12 New Buckeyes in the NFL

May 12, 2014 by 3 Comments

In what can be described as a come back year for Ohio State in the NFL draft and Free Agency Market considering the past few years lack of Buckeyes making the leap to the NFL. Bottom line Ohio State has never had a problem getting guys drafted or in the NFL in general. They rank 1st in draft picks since the NCAA went to a maximum of 85 scholarships. They are top 3 All time in drafted players. So lets look at where all the Buckeyes ended up.

DRAFTED

Ryan Shazier- 1st Round Pick #15 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bradley Roby- 1st Round Pick #31 by the Denver Broncos.
Carlos Hyde- 2nd Round Pick #57 by the San Francisco 49ers.
Jack Mewhort- 2nd Round Pick #59 by the Indianapolis Colts.
Corey Linsley- 5th Round Pick #161 by the Green Bay Packers.
Christian Bryant- 7th Round Pick #241 by the St. Louis Rams.

FREE AGENTS

CJ Barnett- New York Giants
Drew Basil- Atlanta Falcons
Philly Brown- Carolina Panthers
Andrew Norwell- Carolina Panthers
Chris Fields- Washington Redskins
Marcus Hall- Indianapolis Colts

STILL LOOKING FOR A TEAM

Kenny Guiton- Headed to a tryout with the Buffalo Bills.
Pitt Brown- Possibly headed to the Steelers for a tryout.
Jordan Hall- Headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a tryout.

Good luck to all of the Former Buckeyes where ever their careers take them. Once a Buckeye always a Buckeye.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

MotSaG Chat with Jared Payton

May 12, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The 2017 class for the state of Ohio is loaded with talent. So much so that even though it is 2014 and these kids are just finishing up their Freshman year of high school they are already receiving lots of interest and offers and in some instances like Danny Clark already committed to their dream school. Jared Payton falls in the group of big time talents who are receiving a ton of interest from some of the biggest schools in the country. Jared made a visit this past weekend to Ohio State and took some time after to talk with me about that experience.

Jared who grew up a Florida Gators fan and has told me that is his dream school made the trek to OSU on Saturday. The trek was short as he lives maybe 20 mins from Ohio State in Gahanna. The Safety/Linebacker was hoping to be impressed with Ohio State and by the sounds of it they didn’t let him down. When I asked how did it go his response with was quick and to the point “OMG it was amazing”.

download

Jared spent most of the day on Saturday taking a tour of Ohio State and meeting coaches and other recruits. He said he got to talk with Coach Meyer and Asst. Head Coach/RB coach Stan Drayton and was impressed by both of them. Jared fell in love with the campus and was thrilled with what he heard about the Academics side. Jared mentioned about how the coaches talked to them about life after football and always having a need for a Plan B. That the coaches hope to turn the players not only into better players but better men.

Jared spent time getting to know some fellow recruits like Miles Joseph, Drew Harvey, and George Hill. Rumors were swirling around on Saturday that George Hill was close to committing. Jared said Coach Meyer talked a lot about George Hill in the meetings and that George rally loves OSU and could see him committing to OSU and possibly playing together some day.

Jared mentioned that visiting the weight room was one of his favorite parts of the visit. He said it was extremely impressive and brand new. He again mentioned the academics side as another favorite part of the visit. He is unsure what he will major in but academics will help him with his Plan B. Jared didn’t get an offer on Saturday but did walk away impressed overall and said the visit was a perfect 10 and that Ohio State is right at the top of his list equal with even his childhood dream school Florida.

When asked what one thing he would like Buckeye fans to know about him he said… “To play for the Buckeyes would be a high honor! And I will bring everything I have all the time on the field! No one will out work me!”

You can follow Jared on Twitter by clicking @JaredPayton15

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , ,

St. Louis Rams Draft Christian Bryant in Round Seven

May 10, 2014 by 1 Comment

With the 241st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams selected Ohio State safety Christian Bryant. Bryant missed most of his senior season after suffering a broken ankle late in the game against Wisconsin. Bryant was a three year starter for the Buckeyes and was named a team captain his senior season. Over the course of his career at Ohio State, he recorded 171 tackles, had two interceptions and three forced fumbles. He was named second team All-Big Ten during his junior season and was second on the team overall in total tackles (only trailing Ryan Shazier). Take a look at your new safety, Rams’ fans:

Here were some of the reactions to Bryant getting drafted on Twitter:

And here’s the man himself:

I think I speak for everyone in Buckeye Nation is saying how great it is to see Christian Bryant get drafted. He’s such a great guy and it was heartbreaking to see his senior season cut short. Urban Meyer himself got choked up on the podium after the Wisconsin game (see in the video above) announcing Bryant’s injury. If Bryant doesn’t get injured his draft stock would’ve been a lot higher. He was badly missed by the Buckeyes after his injury and for good reason. Bryant is a solid defensive back who should at least contribute on special teams for the Rams this season. If he can stay healthy, he might contribute even more.

Filed Under: B1G Football, NFL, NFL Draft

Green Bay Selects Corey Linsley in the 5th Round

May 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment

With the 161st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Ohio State center Corey Linsley. Linsley was the starting center for the Buckeyes his junior and senior season. He saw playing time at tackle and guard his freshman and sophomore seasons. His versatility of being able to play every position on the line is going to be a big plus for him. With Green Bay being thin at center, Linsley could see a lot of playing time soon. The draft was quite deep this season, which meant pretty solid players like Linsley have slid down the draft board until the third day. Take a look at your new offensive lineman, Green Bay fans:

I had no idea he grew up a Packers fan, so I’m sure he’s pretty excited about heading north to Wisconsin. I myself forgot how great he played with the Buckeyes and is one of the more underrated linemen in the draft. Linsley should have a pretty solid NFL career ahead of him.

Filed Under: NFL, NFL Draft, Ohio State Football

Indianapolis Colts Select Jack Mewhort in the Second Round

May 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment

With the 59th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts drafted Ohio State tackle Jack Mewhort. Mewhort was the best player on the line for the Buckeyes last season. He has great size at 6-6 and 310 pounds and moves much faster than someone you would expect at this size. Many expect Mewhort to be a starter in the NFL pretty soon. Mewhort was named an All-American by ESPN in 2013 and was a starter for three of his four seasons at Ohio State. Take a look at your new lineman, Colts’ fans:

Here were some of the reactions on Twitter on Mewhort being drafted to Indianapolis:

Jack Mewhort was one of my personal favorite on the team last season, especially after I interviewed him before the Orange Bowl in January. I thought he gave a great answer when I asked him what his biggest learning moment was in 2013. Great player and an even better person. Good pickup for the Colts offensive line.

Filed Under: B1G Football, NFL, NFL Draft

San Francisco Drafts Carlos Hyde in the Second Round

May 9, 2014 by 2 Comments

With the 57th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde. For the second year in a row, no running backs were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. Hyde was the third running back chosen. It was pretty surprising to see him fall this far in the draft, as many considered him the top running back in the draft. Hyde’s size and physical style of play should fit nicely in the NFL. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the Ohio State offense in 2013 and should make an impact immediately for the 49ers. Here’s a look at your newest running back, San Francisco fans:

Here were some of the reactions to the pick on Twitter:

While everyone in the B1G is breathing a sigh of relief, everyone in the NFC West just got a little more nervous about the 49ers.

Filed Under: NFL, NFL Draft, Ohio State Football

Denver Broncos Draft Bradley Roby at 31st Overall

May 8, 2014 by 6 Comments

With the 31st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby. The Broncos need help in their secondary and Roby will be a big help in that cause. Roby, who chose to forgo his senior season, struggled with injuries in 2013 and did not play in the 2014 Orange Bowl. Roby was a two time All-Big Ten selection and a second team All-American in 2012. Take a look at what your brand new cornerback brings to the team, Broncos’ fans:

Here were some of the reactions to the pick on Twitter, including from the man himself Urban Meyer:

Roby is the second Buckeye player drafted in the first round tonight. Earlier, Ryan Shazier was picked 15th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Ryan Shazier at #15 Overall

May 8, 2014 by 1 Comment

With the 15th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier. After four successful years with the Buckeyes, Shazier will join a Pittsburgh team that is aging on the defensive side of the ball and should provide a much needed boost, as many draft pundits have called him one of the fastest linebackers in the draft. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter from teammates and the media:

For a better look at Shazier, check out this piece I did on him a few months ago. He’s a hard-hitting, fast defender who bullrushes ball carriers. He also plays with heart and can be leader on the defensive side of the ball. A great pickup for the Steelers.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

MotSaG Chat with Steven Smothers

May 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment

There is one thing Urban Meyer covets more than anything else as far as skills go in every recruit he targets. It doesn’t matter if it is a RB or WR or OL he wants speed and he wants lots of it. He wants his teams to be faster, give more effort, and be in better condition then every team. Steven Smothers is the kind of recruit that fits that mold perfectly and that is why Coach Meyer and his staff have made him a priority for the 2016 class.

bal-five-baltimorearea-state-semifinal-footbal-005

Steven Smothers is a 5’9″ 162 lbs 4 star Wide Receiver from Reisterstown, MD. He is also the 62nd best player in the country and the 8th best WR prospect. Steven took some time recently to answer some questions and discuss his recruitment so far and what kind of recruit he is. It doesn’t take long to get to know the very outgoing and engaging WR recruit. He has a way about himself that reminds me of some of the best WRs to ever play football. He has a confidence about himself that while some old fogies may call it cocky most will understand it is just the way the wide receiver position has evolved in the last 2 decades. He is the kind of player who wants Buckeye Nation to know “That I’m the most electrifying player in the class of 2016!”. He truly believes that and when he says it you just know that he means to prove it as well.

So what makes Steven Smothers a recruit that Coach Meyer covets well first there is the speed factor. The speedy WR runs a 4.43 forty yard dash which is blazing fast but he is also agile. He is not a straight line speed only guy. He will make moves and even though his frame is small is not afraid to go across the middle and make plays any where on the field. In his Sophomore season in High School he had 50 catches for 1059 yards and 1895 all purpose yards and 17 Tds! Again I remind you that is as a Sophomore in high school. His upside is tremendous and will be a nationally coveted WR prospect. His highlight film speaks for itself.

Recently Smothers named Ohio State his leader with West Virginia as his no. 2 school. While many OSU fans will say well then it must be a slam dunk for OSU to land him. There should be no doubt that WVU is in this and will be till the very end. First, Tavon Austin the former all everything from WVU is Stevens God Brother and the two are extremely close. Steven says that Tavon gives him some solid advice on his recruitment but the most important thing he tells him is “to have fun with the whole process!” When I asked Steven how close is WVU to his leader OSU he said “Real close, I’ve been there so many times I’m really comfortable with that school an the coaches now!”. S as you can see the Mountaineers are in this and will be tough to beat and OSU will have to put the full press on Smothers through the whole process.

When will Steven get back to visit Ohio State? He plans on attending Friday Nights in July. Which is great news for OSU as this is the premier camp for OSU that shows recruits everything the staff and school can offer possible commits. Don’t think this will process will end any time soon though. When asked about his timeline for committing Steven made it clear he will take more time than most in fact his goal is “I’m going to sign a week or two after national signing day… I want to be the last big name recruit to sign!” Which once again reminds you of just the kind of player he is confident and outspoken young man who as I will remind you wants you to know he is “the most electrifying player in the class of 2016!” He says it with so much gusto that I really do believe him.

You can follow Steven Smothers on Twitter by clicking @KingSmoth_

Filed Under: College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: ,

Buckeyes Land A Big Time Shooter

May 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment

4star_recruit_iconbasketball_iconThad Matta is on fire right now. He has landed a couple of big time transfers and signed some impressive classes. The one thing Matta missed most this year was scoring ability. He didn’t have a go to shooter and it hurt the team immensely. They also were missing big guys with athletic ability and toughness. Hopefully he has filled both those needs with his transfer signings and with the 2014 and 2015 basketball classes. With today’s newest commit what OSU got was a brilliant shooter who can find his own shot. So let’s take a look at what Thad landed…

NS_17HSbasketballreplay_5_34844562_388430

Austin Grandstaff committed to Ohio State earlier today and made the announcement on Twitter…

https://twitter.com/AustinGstaff1/status/463015053088653312

Austin Grandstaff is a 6’5″ 190 lbs high 4 star Shooting Guard from Rockwall, Texas. Every scouting service out there says the same things about Austin… He is a prolific scorer who can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court and can dibble past you to take it the hole. They also say he lacks good defensive skills but if anyone can help him with that it is Thad Matta and his staff. He is exactly what OSU needs and takes OSUs 2015 class to #2 nationally early on. 247sports ranks him a 4 star and the 38th best player in the country. ESPN ranks him a 4 star and the 41st best player in the country. Rivals ranks him a 4 star and the 30th best player in the country. Scout ranks him a 4 star and the 12th best SG in the country.

You can follow Austin on Twitter by clicking @AustinGstaff1

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball Tagged With:
« Previous Page
Next Page »