How would you rank the position groups going into the spring game? Here are my views
QB -
Unlike Ralphie we're not dreaming
RB - A-, Ezekiell Elliot is a beast but who is his back up? Curtis Samuel will still see time at RB IMO but is Brionte Dunn ready to prove he is a viable and reliable back - up who will need to carry part of the load to keep Eze fresh? Will Weber be ready day 1?
WR - B+, There is a ton of talent here but losing Devin Smith and Evan Spencer causes experience concerns. Michael Thomas should be a monster and Corey Smith and Jalin Marshall are also viable threats. Noah Brown needs to be the monster of dirty work that Evan Spencer was, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Parris Campbell, or James Clark need to step up to be a down the field threat.. if any of them can be remotely as good as Devin Smith it could be huge.
HB - A+ Jalin Marshall and Curtis Samuel are incredible athletes but Dontre Wilson is better than most give him credit for, we don't lack depth experience or skill here. Curtis Samuel might play some as a RB and Marshall some as a true WR.
TE - B Nick Vannett is a very good TE imo. The question is.. is Baugh going to step up, is Rashod Berry going to come in and be ready? Will depth issues force Sam Hubbard back to TE stealing him from a D-line with ????
OT - A- Taylor Decker is a beast and has a chance to be a first rounder, Chase Farris seems to be ready to step in and be a good RT with talented Jamarco Jones backing up both of them. Only concern is it would be nice to have one more guy in the mix.
Interior O-line - A+ Eflein, Boren, and Price are nasty sons of b*tches. Demetrious Knox and Marcelyous(sp) Jones are sounding like great back ups.
DE - B+ Joey Bosa is obviously all world. Experience and depth is a major question. The talent is there with Tyquan Lewis, Jalyn Holmes, Sam Hubbard, Darious Slade and Jashon Cornell.
DT - B Washington is a great player.... who else is proven? Not anyone really yet. Tommy Schutt, Donovan Munger, and Joel Hale need to step up at NT. Michael Hill, Tracy Sprinkle, and Dylan Thompson need to step up to provide depth behind the diesel. Just like DE the talent is there but the experienced and proven depth is lacking.
LB - A We will have a great starting crew with Darron Lee, Raekwon McMillan, and Josh Perry. The depth is talented but unproven. Dante Booker, Jerome Baker, Nick Conner, Justin Hilliard, Camren Williams, Joe Burger, and Craig Fada will all fight to get in the 2 deep.
CB - A- Eli Apple is poised to become a star this year replacing Doran Grant at the boundary corner. Damon Webb and Gareon Conley duke it out for the field corner spot while Marshon Lattimore is still healing. It sounds like Conley is winning this battle now, but in fall camp with a healthy Lattimore and the arrival of Jamel Dean the battle could intensify.
Safety - A+. Tyvis Powell has had his struggles but has become a very good safety. If he can improve his consistency he and emerging superstar Vonn Bell could make one of the best safety tandems in recent OSU history and one of the country's best. Cameron Burrows, Erick Smith, and Malik Hooker are backups that could start almost anywhere in the country. The depth is real at safety. I expect Smith to be a star when his career at OSU is over.
