I know I don't get to see what goes on at practice, but I just have to believe that Jayden Ballard can provide what we've been missing all year in the passing game: a true deep threat.

MHJ is incredible and runs a great deep route, but it's hard when he's double covered 75% of the time. Egbuka can do it too, but he's really a slot guy through and through. Fleming... just seems to have problems getting separation. Or consistently making the play when he gets separation. Love Xavier Johnson, but the deep ball just isn't his game. 

Enter Jayden Ballard. Legit 6'2" with long arms. 10.89 s 100 m dash, 6'0" high jump in high school. Accelerates like this:

"I am speed." - Lightning McQueen

- Jayden Ballard https://t.co/8H83VK4wYE
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 18, 2022

Again, I don't know what kind of practice player he's like. Maybe he's dropping passes all over the place. But man, can't you give him 6, 8, 10 snaps in game, line him up on the outside and tell him to run straight? At the very least you're giving the defense something to think about when he puts his foot on the line. Because let's be honest, and I think they're both good players, but Fleming and X do not move the needle for defenses like MHJ, Egbuka, and healthy JSN. I think Ballard can move that needle and take some attention away from the rest of our weapons. Throw him in there with the 1s some in bowl practice. Give him a shot against Georgia.