Welcome to the Skull Session.
This is getting out of hand! Now there are two of them!
Angelo Smith, the younger brother of Jeremiah Smith, lands an offer from Ohio State after camping at OSU on Tuesday. https://t.co/IJLCRCwtSd
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) June 17, 2025
Have a good Wednesday.
“I’M COMING TO CHANGE THE ORGANIZATION.” I am heartbroken that Nick Chubb is no longer a Cleveland Brown; however, I am thankful the franchise has Quinshon Judkins to soften the blow.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Giberto Manzano this month, Judkins shared his excitement to start his NFL career in Cleveland. In his rookie season, he hopes to “change the organization,” as he knows “what it takes to win,” coming to the Browns from a national-championship-winning Ohio State team.
“As a whole, we had a great draft class,” Judkins told Manzano. “I think everyone brought attention because of our talent and work ethic. Really, everybody came in with that mentality of being ready to work. I feel like for myself, as a competitor and as a player, that was one of my goals. … When I come to be a Cleveland Brown, I’m coming to change the organization, contribute and do the best I can. I know what it takes to win, so I’m going to bring that mentality to Cleveland and do the same thing.”
In his lone season at Ohio State, Judkins carried the ball 194 times for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns while hauling in 22 receptions for 161 yards and a pair of scores. Judkins was named third-team All-Big for his performance, an accolade that came after back-to-back seasons as a first-team All-SEC honoree at Ole Miss in 2022 and 2023.
“The people who know me, who recruited me, they know I have a lot of accomplishments,” he said. “Freshman of the Year SEC, everything. Turn on the tape. It shows. I do everything as a player. Complete running back, every-down running back – I can catch, block, run 80 yards, 90 yards. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. I’m just excited to do it at the next level.”
Fire me up, Q!
STEP BROTHERS? As a Scottsdale, Arizona, native, Denzel Burke spent most of his childhood watching Arizona Cardinals football games, probably wearing a Larry Fitzgerald or Patrick Peterson jersey.
“Now,” Burke told NFL.com’s Darren Urban, “I have the chance to be on the field.”
Burke was the “most surprising of GM Monti Ossenfort’s draft class, given the number of cornerbacks the team had collected through the draft and otherwise the past two seasons,” Urban wrote in his article. However, a team can never add too many cornerbacks to their roster, especially one of Burke’s caliber.
A four-year starter at Ohio State, Burke made 51 appearances across four seasons with the Buckeyes, collecting 143 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four interceptions (including one pick-six), 28 pass breakups and one forced fumble. He was also named third-team All-Big Ten as a freshman, honorable mention All-Big Ten as a sophomore, first-team All-Big Ten as a junior and third-team All-Big Ten as a senior.
“He might not test off the chart, and there might be certain things – measurable, so to speak – that don’t blow you away as much as other guys,” said Jason Mohns, Burke’s coach at Scottsdale Saguaro High School and a current Arizona State assistant. “But just as a true football player, the kid plays the game at a really high level.”
Burke has roomed with fellow cornerback draftee Will Johnson during the Cardinals’ offseason training programs —
Wait.
A Buckeye and Wolverine rooming together? There have been some Step Brothers moments between them, I am sure.
I am also sure Ossenfort and Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon want to see Burke and Johnson come together like Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell in Remember the Titans, but time will tell.
VETS WEEK. It’s Vet Week for Ohio State men’s basketball. With it came a picture of former and current Buckeyes after a workout at the Schottenstein Center.
Great to have the family in town for Vet Week #GoBucks | #FightToTheEnd pic.twitter.com/iVKEG12EQI
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) June 17, 2025
I spy with my little eye…
- William Buford
- Evan Ravanel
- Joey Lane
- Aaron Craft
- Trevor Thompson
- D’Angelo Russell
- Malaki Branham
- Keita Bates-Diop
- Terence Dials
- Brice Sensabaugh
- Seth Towns
I don’t spy with my little eye…
- Greg Oden
- E.J. Liddell
- Kosta Koufos
... all of whom were in attendance for Ohio State’s Monday practice but were not featured in the Vet Week picture.
Regardless of whom I spy or don’t spy with my little eye, I think it rocks that Jake Diebler has continued the Vet Week tradition. The knowledge former Buckeyes can pass on to current Buckeyes is indispensable, and I hope each of Ohio State’s players – and coaches, for that matter – become like sponges soaking up all the information possible from the men who have had tremendous success before, during and after their college careers.
NICE ONE, GROK. Grok made me laugh this week.
When On3 Recruits shared a video of five-star LSU wide receiver commit Tristen Keys on his official visit to Tennessee…
LSU 5-star WR commit Tristen Keys on his official visit to Tennessee
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 14, 2025
(via br6y_/X)https://t.co/d8HQY52Khe pic.twitter.com/LlZ0vyhEdV
… an X user asked the social media’s AI platform, “Why haven’t I seen Ohio State do this not once, but they always have a top recruiting class?”
Grok’s response was incredible.
Ohio State likely skips flashy events like Tennessee's red carpet visits, focusing instead on program quality, top coaches like Brian Hartline, and facilities, as seen in their official visits and camps. Their No. 3 ranked 2025 recruiting class shows this works, relying on
— Grok (@grok) June 16, 2025
“Ohio State likely skips flashy events like Tennessee’s red carpet visits, focusing instead on program quality… relying on reputation over spectacle…”
“... Tennessee’s public, festive events aim for visibility, fitting their competitive SEC context. Ohio State may host similar events privately, but their strategy leans on substance, not social media buzz.”
Oh my goodness.
Grok knows ball.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Ohio's Ugly" - CAAMP.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Dr. Peter J. Mohler appointed 30th president of The University of Alabama... An 80-year-old drives a luxury Mercedes sedan down Rome’s Spanish Steps and gets stuck... Louisiana is poised to hike its sports betting tax to help colleges pay their athletes... Dads are getting tattoos of their kids' drawings.
