The 2023 NFL Draft, C.J. Stroud, & Rumors - "Reject The Evidence Of Your Eyes"

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” ~ George Orwell, 1984

Before I give my projected top ten picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, please let me scoff at the rumors surrounding now-former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud as he prepares for his NFL career.  I freely admit that I am biased as it relates to Ohio State football, as I write and podcast about it.  I have been a fan of Ohio State football throughout my entire life.

I cannot understand how someone could watch C.J. Stroud play these past two seasons, and then determine that they would prefer to place greater stock and emphasis on a supposed cognition test.  At least I am not the only person incredulous at these ideas that C.J. Stroud is not among the best quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft. 😠

A Projected Top Ten

1.  Carolina:  Bryce Young, QB, Alabama - I would be nervous about this pick, as Young is barely 200 pounds and is only 5'10".  I am not doubting his talent, but I am skeptical of his durability in the NFL.

2.  Houston:  Will Anderson, LB, Alabama - Here's where Houston is making a solid pick in Anderson, but could wind up regretting their decision by bypassing Stroud.

3.  Projected Trade by Arizona to Tennessee:  The Titans move up to take C.J. Stroud before he falls to Indianapolis.

4.  Indianapolis:  Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida  ~ I would be tremendously nervous about taking this kid high, based on his lack of experience, but the physical talent and potential may convince them to take the plunge.  Could be Will Levis of Kentucky instead, but I'd be nervous about him also.

5.  Seattle:  Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia ~ If Carter is on the board at this point, I do not believe Pete Carroll and Seattle will hesitate to take a tremendously talented defensive lineman.

6.  Detroit:  Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois ~ Something about this kid's style of play just seems like the kind of player that Dan Campbell wants on his defense.

7.  Las Vegas:  Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon ~ Was tempted to go with Paris Johnson, Jr. of Ohio State here, but went with the other top-rated cornerback instead.

8.  Atlanta:  Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas ~ Robinson has been described as a Saquon Barkley-type back, just the kind of player who can help Desmond Ridder as Ridder will be going through the growing pains of life as a NFL quarterback.

9.  Chicago:  Paris Johnson, Jr., OT, Ohio State ~ Rumors are that Johnson could be Arizona's pick at the number three spot.

10.  Philadelphia:  Peter Skoronski, G, Northwestern ~ Skoronski is not flashy, but can play at either guard or right tackle for the next ten years, barring injury.

The Impact Of Dwayne Haskins + A Truly Random Guess At The Top 10 Picks Of The 2022 NFL Draft

 My good friend Tim asked me to project the top ten picks of the 2022 NFL Draft, and I will offer those up momentarily.  Before I do that, I wanted to offer some thoughts on the recent passing of former Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

I want to offer that I never met Dwayne Haskins, and everything I have read and heard about him as a person represent that his tragic death is going to be something that will be questioned for a long time.  As my cousin John and I discussed it, we may never know why Haskins decided to walk on a busy highway adjacent to the Fort Lauderdale airport.  The death of a young person is always something that just leaves people questioning why it happened.

As I wrote up above, I never knew Dwayne Haskins, so I cannot offer up much more than my sincere sympathies to all who knew and loved him.  I can only imagine how his wife, parents, sister, friends, and former teammates are doing with his loss.

As someone who follows Ohio State football, one thing I feel comfortable writing about Dwayne Haskins is his impact upon the program.  Haskins was originally going to go to Maryland, but a coaching change persuaded him to reevaluate his decision, and he signed with Ohio State in February 2016.  After redshirting that first year, Haskins moved into the primary backup quarterback position behind J.T. Barrett.  When called upon in THE GAME, Haskins came in and rallied the Buckeyes to a victory.  For most Ohio State fans, this is common knowledge.

The impact Dwayne Haskins had upon the program is being felt today, with quarterbacks such as C.J. Stroud.  Quite simply, Haskins became the starter in 2018, and had arguably one of the best seasons in college football history.  Haskins decided to enter the 2019 NFL Draft, but his performance in 2018 gained the attention of another quaterback who was looking to make a move from Georgia to Ohio State - Justin Fields.  And while at Ohio State, Fields' play at quarterback was what helped to attract C.J. Stroud.

Before Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State quarterbacks were not looked upon as top NFL prospects.  In 1982, the then-Baltimore Colts drafted Art Schlichter in the first round of the NFL Draft.  The B1G did not have a quarterback selected in the first round until the 1995 NFL Draft, when Carolina selected Kerry Collins of Penn State.  And in 2019, Washington drafted Dwayne Haskins.  Two years later, Chicago traded up with the NY Giants to select Justin Fields.  Barring injury, C.J. Stroud will be a first round selection in 2023, making him the third straight Ohio State quarterback selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The impact of a player is sometimes difficult to quantify.  In the case of Dwayne Haskins, and what he meant to the Ohio State football program, it is very easy to see how he changed the trajectory of the quarterback position.  Rest In Peace, Dwayne Haskins.

***

If someone were to put up a dart board and blindfold me, I may have better chances of identifying how the top ten of the 2022 NFL Draft will go.  There are talented players, but nobody falls in the truly marquee category.  Rumor has it that teams are eager to move down, but are not finding teams wanting to move up.  With that being said, here's how it may shake out...

1. Jacksonville:  Travon Walker, DL, Georgia
2. Detroit:  Aidan Hutchinson, DL, Michigan
3. Houston:  Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
4. NY Jets:  Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
5. NY Giants:  Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
6. Carolina:  Evan Neal, OL, Alabama
7. NY Giants:  Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State
8. Atlanta:  Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
9. Seattle:  Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon
10. NY Jets:  Drake London, WR, USC

Put it this way...IF Garrett Wilson is on the board at pick 13, when the Browns would have been drafting before the big Deshaun Watson trade, I will be forever thinking of this scene 

OUCH 😳

Subject: OUCH 😳

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

The 2022 Ohio State Recruiting Class, By The Numbers

 Congratulations to Ohio State head coach Ryan Day for assembling another well-regarded recruiting class.  At 21 players, Ohio State was able to address a number of areas, especially at the linebacker area.  Eleven players have already enrolled, and will participate in winter conditioning and spring practice.

It is way, way, way too early to speculate on who will contribute in 2022, but as I wrote up above, the linebackers have me intrigued.  CJ Hicks was nicknamed 'Captain Buckeye' for his efforts on trying to persuade others to join the class, and is well-regarded.  Gabe Powers is another strong player.  Last and certainly not least, Sonny Styles was originally committed to Ohio State for 2023, but reclassified and signed with Ohio State for 2022.  While listed as a safety, most recruiting analysts project Styles to eventually play at linebacker.

Below is a listing of the players, as well as a graph representing their home state.  Ohio, as usual, leads the way with six players, while Florida had 3, Georgia and Texas with 2, and a number of other states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin) with one.

A Guess At The Top 11 Of The First Round Of The 2021 NFL Draft...Plus Thoughts On The Browns

 Good morning, and welcome back to a somewhat annual post predicting how the first round of the NFL Draft will go.  I am truly writing this in unfamiliar territory, as the Cleveland Browns are not picking high in the first round for the first time, due to a winning record, since 2003.

For those of you who don't recall, the 2002 Cleveland Browns were the last team to make the playoffs.  In 2003, I can vividly recall sitting in Ohio Stadium, watching the 2003 Ohio State spring game, as there was a ticker on at the stadium, showing the Browns had selected Jeff Faine, C, from Notre Dame.  Ah, such memories.

On to the top 11 picks.  Why 11, you ask?  Two reasons - one is because the NY Giants are slated to pick at 11, which is the favorite team of my good friend Tim Tallaksen.  And the other reason is it gives me an opportunity to remind you of this awesome clip from "Spinal Tap"...

1.  Jacksonville - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson:  Gutsy pick

2.  NY Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU:  Poor kid

3.  San Francisco - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State:  Yes, I know how everyone is saying it will be either Mac Jones or Trey Lance.  I just have a feeling that Kyle Shanahan wants a QB with mobility, and that is Fields.  I may be wrong.

4.  Atlanta - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida:  Very tempting to pick a quarterback, but Pitts is too good and too immediate of an impact for the Falcons to ignore.

5.  Cincinnati - Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU:  Offensive line is a crying need for the Bengals, but CIN gives QB Joe Burrow a target that he has familiarity with and the Bengals will address the OL in later rounds.

6.  Miami - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama:  The Dolphins grab a familiar target for their QB Tua Tagavailoa.

7.  Projected Trade (NE with DET) - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama:  The Patriots move up to grab a quarterback before Carolina.  Detroit moves back to stockpile picks for their rebuild.

8.  Carolina - Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State:  Yes, I know that the Panthers recently traded for Sam Darnold.  Lance is a project that they can slowly work in while they determine if Darnold is salvageable.

9.  Denver - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern:  The Broncos just traded for Teddy Bridgewater, and look to build up solid protection for him.

10.  Dallas - Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama:  The Cowboys look to regroup defensively.

11.  NY Giants - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama:  More offensive weapons for QB Daniel Jones.

As for the Cleveland Browns, here is how I can see it shaping out...

1.  Trading out of the first round when a team wants to draft a QB at the end of the first round - Possible, and it saves the Browns money with their salary cap.

2.  Best Player Available:  Very cliche, but this can be any number of positions, including a WR like Rashod Bateman of Minnesota.

3.  Defensive Back:  If the Browns go this route, my hope is for Greg Newsome of Northwestern.

4.  Linebacker:  Doubtful, as the Browns are de-emphasizing the position, with more nickel looks, i.e., more defensive backs and less linebackers.  If they go this route, someone like Zaven Collins of Tulsa could be the pick,

5.  Defensive Line:  Like my point number 2 about the best player available, this could be any number of raw, unproven players who could add depth to the defensive line.  I would like Kwity Paye of Michigan, but it could be someone like Jayson Oweh of Penn State.

2020 Ohio State Football: Big Ten Championship Trailer

Some Random Thoughts On The 2021 Ohio State Recruiting Class

 Congratulations to the 21 young men who officially signed their letters of intent during the Early Signing Period today.  Ohio State is still in the mix to potentially add a few more players to the class, but that will not take place until the traditional signing day period in February.

For more on the Ohio State 2021 Recruiting Class, here is a link to the official Ohio State website...

https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/football-signing-day-central-2020-2021/

A few things to keep in mind about this recruiting class...

1.  This class did not have any official visits - Considering the NCAA instituted a policy of no official visits for schools and players, there are recruits who are signing with Ohio State who have never even been on campus.  That is a testament to the players' belief and faith in Ryan Day and the coaching staff that Ohio State will be able to fully develop their abilities over the next four or five years.

2.  Ryan Day has emphasized Ohio, as he said he would - This class is nothing like Jim Tressel would sign, where the overwhelming number of players were from Ohio.  Even still, Day signed 6 players from Ohio, which makes up about 29% of the total class.

3.  The secondary was emphasized - Ohio State signed 6 players, with 3 players labeled as cornerbacks, and 3 as safeties.  Time will tell if these players stay with those designations, but props to Kerry Coombs for identifying and signing players at positions of designated need.

Below is a listing of the players alphabetically, as well as a few graphs and charts identifying the positions and home locations of the players signed.  Here is to hoping that we will be able to see these players in Ohio Stadium in the 2021 Ohio State Spring Game, if not in person, at least on Big Ten Network...