Draft Talk 1.0
It's a little past due for our first NFL Draft stock update. With just a few returning starters, there wasn't a lot of buzz heading into the season as teams were obviously waiting to see all of the new faces in the Ohio State lineup. Now that there is some data to go off of, there is plenty of buzz around Ohio State's draft eligible prospects and it's pretty much all positive at this point.
Standard disclaimer here that things can and will change based on more film, performance the rest of the season, combine/interviews, injuries, etc. View this as a snap shot of where things stand today.
The guy I think is the most interesting right now is third-year safety Malik Hooker. In just a handful of games, Hooker has propelled himself from a virtual unknown to a player who legitimately has a chance to be the highest drafted Buckeye this coming spring.
"I can see him going in the top half of the first round," one NFL source shared. "We take the all-22 film and breakdown the field into a grid. He covers 1-2 more quadrants in that grid than nearly all of the other safeties we are evaluating in this draft. That is the kind of athlete he is."
It is likely going to be a very strong draft at the cornerback position. Because of that, a lot of mock drafts do not have Gareon Conley going in the first round. However, the source I spoke with says he still thinks Conley goes in the top 32.
"He should get a unanimous first round grade," they said. "He might not go until later in the first round, but I expect him to be picked round one."
Raekwon McMillan is also considered as a prospect that will get a first round grade across the board, but due to position value could find himself more in the second half of the first round.
But back to the secondary. Hooker isn't the only third-year sophomore making serious noise right now. Marshon Lattimore has been arguably better than Conley. The impact plays each week are really impressing NFL people.
"He is definitely a first round talent," an NFL source told me this week. "I think everyone is waiting to make sure he remains consistent with his performances and stays healthy."
Moving on to the defensive line, where the Buckeyes could have as many as three players drafted in the spring.
"Tyquan Lewis is about a third rounder right now," they shared. "Good prospect, but won't be in that elite tier of defensive ends in this draft."
One interior guy is moving up the board and perhaps that shouldn't be surprising to many here as this discussion has come up a bit recently.
"Of all of the Ohio State guys who played a lot last year, Michael Hill has made the biggest jump so far," one NFL source said. "He could go as high as the second round if he continues to play at the level he is playing. But he is probably off the board by the fourth round. There wasn't a lot of talk about him coming into the season, he has really improved his position."
The elephant in the room on the D-Line, however, is third-year sophomore Sam Hubbard. A player with a world of potential but two years of eligibility remaining.
"I think he should come back," one source said. "I think he is a great prospect and that is actually why I think he should go back to Ohio State for one more year. With all of the defensive ends coming out in this draft, he could definitely fall into the second or even early third round this year. If he goes back, continues to improve, he could play his way into the top 10 next year."
On to the offensive side of the football, starting with quarterback J.T. Barrett where the word probably isn't too surprising.
"Barrett's ceiling is a late round draft pick," they said. "Whether he comes out this year or returns to Ohio State, that is what he is. It is all about when he wants to start the clock."
Veteran lineman Pat Elflein is the lone senior in the starting lineup. While some mock's have him going in the first round, the people I have talked to don't, but are still very high on him.
"A lot of the centers that go in the first round are bigger bodies," one shared. "I think he is a second or third round pick. But I also think he plays a decade in the league."
Billy Price has also been in the program for a while now, the fourth-year junior has been rumored to possibly follow the Elflein plan and return for a fifth year and perhaps a transition to center.
"He flashes early round talent," I was told this week. "But it is not always consistent. He would get drafted if he came out, but could go higher with another year and improving his consistency."
Third-year receiver Noah Brown is in a similar boat.
"Would like to see him come back for another year," they said. "He has great hands and body control. Another year removed from the injury could lead to added explosiveness and that is where he could turn himself from a middle of the draft guy to an early rounds guy."
Finally we come to Curtis Samuel. Samuel's skill set is perfect for the college game and perfect for Urban Meyer's offense. Will it translate as well to the NFL level?
"Everyone expects him to run well at the combine (if he comes out)," one source said this weekend. "If he does that, I think a team falls in love with him late in the first round. He is dynamic. He is probably more of a second round guy right now, but I think there will be a team who takes a shot late in the first round."
Some other random notes:
- One of the people I talked to this week on Ohio State's team speed: "As fast as you will ever see at the college level".
- There is a market for Chris Worley right now in the later rounds of the draft if he foregoes a fifth year. Likely wouldn't be before the fourth round, but he has opened some eyes.
Will the Buckeyes pass on Marcus Hooker?
Have not yet had a chance to connect with four-star defensive back Marcus Hooker coming off Saturday's visit but it appears he left campus without an offer from the Buckeyes.
There has been a lot of talk lately about Marcus, whether it be questions about his ability in relation to Malik, questions about what Ohio State thinks of him, and where he could ultimately end up.
What I can say is that Marcus definitely has some allies inside the WHAC, I know that he is well thought of over there. I have been told that there is definitely a sentiment that he is good enough to play in Columbus. The hesitation on an offer is largely a numbers thing.
Internally, there is still some question about how many DB's will be in this class. Then you look at 2018 and you see the likes of Anthony Cook, Asante Samuel Jr., Derrik Allen, Christian Tutt, Houston Griffith, Amari Burney, and Brendan Radley-Hiles all showing serious early interest in the Buckeyes.
So there is once again going to be a log-jam at defensive back in 2018 where Ohio State won't be able to take everyone. They certainly don't lead for all of the above names, but they are high on the list for all of them and we're talking about at least a few eventual five-stars in that group. Hooker has to be treated like an Ohio kid, you can't play games with him or offer before being ready to accept.
Ohio State has some time here to sort this out and I think they'll take about as much time as they can before deciding whether or not to move, but the lack of an offer should not be taken as a lack of interest.
Red carpet rolled out for DPJ
Ohio State held nothing back this weekend after getting some late word that five-star wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones would be on campus. It was the first official visitor the Buckeyes have hosted this season and the timing of the visit was made possible due to the cancellation of the Florida/LSU game.
From having Gene Smith and President Drake meet with DPJ, to teaming him up with super recruiter Dwayne Haskins, the Buckeyes didn't leave anything in the chamber this weekend. I think the timing of the visit was probably good for Ohio State as there really hadn't been much momentum there recently so anything to get things moving back in the right direction was going to be a net positive.
You can read Josh Helmholdt's visit update on the front page right now. I believe DPJ was shown a good time and I believe he genuinely likes the coaches and players in Columbus. But I also believe Ohio State is probably somewhere in the 3-4 range for him right now, even after a visit that was, by all accounts, very well done by the Buckeyes.
Now the one thing I will say is that DPJ is among the toughest kids to read that I've ever covered. He doesn't tell anyone anything, coaches included. His answers in interviews would make Jim Tressel proud with as little as he gives away. So if there is one guy out there right now that could totally shock everyone, it is probably Donovan.
But until my contacts within the Ohio State program are confident, I won't be confident, and right now they just don't feel that confident. Michigan and Florida are still the two that I hear the most when I ask people close to the situation where they think DPJ is going.
Status quo with Harris
Not a ton new to report on Rivals250 wide receiver Jaylen Harris but I knew he was going to be asked about this weekend so we'll talk about him briefly. Josh Helmholdt posted a story on Jaylen just a few days ago, laying out the latest on where things are at in terms of Jaylen's plans.
Right now I would continue to expect this to go beyond the season. I think Jaylen ends up taking most of his official visits and that is just fine with Ohio State as the Buckeyes try and figure out the numbers.
But in the mean time, Ohio State is putting plenty of resources into recruiting the four-star prospect. From inviting him down to games, to visiting him at his school, Ohio State is recruiting him like they would any other priority target which I think is telling on whether or not there will be room for Jaylen in the class.
Harris once again was made comfortable on his visit this weekend, just an unofficial trip so he still has a potential OV to Columbus.
"I had a great time," Harris told me. "It's the same as always. I always have a good time at Ohio State."
Again, I think this gets worked out with Ohio State. I think the Buckeyes find room and I think Harris signs in February but it will just take some time for everything to play out.
It's a little past due for our first NFL Draft stock update. With just a few returning starters, there wasn't a lot of buzz heading into the season as teams were obviously waiting to see all of the new faces in the Ohio State lineup. Now that there is some data to go off of, there is plenty of buzz around Ohio State's draft eligible prospects and it's pretty much all positive at this point.
Standard disclaimer here that things can and will change based on more film, performance the rest of the season, combine/interviews, injuries, etc. View this as a snap shot of where things stand today.
The guy I think is the most interesting right now is third-year safety Malik Hooker. In just a handful of games, Hooker has propelled himself from a virtual unknown to a player who legitimately has a chance to be the highest drafted Buckeye this coming spring.
"I can see him going in the top half of the first round," one NFL source shared. "We take the all-22 film and breakdown the field into a grid. He covers 1-2 more quadrants in that grid than nearly all of the other safeties we are evaluating in this draft. That is the kind of athlete he is."
It is likely going to be a very strong draft at the cornerback position. Because of that, a lot of mock drafts do not have Gareon Conley going in the first round. However, the source I spoke with says he still thinks Conley goes in the top 32.
"He should get a unanimous first round grade," they said. "He might not go until later in the first round, but I expect him to be picked round one."
Raekwon McMillan is also considered as a prospect that will get a first round grade across the board, but due to position value could find himself more in the second half of the first round.
But back to the secondary. Hooker isn't the only third-year sophomore making serious noise right now. Marshon Lattimore has been arguably better than Conley. The impact plays each week are really impressing NFL people.
"He is definitely a first round talent," an NFL source told me this week. "I think everyone is waiting to make sure he remains consistent with his performances and stays healthy."
Moving on to the defensive line, where the Buckeyes could have as many as three players drafted in the spring.
"Tyquan Lewis is about a third rounder right now," they shared. "Good prospect, but won't be in that elite tier of defensive ends in this draft."
One interior guy is moving up the board and perhaps that shouldn't be surprising to many here as this discussion has come up a bit recently.
"Of all of the Ohio State guys who played a lot last year, Michael Hill has made the biggest jump so far," one NFL source said. "He could go as high as the second round if he continues to play at the level he is playing. But he is probably off the board by the fourth round. There wasn't a lot of talk about him coming into the season, he has really improved his position."
The elephant in the room on the D-Line, however, is third-year sophomore Sam Hubbard. A player with a world of potential but two years of eligibility remaining.
"I think he should come back," one source said. "I think he is a great prospect and that is actually why I think he should go back to Ohio State for one more year. With all of the defensive ends coming out in this draft, he could definitely fall into the second or even early third round this year. If he goes back, continues to improve, he could play his way into the top 10 next year."
On to the offensive side of the football, starting with quarterback J.T. Barrett where the word probably isn't too surprising.
"Barrett's ceiling is a late round draft pick," they said. "Whether he comes out this year or returns to Ohio State, that is what he is. It is all about when he wants to start the clock."
Veteran lineman Pat Elflein is the lone senior in the starting lineup. While some mock's have him going in the first round, the people I have talked to don't, but are still very high on him.
"A lot of the centers that go in the first round are bigger bodies," one shared. "I think he is a second or third round pick. But I also think he plays a decade in the league."
Billy Price has also been in the program for a while now, the fourth-year junior has been rumored to possibly follow the Elflein plan and return for a fifth year and perhaps a transition to center.
"He flashes early round talent," I was told this week. "But it is not always consistent. He would get drafted if he came out, but could go higher with another year and improving his consistency."
Third-year receiver Noah Brown is in a similar boat.
"Would like to see him come back for another year," they said. "He has great hands and body control. Another year removed from the injury could lead to added explosiveness and that is where he could turn himself from a middle of the draft guy to an early rounds guy."
Finally we come to Curtis Samuel. Samuel's skill set is perfect for the college game and perfect for Urban Meyer's offense. Will it translate as well to the NFL level?
"Everyone expects him to run well at the combine (if he comes out)," one source said this weekend. "If he does that, I think a team falls in love with him late in the first round. He is dynamic. He is probably more of a second round guy right now, but I think there will be a team who takes a shot late in the first round."
Some other random notes:
- One of the people I talked to this week on Ohio State's team speed: "As fast as you will ever see at the college level".
- There is a market for Chris Worley right now in the later rounds of the draft if he foregoes a fifth year. Likely wouldn't be before the fourth round, but he has opened some eyes.
Will the Buckeyes pass on Marcus Hooker?
Have not yet had a chance to connect with four-star defensive back Marcus Hooker coming off Saturday's visit but it appears he left campus without an offer from the Buckeyes.
There has been a lot of talk lately about Marcus, whether it be questions about his ability in relation to Malik, questions about what Ohio State thinks of him, and where he could ultimately end up.
What I can say is that Marcus definitely has some allies inside the WHAC, I know that he is well thought of over there. I have been told that there is definitely a sentiment that he is good enough to play in Columbus. The hesitation on an offer is largely a numbers thing.
Internally, there is still some question about how many DB's will be in this class. Then you look at 2018 and you see the likes of Anthony Cook, Asante Samuel Jr., Derrik Allen, Christian Tutt, Houston Griffith, Amari Burney, and Brendan Radley-Hiles all showing serious early interest in the Buckeyes.
So there is once again going to be a log-jam at defensive back in 2018 where Ohio State won't be able to take everyone. They certainly don't lead for all of the above names, but they are high on the list for all of them and we're talking about at least a few eventual five-stars in that group. Hooker has to be treated like an Ohio kid, you can't play games with him or offer before being ready to accept.
Ohio State has some time here to sort this out and I think they'll take about as much time as they can before deciding whether or not to move, but the lack of an offer should not be taken as a lack of interest.
Red carpet rolled out for DPJ
Ohio State held nothing back this weekend after getting some late word that five-star wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones would be on campus. It was the first official visitor the Buckeyes have hosted this season and the timing of the visit was made possible due to the cancellation of the Florida/LSU game.
From having Gene Smith and President Drake meet with DPJ, to teaming him up with super recruiter Dwayne Haskins, the Buckeyes didn't leave anything in the chamber this weekend. I think the timing of the visit was probably good for Ohio State as there really hadn't been much momentum there recently so anything to get things moving back in the right direction was going to be a net positive.
You can read Josh Helmholdt's visit update on the front page right now. I believe DPJ was shown a good time and I believe he genuinely likes the coaches and players in Columbus. But I also believe Ohio State is probably somewhere in the 3-4 range for him right now, even after a visit that was, by all accounts, very well done by the Buckeyes.
Now the one thing I will say is that DPJ is among the toughest kids to read that I've ever covered. He doesn't tell anyone anything, coaches included. His answers in interviews would make Jim Tressel proud with as little as he gives away. So if there is one guy out there right now that could totally shock everyone, it is probably Donovan.
But until my contacts within the Ohio State program are confident, I won't be confident, and right now they just don't feel that confident. Michigan and Florida are still the two that I hear the most when I ask people close to the situation where they think DPJ is going.
Status quo with Harris
Not a ton new to report on Rivals250 wide receiver Jaylen Harris but I knew he was going to be asked about this weekend so we'll talk about him briefly. Josh Helmholdt posted a story on Jaylen just a few days ago, laying out the latest on where things are at in terms of Jaylen's plans.
Right now I would continue to expect this to go beyond the season. I think Jaylen ends up taking most of his official visits and that is just fine with Ohio State as the Buckeyes try and figure out the numbers.
But in the mean time, Ohio State is putting plenty of resources into recruiting the four-star prospect. From inviting him down to games, to visiting him at his school, Ohio State is recruiting him like they would any other priority target which I think is telling on whether or not there will be room for Jaylen in the class.
Harris once again was made comfortable on his visit this weekend, just an unofficial trip so he still has a potential OV to Columbus.
"I had a great time," Harris told me. "It's the same as always. I always have a good time at Ohio State."
Again, I think this gets worked out with Ohio State. I think the Buckeyes find room and I think Harris signs in February but it will just take some time for everything to play out.
