Totally looking through Scarlet glasses on this one, but could tOSU put the equivalent of an entire recruiting class in the 2016 NFL Draft? It looks like from a numbers standpoint, at least 11 of the 73 scholarship athletes that could report next spring will need to be moving on for tOSU to take 23 recruits in the 2016 Class!
If 73 players are still on scholarship next spring and 23 recruits sign in 2016, then tOSU will have 96 young men on scholarship and must be at 85 when Fall Camp starts. tOSU already has 19 verbal commits and still "needs" a DT, a true S and seem to always take a surprise athlete/DB/WR or two to finish off the class. So, 23 in the 2016 class is a likely outcome…..
Even if several of the seniors go undrafted and all the Super Sophomores return, tOSU could conceivably have 11 guys have their names called in the 2016 NFL Draft, imo! Or, another way to say it is it MUST happen to be at the magic number 85, if tOSU takes 23 guys this year! I have identified 23 guys that will likely test the waters, of which, 11 are underclassmen! I am curious what others think about this scenario:
10 out of 12 Seniors, 5 for sure hear there name:
Ath Braxton Miller
WR Corey Smith (more likely UFA)
TE Nick Vannett
OT Taylor Decker
OT Chase Farris (more likely UFA)
C Jacoby Boren (more likely UFA)
DT Adolphus Washington
DT Tommy Schutt (more likely UFA)
LB Joshua Perry
LS Bryce Haynes (more likely UFA)
9 Juniors, 6 for sure declare, imo:
QB Cardale Jones
RB Ezekiel Elliott
WR Dontre Wilson (more likely to return)
WR Michael Thomas
OG Pat Elflein*(more likely to return)
DE Joey Bosa
S Vonn Bell
S Tyvis Powell (more likely to return)
P Cameron Johnston
4 Sophomores:
QB JT Barrett (more likely to return)
OG Billy Price (more likely to return)
LB Darron Lee (more likely to return)
CB Eli Apple (more likely to return)
What do others feel the over/under is for next years draft. If I was a betting man, and I am not, I would put a paycheck on 11+, thoughts?