INDIANAPOLIS — Noah Spence isn't tired of hearing about his mistakes. It's part of him, just like his brief Ohio State career.
The former Buckeye defensive end is in Indianapolis after a year at Eastern Kentucky and a year away from the game, about to achieve his childhood dream of playing in the NFL. He had to take a detour, but Spence is bound to be an early pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
"I didn’t want to be a failure, ever," Spence said Friday. "So I put it in my mind that I wasn’t going to be."
Spence tested positive for ecstasy twice at Ohio State, keeping him out of the 2014 Orange Bowl and then ultimately getting him kicked out of the Big Ten. He landed at Eastern Kentucky seeking a second chance, received it, and made the most of it.
Spence tallied 11.5 sacks for the Colonels in 2015, who compete at the FCS level. Drug tests come every single week, and Spence claims he was not an addict. He also is fully aware the questions about his past aren't going to stop.
"I knew it was coming," Spence said. "I’m not tired of answering them. I’m used to it."
Arguably the best pass rusher in this year's draft class, Spence isn't oblivious to what he could have been a part of at Ohio State either. The Buckeyes won the 2014 Big Ten and national title without him, but would have had space for a player of his caliber to lineup opposite All-American Joey Bosa and alongside future draft pick Adolphus Washington.
"I never stopped being cool with those guys. I had Thanksgiving with Adolphus and his family this year," Spence said. "Everything happens for a reason."
His former teammates also haven't forgotten about him. The memories make that impossible, just like the ultimate 'what if' scenario that includes him terrorizing opposing offenses with Washington, Bosa and others.
Spence tied with Bosa to lead Ohio State in sacks in 2013 and earned All-Big Ten honors.
"Pretty lucky he got kicked out, or that would have been a scary duo rushing on Saturdays," Bosa said. "But he's a great kid. Everyone makes mistakes, I've made mistakes. It's what you do with the second chance. And as you see he's here, he's being looked at as a first round pick, so I think he did a great job with a second chance."
Added Washington: "He was down because before he left, me and him lived together and I would always see him after the games. He would always just be sad and I would try to talk to him, but when a guy loves football as much as he does, it's hard to just talk to somebody about it. But he got another chance at Eastern Kentucky and he made the most of it."
Spence said he always watched his friends and former teammates play on Saturdays if he could, but seeing them succeed at the highest level wasn't at all bittersweet.
"I’m happy for them. They’re still my brothers and stuff like that," Spence said. "I care about those guys, I want to see them win, want to see them succeed."
Spence joked Ohio State "probably would have been too good" if he didn't get in trouble and stayed in Urban Meyer's program. His mistakes don't define him, and he does his best to steer clear of the crowd he used to hang around.
It is a part of who he is though, just like Ohio State.
"I don’t have any expectations (for the Draft)," Spence said. "I feel blessed to be in this situation. I didn’t think I’d make it back here."
