Welcome to the Skull Session.
Reminder: We have an NFL draft contest! Get in there!
Pick which round each Ohio State NFL draft prospect will be selected in for your chance to win a $100 gift card from Eleven Warriors Dry Goods. https://t.co/rE9PJ74QV3
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 22, 2025
Have a good Thursday.
“IT’S LIKE NO OTHER.” In a recent appearance on SportsCenter, Quinshon Judkins discussed the culture at Ohio State and what he learned from his national championship season with the Buckeyes.
“You’ll forever be a Buckeye,” Judkins said. “When you go to Ohio State, you don’t know what it truly means to be a part of that culture, but when you step into the locker room, you see the community, you get involved and (realize) how valuable everything is, how passionate the fans and the coaches are. You appreciate everything and everything it takes to get to that point and every part of the process.”
It takes a special type of person to be a part of an Ohio State team.
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) April 22, 2025
Quinshon Judkins discusses the culture at Ohio State and what he learned from his year there. pic.twitter.com/WAKzVABdTK
When asked to describe Ohio State’s culture, Judkins answered, “One of a kind. It’s like no other.” He continued: “You go there, you embrace it. It takes a special type of person to be a part of an Ohio State team.”
That’s one heck of a recruiting pitch for high school and transfer prospects. Ryan Day and Mark Pantoni should thank him for that!
THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. There are well over 100 sunrises and sunsets between now and Ohio State’s season opener against Texas in the Horseshoe, yet Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus released his preseason All-American team for the 2025 season on April 16.
Spoiler: Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs made the cut.
Wide Receiver: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
As a true freshman, Smith was the most valuable receiver in the nation according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 89.8 receiving grade was third in the nation and over four points higher than any other returning wideout. He also led the Power Four with 15 receiving touchdowns, while his 1,311 receiving yards trailed only Tetairoa McMillan in that same group. Smith is an athletic freak at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and has an incredibly refined skillset for someone who turned 19 years old in November. Not only is he the best returning receiver in the country, but he’s also the best returning player in college football.
...
Safety: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs, who transferred from Alabama last offseason, has been the most valuable safety in college football over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 91.7 PFF grade in that span is second among all FBS safeties while his 91.2 coverage grade is third. Downs is also a fantastic run-defender, leading all players on this list with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023. Downs is an incredibly versatile player who can thrive at free safety, slot corner or in the box. Not to mention, he’s a dynamic punt returner as well.
Smith earned first-team All-American honors from USA TODAY last season. He added second-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and Walter Camp Football Foundation. As the best returning player in college football – Chadwick’s words, not mine, but I don’t disagree with him – Smith seems poised to become Ohio State’s 40th unanimous All-American of all time.
Downs became Ohio State’s 39th unanimous All-American in 2024. As college football’s most valuable defensive back the past two seasons, I’d bet the house on Downs receiving his second consecutive unanimous All-American distinction in 2025 before entering the NFL draft as a potential top-five pick next April.
AND SO WE SHALL GO TO WAR. In another nod to Pro Football Focus, NFL writer Brad Locker shared that the best college football programs are home to current and future NFL stars.
Of course, Ohio State is one of those programs.
According to Locker, here are the top 10 colleges based on NFL snaps among players debuting from 2022-24:
- Georgia: 29,559
- Alabama: 23,342
- Ohio State: 18,346
- Penn State: 17,115
- Cincinnati: 15,959
- LSU: 15,898
- Illinois: 13,550
- Washington: 13,197
- Iowa: 12,183
- Notre Dame: 12,115
While Ohio State doesn’t lead all schools in NFL snaps, it does lead all schools in Wins Above Replacement (WAR):
- Ohio State: 8.3543
- Iowa State: 6.6089
- LSU: 5.4719
- Washington: 4.8074
- Georgia: 4.7112
- Cincinnati: 3.9808
- USC: 3.4146
- Alabama: 3.0771
- Pitt: 2.8569
- Oregon: 2.7026
That’s one heck of a recruiting pitch for high school and transfer prospects. Ryan Day and Mark Pantoni should thank Locker for that!
#DevelopedHere
THE GOLDEN BEAR’S GOLDEN BAG. A recent report from Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico named Ohio State legend Jack Nicklaus as one of the highest-paid athletes of all time. The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native ranked No. 7 in inflation-adjusted earnings behind Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Lionel Messi and Arnold Palmer.
- Michael Jordan: $4.51 billion ($3 billion)
- Tiger Woods: $2.7 billion ($1.91 billion)
- Cristiano Ronaldo: $2.23 billion ($1.83 billion)
- LeBron James: $1.88 billion ($1.49 billion)
- Lionel Messi: $1.85 billion ($1.49 billion)
- Arnold Palmer: $1.82 billion ($885 million)
- Jack Nicklaus: $1.75 billion ($910 million)
- David Beckham: $1.61 billion ($1.2 billion)
- Roger Federer: $1.59 billion ($1.23 billion)
- Floyd Mayweather: $1.52 billion ($1.15 billion)
- I knew Nicklaus had a bag, but I didn’t know he had that kind of bag.
Good on you, Golden Bear. Good on you.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Good Times Bad Times" - Led Zeppelin.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Cleveland's post-Deshaun Watson era begins with this draft... Jimmer Fredette retires from basketball (I will take 10 shots from Jimmer Range in his honor)... Jelly Roll may be pardoned on drug and robbery charges... The "profound" experience of seeing a new color.
