the entirety of the season to produce for the coaching staff this season as one of the few contributors to last seasons squad.

Slot/H-Back:

The need for the next Curtis Samuel is needed to ensure production in the Ohio State passing attack and with his departure, it opened up the door for Parris Campbell, Brendon White and Eric Glover-Williams to make their impression on the coaching staff.  Unfortunately for the last two, Campbell was given many looks and he looks like the eventual starter this fall.  Between his speed and the ability to run after the catch, he will be another weapon and asset to the Buckeye coaching staff.  He will be moved around and utilized similar to many of those before him under Coach Meyer.  There is still a lot of time for him to lose ground, but we will see.

Other Candidates:

There are other names out there and the Class of 2017 will have previously mentioned Brendon White, Trevon Grimes, Jaylen Harris and Ellijah Gardiner coming in this summer.  The also have Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor waiting vying for playing time as well.  For now, they will grind until called upon and under Urban Meyer, waiting isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as he has been able to produce NFL caliber players with little to no experience or production.  With another mass exodus, this time with transfers out of the program and the occasional underclassman leaving for the pros, the younger players will have to be ready to be called upon during game days.  Lets hope they will be ready.