We're exactly one full day removed from football season and I'm already itching for the AAF to start on Saturday so I have something to hold me over until I pay to watch Ohio State's pretend football game in April.
The offseason is dark and full of terrors.
ICYMI
- The Justin Fields eligibility saga is "close to the finish line."
- Ohio State's defensive end position is turning into an assembly line of stars.
- Comparing Urban Meyer and Ryan Day's first month on the job.
- Thayer Munford will be the cornerstone slob as the unit's only returning starter.
- Tennessee graduate transfer tight end visiting Ohio State.
Word of the Day: Lachrymose.
FIRST ROUND BUCKS. I've shared too many mock drafts in here to count at this point, and it's hilarious and extremely uncharacteristic that they've barely changed since like, the middle of the season, at least in terms of Buckeye projections at the top.
Nine out of every 10 mock drafts I read has Nick Bosa going to the Cardinals with the No. 1 overall pick and the Giants selecting Dwayne Haskins.
And folks, you're not going to believe this...
From Matt Miller of BleacherReport.com:
1. Arizona Cardinals
The Pick: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State
For now, the Arizona Cardinals are predicted to do the smart thing and select the best player in the 2019 draft class with the No. 1 overall pick. There are still three months remaining for them to mess this up, though.
Nick Bosa isn't a generational talent—that phrase needs to be retired—but he's a blue-chip prospect at the most important position in the NFL outside of quarterback. If the Cardinals are set on Josh Rosen as the future of the team, then Bosa is a no-brainer selection.
Bosa's talent is unquestioned as a true edge-rusher. As long as he's recovered from a sports hernia injury that ended his 2018 season in September, he will be a wire-to-wire No. 1 overall prospect on my board.
...
6. New York Giants
The Pick: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
The New York Giants have to eventually move on from Eli Manning—or at least draft a viable young quarterback to take over in the near future. The NFL is buzzing right now about the result of the Kansas City Chiefs' plan to draft Patrick Mahomes and let him sit behind Alex Smith for a season. The Giants should follow that blueprint and strike now to get a quarterback of the future.
Dwayne Haskins might not be a trendy fit for the Giants because of his status as a one-year starter at Ohio State, but his talent speaks for itself. He has poise in the pocket that most new starters do not and has shown excellent arm talent and ball placement. Perhaps most encouraging was his development throughout the season, as he played his best football late in the year.
The Giants can't afford to pass on quarterbacks again in 2019; no matter how good the 2020 class looks, now is the time to get a quarterback to groom for the future.
So nothing's changed on that front, and I'm doubting anything's going to change between now and the draft. But the exciting news is, we really have no idea what's going to happen after the first 10 picks in the first round.
A bunch of Buckeyes are going to get drafted, it's just a matter of where. Miller has a total of nine going in the first four rounds.
- Rd. 2, Pick 38: Jacksonville Jaguars: Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State
- Rd. 2, Pick 57: Philadelphia Eagles: Dre'Mont Jones, DL, Ohio State
- Rd. 3, Pick 79: Atlanta Falcons: Michael Jordan, OG, Ohio State
- Rd. 3, Pick 80: Cleveland Browns: Kendall Sheffield, CB, Ohio State
- Rd. 4, Pick 100: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Weber, RB, Ohio State
- Rd. 4, Pick 118: Denver Broncos: Isaiah Prince, OL, Ohio State
- Rd. 4, Pick 127: New England Patriots: Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
There's no way Dre'Mont Jones and Terry McLaurin slip that far, but Terry to the Patriots is absolutely going to happen.
SUPER BOWL CHAMP JOHN SIMON. One of the only reasons I was at peace with the Patriots winning their 13th Super Bowl was knowing that John Simon got a ring.
He joined Carpenter and Rothman on 97.1 The Fan to talk about the win.
.@johnesimon51 2-4-19 #Buckeyes #SuperBowl https://t.co/fbTI6ml9gB
— Carpenter & Rothman (@971CandR) February 4, 2019
Simon's a Super Bowl champ, but he might have had the second-best performance of the Buckeye trio playing in the game since Jake McQuaide had a Super Bowl record number of successful punt snaps.
Long snappers are people too, folks forget that.
WARD MAKES TOP-101. Hey, the Browns made a good first-round pick!
At the end of his first season, Denzel Ward finds his way into Pro Football Focus' top-101 NFL players, based on their 2018 performance.
From Pro Football Focus:
89. DENZEL WARD, CLEVELAND BROWNS
The second-highest-graded rookie cornerback this year, Ward lived up to his top-five billing. He allowed a catch rate of 53.7 and passer rating of 70.7 to transform the Browns’ secondary. We’ll be seeing his name on this list for years to come.
We only got numbers 76-101 so far, so do not be alarmed that Ward is the only Buckeye on the list as of now.
BLUE IS AT IT AGAIN. Another day, another egregious Michigan recruiting graphic.
Michigan football uses alternative facts in a recruiting graphic. Iowa football answers off the top rope.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) February 4, 2019
pic.twitter.com/d4WindAO0i
It's also hilarious that Ohio State somehow didn't make the graphic, almost as if they knew there was a chance they'd get dunked on in the replies for losing Jeremy Ruckert to Ohio State last class.
Instead, Iowa did the posterizing.
And amazingly, this isn't even the most reckless recruiting graphic they've pumped out in the past 365 days. Last February, they literally sent a graphic to players being recruited by the Buckeyes that featured five of Ohio State's former players.
WILD FINISH. If y'all thought the Super Bowl sucked, play back the whole game in your mind through the eyes of this now very wealthy fellow.
Per Timmy Fitz at the South Point: one bettor put $250 on the Rams to score exactly 3 points at 400/1. @VSiNLive. How's that for a cool $100K?
— Mitch Moss (@MitchMossRadio) February 4, 2019
Good lord.
Remember Brandin Cooks wide open in the end zone? Remember a dropped touchdown pass right before an interception? Remember one of the best kickers in the NFL missed the 48-yarder in a dome after hitting his last two kicks from 57 and 53?
Buddy better enjoy his 100Gs cause that game took years off of his life.
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