Now that the dust has settled on the 2007 NFL draft, we’ll try to keep track of what undrafted Buckeyes sign as free agents with NFL teams. Three Buckeyes have already signed with teams:

The Indianapolis Buckeyes added another OSU alum, signing a free agent contract with walk-on, feel-good story Antonio Smith.

Brandon Mitchell signed with Houston Texans and T.J. Downing will pack his bags and head to sunny Arizona (a place he’s rather familiar with) to sign with the Arizona Cardinals.

We’ll keep an eye on any more signings.

I feel bad for Ted Ginn, Jr.

Holy cow. Recruited as a defenseman, then a #3 SR, then a #1 WR. Fastest feet in the Big Ten.

Set the conference record for punt return TDs. Would have set the record for kickoff TDs, had it not been for several controversial calls on some of his kickoff return TDs.

On most occasions… opposing teams kicked toward the sidelines so that he wouldn’t return the ball. And he still beat the Big Ten record.

And those are just his return skills. As a WR… well, the best defenses in CFB (Texas, Fla, Michigan) found it necessary to double him, and even then he managed to come in second in the Big Ten for receiving TDs.

He returns. He runs great routes. He covers. He’s even played QB, with a TD pass (or run) each time he’s taken the snap. The best all-around player and CFB athlete in Big Ten history.

He ran the opening kickoff for a TD in the national championship game, on the nation’s biggest stage. You all saw it.

After college, he works out for the scouts and takes the boot off of his broken foot to run a 4.35!!

So when Cam Cameron takes him in the first round, the bandwagon Dolphin fans boo?!?

To make matters worse, ESPN fans the flames by repeatedly denouncing the pick on ESPNRadio as the worst in the draft?

Here’s the reality, folks: No matter what ND fans, or folks that bow at the altar of Charlie Weis, or SportsCenter groupies think, the people that know about football know that Quinn is a very risky proposition. He’s either the next Peyton Manning or the next Tim Couch. Most NFL teams are getting gunshy about making those types of gambles.

Late last week it became clear that Brady’s people knew he was slipping. Quinn went into “PR mode,” and started showing up with perfectly coiffed hair anywhere there was a camera present. That usually doesn’t happen to players that are going high. Something about Quinn spooked half of the NFL, and his people were in damage control mode all week.

So the Dolphins decide to play the odds, and select the player that has the best odds of impacting the team in a positive manner. They invested in the mutual funds of Ginn, while avoiding the craps tables of Quinn. Who could blame them?

Ginn will be a good NFL player. Will.

Quinn might be a good NFL QB. Might.

The Dolphins did nothing wrong. Even if Quinn turns into the next incarnation of Unitas, Miami will have done nothing wrong. IMO, he wouldn’t have fit into Miami’s scheme that well anyway.

Don’t get me wrong about Quinn: we at MotSaG have been rough on him at times, but we’re all from C-bus, and have been following him since high school here. We’re pleased that he’s coming home to Ohio to be a professional. It will be exciting to see if he can put that mediocre college career at ND behind him.

But back to feeling sorry for Ginn. It’s so sad that so many folks have let ESPN fool them into thinking that he was a bad choice. He’ll never win those fans over. He’ll be booed every time he takes the field, and that’s terrible.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: ESPN is doing to sports what MTV did to music.

Miami: Here’s what you’re getting.

(And keep in mind this video only covers his sophomore and first game or two of his junior year.) My favorite part of this clip is around the 4:00 mark (the OSU/IU clip), when Ginn – from a complete stop – slices through and blows by a pack of galloping defenders for the TD. That’s your speed, folks.

Thanks for the memories, Ted(dy). So long, fella.

Looking at the NFL Draft from the perspective of an Ohio State fan is always fun to do. It’s exciting to see kids you cheered for to make the jump to the professional level (unless they get drafted by the Steelers or Ravens, GRRR!). So first, the facts. Here’s how the draft shook out for your OSU Buckeyes:

First Round
9(9) Ted Ginn Jr. – Miami
32(32) Anthony Gonzalez – Indianapolis
Third Round
35(98) Quinn Pitcock – Indianapolis
Fourth Round
8(107) Antonio Pittman – New Orleans
Fifth Round
1(138) Jay Richardson – Oakland
32(169) Roy Hall – Indianapolis
37(174) Troy Smith – Baltimore
Sixth Round
24(198) Doug Datish – Atlanta

My thoughts – First off, just like everyone else, I was surprised the Dolphins passed over Quinn for Teddy Ginn. Of course, I can’t hide my satisfaction that, even in the NFL draft, Brady Quinn struggled to beat a Buckeye. A lot of the draft pundits (including MotSaG favorite, Mark May) were calling this pick a huge mistake for a littany of reasons: Ted Ginn isn’t big enough to be a #1 receiver. Ted Ginn doesn’t go over the middle. Ted Ginn was injured in the Championship game, will he ever be 100%? Give me a break. I think they’re missing the point on TGJ value. Of course he doesn’t go over the middle. Why would you send someone that can outrun everyone in the stadium on an 8-yard crossing pattern? Ted Ginn is going to be running wild and dazzling Dolphin fans in no time. If they have a QB that can get the ball in his hands, look out. Remember that move he made in the bowl game against Oklahoma State? Yeah, me too.

It was great to see Gonzo go in the first round as well. Indianapolis seems to have a thing for OSU players, taking Gonzales 32nd over all and picking up Pitcock and Hall in later rounds. Gonzo should be able to ease into the receiver corps in Indy, quietly making clutch catches and will still some how break Michigan fans’ hearts over and over.

Having Pittman fall to the fourth round was shocking to me. By all accounts, he dazzled the scouts with speed and strength and was looking really promising. One of the top 3 RBs by some accounts. Then to fall behind the likes of Tony Hunt and Garret Wolfe doesn’t seem right. Maybe they were worried about his size? Pittman runs the ball hard, he doesn’t just carry it. He runs it. New Orleans got a steal in the fourth round.

Finally, it pains me to see Troy Smith not only fall to the fifth round, but to also get picked up by the despicable Ravens. Steve McNair should be a great mentor for Troy and he’ll quickly regain his pre-championship game form. Of all the Buckeyes in this draft, Troy is the one I’m pulling for the most. I hope he has a stellar NFL career. I just don’t want it to be with the Ravens!

So that’s my take on this year’s draft. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts in the comments.

We’ll take a look at our prognistications for the draft later this week. I’m afraid to look.

While fans of Troy Smith would certainly love to see him go high in the NFL draft, Smith would rather go lower if it would mean being drafted by Cleveland.

“I have dreamed about it and talked about it countless times with my mother,” he said. “All she talks about is saving the Browns. If that were to happen, that would be a dream come true because I could stay in the community and give back.”

While Smith’s return to Cleveland would be a great story, it probably wouldn’t be best for him or for the Browns. The scheme doesn’t fit for his style of play… and scheme is everything in the modern NFL.

More than any other QB, Smith’s type of quarterbacking is most similar to Drew Brees (and not Vince Young, as many try to argue). They’re the same size, have the same strengths & weaknesses, have a very similar throwing motion, run similar offenses, etc.

Brees goes to New Orleans, fits in like a glove, and they make it to the conference championship. That’s what fans of Smith hope for; a team that has a scheme that Troy can “fit into.” I’m not sure Cleveland runs that type of scheme, or will anytime soon.

However, I would very much enjoy seeing Ted(dy) Ginn, Jr. in a Browns uniform. That seems like a better matching of talent and scheme to me.

What do you think?

Link
(HT: Barking Browns)