Eric Boggs
This years NFL Draft, which begins this evening with the first round beginning at 8 pm live from Detroit, Michigan, will be highlighted by the selection of former Buckeye Marvin Harrison Jr. Rounds two and three are scheduled for tomorrow evening and rounds four through seven will be held on Saturday, and will no doubt feature plenty of former Buckeyes who once adorned the scarlet and gray.
For many Buckeyes, the NFL Draft signifies the culmination of years of hard work and dedication while it also serves as a moment of pride for the Buckeye faithful, who watch with bated breath as their beloved players take the stage, poised to embark on the next chapter of their football journey. With a rich history of producing top-tier talent, Ohio State stands as a powerhouse in college football, and tonight, the spotlight will once again shine brightly on the program as Marvelous Marv is expected to hear his name called early.
This year Ohio State has nine Buckeyes who are being looked at as possible individuals who might be drafted. That list includes seniors Tommy Eichenberg, Cade Stover, Xavier Johnson, Matthew Jones, Steele Chambers, Josh Proctor, and Miyan Williams, along with juniors Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Hall Jr. Attached is a link to Sunday night’s video where Chris, Eric, and JR from The OHIO Podcast previewed the draft and predicted where they believe these nine Buckeyes will wind up being drafted this weekend.
Marvin Harrison Jr: It is widely expected that MHJ will be the one and only Buckeye selected in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. With so many Buckeyes deciding to return to Ohio State, Harrison Jr. was the lone first rounder to declare. As of publication, many draft experts are predicting that Marv will wind up being the fourth selection of the draft, which will more than likely make him the first non-quarterback selected and placing him in Arizona with former teammate Paris Johnson Jr.
Michael Hall Jr: Hall’s decision to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the NFL Draft caught many by surprise after a career in Columbus that was highlighted by streaky play and lingering injuries. Hall has first round talent, and possibly a fourth and final year at Ohio State could have produced such results. But there is no gurantee that another year would make that happen, and so Hall is entering this year’s draft looking like a solid day two selection. I believe he will be selected in the second half of the second round, but there is a very real possibility that he may slide to the third.
Cade Stover: Farmer Gronk became the nickname of the country boy from Ohio who ended up playing three positions at Ohio State before finally making his mark as a tight end. Stover is considered one of the better tight ends in this year’s draft, but thanks to an injury history, Stover’s grade has been slipping. He was unable to contribute in the NFL Scouting Combine or Ohio State’s Pro Day. Despite these setbacks, Stover might be able to still find a landing spot on the second day of the draft (rounds two and three), but will more than likely be drafted early in the fourth round.
Tommy Eichenberg: After a stellar career at Ohio State, one in which saw Eichenberg finish with 266 tackles while adorning the scarlet and gray, Tommy Two Thumbs will now become the latest Ohio State linebacker to play in the NFL. Long before Ohio State was known for producing top level wide receiver talent for the pros, the Buckeyes were known for developing NFL level linebackers. Eichenberg now joins that long and prestigious list as he looks to get his name called. I look for Tommy to go in either the fourth or fifth round, but there is a possibility someone might like him enough to spend a third-round selection on the middle linebacker from northeast Ohio.
Steele Chambers: Tommy’s running mate at linebacker the past three season’s has been Georgia native Steele Chambers, who began his career at Ohio State as a running back before switching over to the defense and finding a spot in the middle of the field. Chambers instincts and athleticism as a running back paid dividends for him as a linebacker where he finished his career with 208 tackles. His versatility and athleticism should entice someone enough to select him late in the draft. Many mocks have Chambers going in either the sixth or seventh round.
Josh Proctor: Proctors was one of the highest recruited defensive backs in his recruiting class. His development was a rollercoaster ride, and although many would argue that Josh never reached his full potential while at Ohio State, his career has led him to this point, where he could hear his name called in this year’s NFL Draft. Josh could go as high as the fifth round, or he could fall all the way to last round of the draft. Either way, I am pretty confident Proctor will be drafted this weekend.
Miyan Williams: Predicting when and where running backs will be selected in the NFL Draft has become as reliable as throwing darts in the dark. Williams runs hard and violent, which has resulted in the southwest Ohio product to be often injured. He has also dealt with weight fluctuation during his four years in Columbus. That being said, someone might be willing to take a flier on Chop and dial him up in either the sixth or seventh round. Or, he may go undrafted.
Matthew Jones: Ohio State’s lone offensive lineman in this draft is on the same boat as Williams. He may get drafted late, or he may not. The one thing that Jones has in his toolbelt is the ability to play multiple positions on the offensive line, which may appear to be worth the risk to a team late in the draft, especially if they are looking for offensive line depth.
Xavier Johnson: If there is one play who I want to see drafted more than any, it is Xavier Johnson. The walk-on turned scholarship athlete was a do-it-all Swiss Army Knife for Ryan Day. He played special teams, wide receiver, and even running back at one point or another during his Ohio State career. Imagine what kind of story this would be to go from walk-on to being drafted by an NFL team? If it happens, it will be late, but if it doesn’t, I am confident that some team somewhere will give him an invitation to tryout as an undrafted free agent.
