It’s another Monday here at Scarlet and Gray Report.
Here’s what I’m thinking about heading into this week.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson have been waiting for this week for awhile.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are set to make Ohio State history Thursday night.
In Buckeye history, only four wide receivers have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft: Ted Ginn Jr. in 2007, David Boston in 1998, Terry Glenn in 1996 and Joey Galloway in 1995.
This week, Ohio State will likely add two more to the list in Olave and Wilson, the two receivers who helped the Buckeyes have the best total offense and the best scoring offense in the country in 2021, the two receivers that have been looked at as the two most NFL ready receivers the program has had maybe ever.
And much of it has to do with two simple aspects of each of their games: speed and catching ability.
Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to saw about each:
Olave: Top-end speed creates vertical opportunities, burst for separation on all three levels, adjusts speed for ball flight, ball skills feature plus focus and well-timed, sudden hands
Wilson: Deceptive speed seems to surprise single coverage, instant acceleration creates his ‘plays fast’ profile, consistent to separate on deep ins, posts and go-routes, slip-and-go talent after the catch, hands are instinctive, sudden and strong, brings in difficult jump balls and 50-50s
Basically, NFL scouts are seeing the two foundations Brian Hartline’s room is built on, the foundations he wrote on his white board talking to high school coaches at Ohio State’s coaching clinic:
That’s truly it. It’s the reason why Wilson’s projected by many to be the first wide receiver off the board Thursday, it’s why Olave is projected to be taken from the mid-to-late first round.
And here’s the thing: it’s repeatable.
Wilson and Olave’s stories are not unique in the wide scope of the Ohio State wide receiver story.
Wilson was an early enrollee with big expectations, coming in as the No. 6 receiver in the 2019 class, looking to make an impact right away — what Caleb Burton is trying to replicate to a tee out of Lake Travis in 2022. He built up his weight and became a force, combining strength and speed to become one of the main matchup problems in the Big Ten, something out of high school that really wasn’t too much of a shocker.
Olave didn’t have those expectations. At first, he was more of an afterthought: the receiver that Jack Tuttle, the quarterback who signed with Utah and later found himself at Indiana, was throwing to when Ryan Day was scouting him. Olave didn’t play his junior season of high school football, with the coaching staff looking through that three-star rating and him being the No. 74 receiver in the country and instead seeing potential, potential that broke through every expectation they had of him, becoming, statistically, one of the best Buckeye receivers in school history.
Olave was kind of the start. He was that in-between, secured in the 2018 class and joining the Buckeyes in the days of Parris Campbell, K.J. Hill and Terry McLaurin, the veteran trio that shined with Dwyane Haskins and revamped the overall culture and expectation for what an Ohio State offense can do, leading to 32 receiving touchdowns in three seasons without ever having a single 1,000-yard season.
Where does it start? Size.
Look at Ohio State’s wide receiver room. All but one scholarship receiver — Burton — is at least 6 feet tall. Each scholarship receiver who has been a part of the program for at least one season is between 195-207 pounds.
The offense has a type: taller, interchangeable receivers who can get bigger and stronger, while still maintaining that breakaway speed necessary. It’s why Olave and Wilson are expected to be first round picks. It’s why Jaxon Smith-Njigba is considered one of the best returning receivers in the sport coming into 2022 with a chance to be the first receiver taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s why Ohio State has players like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming in the room.
They each fit the template. And with that template with Hartline, Day and Mickey Marotti, they can turn into Olave and Wilson.
So who’s next?
No one represents this better than Fleming.
His career really hasn’t gone as planned, bringing in 19 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown through his first two years with the program, but still sees himself as a Biletnikoff finalist, a candidate to be one of the best receivers in the country and a first round draft pick.
That’s why Ohio State got him in the first place.
And that’s what Hartline’s room is filled with, high profile receivers that Hartiline sees the potential in developing, whether it’s the highest rated player in the class, like Egbuka or Fleming, or a player like Kyion Grayes or Burton, who may have not been the highest rated player in the class, but still has that same ceiling.
It’s what allows the pipeline to continue, bringing in players like Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate to the Student Appreciation Day practice, visiting Ohio State, seeing what life would be like in Columbus with Hartline.
It’s players like Smith-Njigba and Harrison that keep it going for sure, but will only be heightened with what happens for Olave and Wilson Thursday night, securing the pipeline for years and classes to come.
Here are some superlatives for a few Ohio State offensive players about to go through the NFL Draft.
There’s many I could do, but I’m going to stick to four:
Most likely to succeed — WR Chris Olave: Will Garrett Wilson be a very good NFL player? Yes, but this is more based on the situation Olave will be coming into, likely with a better offense and with a better quarterback. Olave has the chance to step in right away and make an impact for an offense that could be one or two pieces away from a run, showing those same levels of highlight-reel plays, even though he may be a tad underrated, especially compared to his counterpart. Watch Olave shine at the next level.
Most likely to be a team captain — OT Nicholas Petit-Frere: This dude is smart, and he embraces the process. When I talked to him at Ohio State’s Pro Day and asked him what his post-Ohio State journey has been like, his eyes lit up about the training and the process of the Combine. This is a player who gets it and it’s infectious. If he’s a starter in this league, don’t be surprised to see that captain’s patch on his jersey.
Most likely to start from Day 1 (Not named Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson) — TE Jeremy Ruckert: Solely because of versatility and the situation he could go into. He’s more of an all-around tight end option at the NFL level, a league Luke Farrell has found a home in. Also, Ruckert seems like one of those players where he could score 25 points in Week 4 of fantasy football out of nowhere.
Most likely to have a long career (Not named Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson) — RB Master Teague III: Hear me out, this is a weird one. Yes, Wilson, Olave, Petit-Frere and Ruckert I would put as candidates here too, but Teague showed what he could be. He hasn’t peaked yet. And for a position that’s in desperate need of depth at the NFL level, I think Teague could see himself in the league for a long time. Is it as a starter? Probably not, but Ohio State running backs have done this in the past (i.e. Rod Smith) so why can’t Teague stay long enough to get his pension? Would not be surprised in the least to see him as a goalline back at the NFL level.
Here’s why Haskell Garrett fits all of those same superlatives on the defensive side.
First of all, it’s not the deepest class for Ohio State defenders. But even next year, I think Haskell Garrett will contend for all of these same superlatives.
His story is phenomenal: coming back to the field after being shot and dominating the interior of the Buckeyes’ defensive line. He set the tone for the room, the product of which you will see in 2022 with the return of Taron Vincent, Tyleik Williams and Jerron Cage.
And he can play football. Here’s what Lance Zierlein says Garrett could bring:
So Ohio State got a transfer Sunday.
His name is Sean McNeil, and here’s what he will bring to Ohio State.
But I want you to see this video.
Here’s a look at how he told Ohio State that he would be committing.
The big thing for me in this video is Jake Diebler, how he hugged McNeil and then hugged the player’s mother, saying “Welcome to the family.” One of the main things recruits I have talked to have said is how personable and relatable Diebler is as an assistant coach, how his focus is building the relationship first and then getting to basketball.
His impact is huge for Ohio State, and he’s not going to stay with the Buckeyes for very long if his success continues like 2022 did for them recruiting along with the transfers the team has brought in.
What does it mean for the transfer market?
Based on my calculations, Ohio State is nearly done.
Here’s what the roster looks like at this point: Eugene Brown III, Zed Key, Kalen Etzler, Justice Sueing, Seth Towns, Bruce Thornton, Brice Sensabaugh, Felix Okpara, Roddy Gayle Jr., Bowen Hardman, Tanner Holden, Sean McNeil.
That’s 12 scholarships and spots for a team that can have 13 scholarships and 15 players on the roster at a time. The Buckeyes are still waiting for answers from Malaki Branham, who entered the NBA Draft without an agent, giving him the ability to return for a sophomore season if he so chose, and former walk-on Harrison Hookfin, who earned a scholarship last season.
My two cents, and based on the activity in the transfer market, I would not be surprised if Ohio State has one more scholarship spot to work with. I would also guess there’s one more spot in the top 13 that could play if a freshman redshirts like Etzler did (best guess would be Hardman).
What could the starting lineup look like?
Here’s what I would do if the season started today:
G Tanner Holden
G Sean McNeil
G Eugene Brown III
F Justice Sueing
F Zed Key
I would think Eztler and Towns would be the first two off the bench with Sensabaugh and Thornton not far behind. It will be interesting to see how Okpara is used here too, if he starts as Key’s backup.
What about the 2023 class?
Ohio State already has two commitments in 2023 in George Washington III and Austin Parks. However, I think they could only have room for one more. But it will be interested, with both Holden and McNeil coming in with two seasons of eligibility.
Right now, Sueing and Towns would be the only ones whose eligibility is out by the end of the season, leaving the two spots filled by Parks and Washington.
But with players like Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal up for grabs, I would think roster spots would open up.
And now, the song of the week.
Let’s just say, I’m looking forward to this weekend too.
Note: if you catch the tease in this song, you get bonus points. (Spoiler: it’s a song I’ve shared in the past on the board)
See you on the board.
Here’s what I’m thinking about heading into this week.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson have been waiting for this week for awhile.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are set to make Ohio State history Thursday night.
In Buckeye history, only four wide receivers have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft: Ted Ginn Jr. in 2007, David Boston in 1998, Terry Glenn in 1996 and Joey Galloway in 1995.
This week, Ohio State will likely add two more to the list in Olave and Wilson, the two receivers who helped the Buckeyes have the best total offense and the best scoring offense in the country in 2021, the two receivers that have been looked at as the two most NFL ready receivers the program has had maybe ever.
And much of it has to do with two simple aspects of each of their games: speed and catching ability.
Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to saw about each:
Olave: Top-end speed creates vertical opportunities, burst for separation on all three levels, adjusts speed for ball flight, ball skills feature plus focus and well-timed, sudden hands
Wilson: Deceptive speed seems to surprise single coverage, instant acceleration creates his ‘plays fast’ profile, consistent to separate on deep ins, posts and go-routes, slip-and-go talent after the catch, hands are instinctive, sudden and strong, brings in difficult jump balls and 50-50s
Basically, NFL scouts are seeing the two foundations Brian Hartline’s room is built on, the foundations he wrote on his white board talking to high school coaches at Ohio State’s coaching clinic:
- Get open.
- Catch the ball.
That’s truly it. It’s the reason why Wilson’s projected by many to be the first wide receiver off the board Thursday, it’s why Olave is projected to be taken from the mid-to-late first round.
And here’s the thing: it’s repeatable.
Wilson and Olave’s stories are not unique in the wide scope of the Ohio State wide receiver story.
Wilson was an early enrollee with big expectations, coming in as the No. 6 receiver in the 2019 class, looking to make an impact right away — what Caleb Burton is trying to replicate to a tee out of Lake Travis in 2022. He built up his weight and became a force, combining strength and speed to become one of the main matchup problems in the Big Ten, something out of high school that really wasn’t too much of a shocker.
Olave didn’t have those expectations. At first, he was more of an afterthought: the receiver that Jack Tuttle, the quarterback who signed with Utah and later found himself at Indiana, was throwing to when Ryan Day was scouting him. Olave didn’t play his junior season of high school football, with the coaching staff looking through that three-star rating and him being the No. 74 receiver in the country and instead seeing potential, potential that broke through every expectation they had of him, becoming, statistically, one of the best Buckeye receivers in school history.
Olave was kind of the start. He was that in-between, secured in the 2018 class and joining the Buckeyes in the days of Parris Campbell, K.J. Hill and Terry McLaurin, the veteran trio that shined with Dwyane Haskins and revamped the overall culture and expectation for what an Ohio State offense can do, leading to 32 receiving touchdowns in three seasons without ever having a single 1,000-yard season.
Where does it start? Size.
Look at Ohio State’s wide receiver room. All but one scholarship receiver — Burton — is at least 6 feet tall. Each scholarship receiver who has been a part of the program for at least one season is between 195-207 pounds.
The offense has a type: taller, interchangeable receivers who can get bigger and stronger, while still maintaining that breakaway speed necessary. It’s why Olave and Wilson are expected to be first round picks. It’s why Jaxon Smith-Njigba is considered one of the best returning receivers in the sport coming into 2022 with a chance to be the first receiver taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s why Ohio State has players like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming in the room.
They each fit the template. And with that template with Hartline, Day and Mickey Marotti, they can turn into Olave and Wilson.
So who’s next?
No one represents this better than Fleming.
His career really hasn’t gone as planned, bringing in 19 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown through his first two years with the program, but still sees himself as a Biletnikoff finalist, a candidate to be one of the best receivers in the country and a first round draft pick.
That’s why Ohio State got him in the first place.
And that’s what Hartline’s room is filled with, high profile receivers that Hartiline sees the potential in developing, whether it’s the highest rated player in the class, like Egbuka or Fleming, or a player like Kyion Grayes or Burton, who may have not been the highest rated player in the class, but still has that same ceiling.
It’s what allows the pipeline to continue, bringing in players like Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate to the Student Appreciation Day practice, visiting Ohio State, seeing what life would be like in Columbus with Hartline.
It’s players like Smith-Njigba and Harrison that keep it going for sure, but will only be heightened with what happens for Olave and Wilson Thursday night, securing the pipeline for years and classes to come.
Here are some superlatives for a few Ohio State offensive players about to go through the NFL Draft.
There’s many I could do, but I’m going to stick to four:
Most likely to succeed — WR Chris Olave: Will Garrett Wilson be a very good NFL player? Yes, but this is more based on the situation Olave will be coming into, likely with a better offense and with a better quarterback. Olave has the chance to step in right away and make an impact for an offense that could be one or two pieces away from a run, showing those same levels of highlight-reel plays, even though he may be a tad underrated, especially compared to his counterpart. Watch Olave shine at the next level.
Most likely to be a team captain — OT Nicholas Petit-Frere: This dude is smart, and he embraces the process. When I talked to him at Ohio State’s Pro Day and asked him what his post-Ohio State journey has been like, his eyes lit up about the training and the process of the Combine. This is a player who gets it and it’s infectious. If he’s a starter in this league, don’t be surprised to see that captain’s patch on his jersey.
Most likely to start from Day 1 (Not named Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson) — TE Jeremy Ruckert: Solely because of versatility and the situation he could go into. He’s more of an all-around tight end option at the NFL level, a league Luke Farrell has found a home in. Also, Ruckert seems like one of those players where he could score 25 points in Week 4 of fantasy football out of nowhere.
Most likely to have a long career (Not named Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson) — RB Master Teague III: Hear me out, this is a weird one. Yes, Wilson, Olave, Petit-Frere and Ruckert I would put as candidates here too, but Teague showed what he could be. He hasn’t peaked yet. And for a position that’s in desperate need of depth at the NFL level, I think Teague could see himself in the league for a long time. Is it as a starter? Probably not, but Ohio State running backs have done this in the past (i.e. Rod Smith) so why can’t Teague stay long enough to get his pension? Would not be surprised in the least to see him as a goalline back at the NFL level.
Here’s why Haskell Garrett fits all of those same superlatives on the defensive side.
First of all, it’s not the deepest class for Ohio State defenders. But even next year, I think Haskell Garrett will contend for all of these same superlatives.
His story is phenomenal: coming back to the field after being shot and dominating the interior of the Buckeyes’ defensive line. He set the tone for the room, the product of which you will see in 2022 with the return of Taron Vincent, Tyleik Williams and Jerron Cage.
And he can play football. Here’s what Lance Zierlein says Garrett could bring:
- Efficient movement at point of attack.
- Strong, quick hands to defeat the guard.
- Upper-body turn helps him get skinny through the gap.
- Strength to snatch and occupy block to keep linebacker free.
- Fairly effective wrist control.
- Crisp two-hand swipe knocks punch away.
- Able to activate slap/swim combination with ease.
- Pass rush features a clean spin counter.
- Secondary rush effort is there.
So Ohio State got a transfer Sunday.
His name is Sean McNeil, and here’s what he will bring to Ohio State.
But I want you to see this video.
Here’s a look at how he told Ohio State that he would be committing.
The big thing for me in this video is Jake Diebler, how he hugged McNeil and then hugged the player’s mother, saying “Welcome to the family.” One of the main things recruits I have talked to have said is how personable and relatable Diebler is as an assistant coach, how his focus is building the relationship first and then getting to basketball.
His impact is huge for Ohio State, and he’s not going to stay with the Buckeyes for very long if his success continues like 2022 did for them recruiting along with the transfers the team has brought in.
What does it mean for the transfer market?
Based on my calculations, Ohio State is nearly done.
Here’s what the roster looks like at this point: Eugene Brown III, Zed Key, Kalen Etzler, Justice Sueing, Seth Towns, Bruce Thornton, Brice Sensabaugh, Felix Okpara, Roddy Gayle Jr., Bowen Hardman, Tanner Holden, Sean McNeil.
That’s 12 scholarships and spots for a team that can have 13 scholarships and 15 players on the roster at a time. The Buckeyes are still waiting for answers from Malaki Branham, who entered the NBA Draft without an agent, giving him the ability to return for a sophomore season if he so chose, and former walk-on Harrison Hookfin, who earned a scholarship last season.
My two cents, and based on the activity in the transfer market, I would not be surprised if Ohio State has one more scholarship spot to work with. I would also guess there’s one more spot in the top 13 that could play if a freshman redshirts like Etzler did (best guess would be Hardman).
What could the starting lineup look like?
Here’s what I would do if the season started today:
G Tanner Holden
G Sean McNeil
G Eugene Brown III
F Justice Sueing
F Zed Key
I would think Eztler and Towns would be the first two off the bench with Sensabaugh and Thornton not far behind. It will be interesting to see how Okpara is used here too, if he starts as Key’s backup.
What about the 2023 class?
Ohio State already has two commitments in 2023 in George Washington III and Austin Parks. However, I think they could only have room for one more. But it will be interested, with both Holden and McNeil coming in with two seasons of eligibility.
Right now, Sueing and Towns would be the only ones whose eligibility is out by the end of the season, leaving the two spots filled by Parks and Washington.
But with players like Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal up for grabs, I would think roster spots would open up.
And now, the song of the week.
Let’s just say, I’m looking forward to this weekend too.
Note: if you catch the tease in this song, you get bonus points. (Spoiler: it’s a song I’ve shared in the past on the board)
See you on the board.
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