Skull Session: “Every Buckeye” is Coming Back For Ohio State, Mike Hall’s Draft Stock Improves After the Senior Bowl and Ohio State Celebrates Black History Month

By Chase Brown on February 6, 2024 at 5:00 am
Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

Pat Gurd and Sonny Styles are Ohio State's DUDES of the Week

Have a good Tuesday.

 SET THE TONE. As the Buckeyes’ offseason continues, the Ohio State football media team shared a video that set the tone for Monday (and the week ahead).

Guess who’s all coming back?

All of them.

TreVeyon Henderson. Emeka Egbuka. Josh Simmons. Donovan Jackson. Josh Fryar. JT Tuimoloau. Jack Sawyer. Tyleik Williams. Ty Hamilton. Cody Simon. Sonny Styles. Denzel Burke. Davison Igbinosun. Jordan Hancock. Lathan Ransom.

That's 15 starters, all back.

And for those who aren't — Marvin Harrison Jr., Mike Hall, Tommy Eichenberg, Josh Proctor and more — Ohio State has added pieces to make the losses easier to overcome.

The 2024 Buckeyes will be insane.

Ohio State's video was the latest post the media team released over the past few weeks. Here's a collection of them:

 STOCKS ARE HIGH. At 6-foot-2, 280 pounds, Mike Hall wasn't the largest defensive tackle at the Senior Bowl last week, but his draft stock experienced one of the largest increases due to his performance in Mobile, Alabama.

Hall's offensive line teammates voted him the top defensive lineman on the National Team at the practice player of the week awards ceremony. ESPN's Matt Miller also praised Hall, comparing him to Aaron Donald in the 2014 Senior Bowl:

“If you squinted during practices this week and looked at No. 51 for the National team, you might have had flashbacks to when Aaron Donald was at the Senior Bowl in 2014. Hall is a smaller defensive tackle at 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, but his burst off the line is stunning. He routinely beat blockers off the ball and was a blur through the gaps. Hall’s lack of size will hold him back on certain team boards, but as a penetrator, he had no peer at the Senior Bowl. I have a Round 3 grade on him, but that will vary for teams that value a gap-splitting pass-rusher (20 pressures in 2023) who may have to leave the field on running downs.”

Miller's praise continued even after the Senior Bowl ended. On Monday, he posted an updated two-round mock draft for the Worldwide Leader in Sports. While former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. remained at No. 4 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, Hall made his first appearance as the No. 64 overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs:

Marvin Harrison Jr.: No. 4 - Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals can sit tight and get arguably the best overall player in the draft. A 6-foot-4 receiver with excellent all-around polish, Harrison will immediately be the WR1 that Kyler Murray has been missing since DeAndre Hopkins left town. In fact, that's my player comparison for Harrison; he's a taller Hopkins, given his smooth route running, body control and ability to play above the rim in the end zone. He has back-to-back seasons with north of 1,200 receiving yards and 14 TDs, and that production would be welcomed with Marquise Brown heading toward free agency.

Mike Hall:  No. 64 - Kansas City Chiefs

Chris Jones' future in Kansas City is unclear, with the star defensive tackle set to get a big contract in free agency. And because cornerback L'Jarius Sneed is also a free agent, the Chiefs have some big decisions ahead -- but re-signing Sneed and drafting to replace Jones is the most likely scenario. Hall had a dominant Senior Bowl week, showcasing burst and first-step quickness that is rarely seen from a college tackle. He's undersized at 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, but the Chiefs are desperate for an inside rusher, and Hall excels there.

At Ohio State, Hall ranked third on the team in pressures generated (29) this past season, according to Pro Football Focus. The Streetsboro, Ohio, native ended 2023 with a career-best 24 tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. In 2022, he had 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

“I’m not the strongest guy in the world,” Hall told NFL.com last week. "But I feel like my speed and how hard I try to come off the ball, I try to generate as much speed to power as I can and just harness that lower-body strength as best I can.”

That speed and effort lead to reps like this:

Yeesh.

 ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS. February is Black History Month in the United States. It is an annual celebration of African-American achievement in the U.S. and honors Black men and women for their central role in our nation's history.

In 2024, Ohio State will recognize Black History Month with its “Celebrating Black History Month” interactive article on the Ohio State athletics website, which accompanies “the rest of America to honor past and present African-American student-athletes, coaches and staff members” for the Buckeyes.

“We recognize those who came before us, creating inspiration and opportunity for others, often in the face of adversity,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said in a press release. “It is on their shoulders that we celebrate an inclusive department dedicated to the ideal of equal opportunity for all our student-athletes and coaches, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. We strive to coach, train and compete in an environment.”

From Frederick Patterson — the first African-American on the Ohio State football team in 1891 — to Sophie Jaques — the first Black woman to win the Patty Kazmaier Award — here are the 32 Buckeyes that Ohio State athletics will recognize in February:

In addition to Ohio State's interactive articles, be on the lookout for social media posts that feature the Buckeyes mentioned above. On Monday, the Ohio State athletics X account posted about Griffin and his legacy as the greatest football player in school history.

 THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING. Ohio State walk-on cornerback Andrew Moore has been one of a handful of Buckeyes (Gee Scott Jr. and Caden Davis) to gain a following on YouTube for offering inside looks at the Ohio State football program.

Last week, Moore posted a 16-minute video in which he toured the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and showcased the building's indoor and outdoor practice fields, as well as its football locker room, team room and more. Below is Moore's video and some timestamps for the different areas inside the WHAC:

  • 0:10 - Heisman Trophies, College Football Playoff trophies, national award trophies
  • 1:23 - “Team Up North” wall, NFL “Developed Here” wall
  • 2:33 - Team Room
  • 2:48 - All-Americans wall, stained glass wall, Woody Hayes' chalkboard
  • 3:45 - Position rooms, Buckeye Captains wall, bowl gifts, Nike gear
  • 4:20 - Alternate uniforms, standard uniforms, national media exposure
  • 5:10 - Nutrition room, equipment room
  • 5:45 - Locker room
  • 6:20 - Indoor practice field
  • 6:40 - Athletic training room
  • 7:00 - Players of the Week wall
  • 7:25 - Weight room
  • 7:40 - Iron Buckeye wall
  • 8:00 - Recovery room
  • 8:42 - Another “Team Up North” wall
  • 8:51 - Massage chairs
  • 9:08 - Barbershop
  • 9:43 - Arcade games, basketball court, golf simulator
  • 11:18 - Pool table, video games, theatre
  • 12:22 - Cafeteria, kitchen, drink station
  • 13:30 - Trophy room

I think I understand why all the players spend so much time at the Woody...

 SONG OF THE DAY. “Fast Car” - Tracy Chapman.

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