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“When I think of “pure” pocket passers -- and in this case that comes with a touch of a negative connotation denoting a serious lack of mobility -- Drew Bledsoe is one of the first quarterbacks who comes to my mind.”
Dwayne Haskins is going into next month’s NFL draft as one of the top quarterback prospects and even one of the top overall prospects in the field. Many have looked at the draft board and see the Giants at number six overall or the Jaguars at number seven overall going after Haskins. The Jaguars now look less likely as they just singed Nick Foles to a hefty contract and seem ready for him to be their future.
Outside of Stephen A Smith, when most people look at Haskins they see an NFL ready pocket passer that has one of the best arms in the draft. The Ohio State Buckeyes and Urban Meyer even had to shift their offense this season a bit to accommodate Haskins and his hesitance to running.
Compared to other top QBs in the draft, Haskins doesn’t use his feet that much, but that does not mean he is not athletic. Haskins is capable of moving around in the pocket and making things happen with his feet if he has too, but prefers to hang in the pocket and pick defensive schemes apart. The “pure pocket passer” as a negative connotation is interesting because there are many quarterbacks in the league that have had this reputation and brought much success with it. Haskins will need a strong running back with him to keep the threat of a run game open since Haskins does not necessarily bring that himself.
If the Giants do end up drafting Haskins, Eli Manning will be a great mentor. Haskins will be able to sit his first year most likely and learn behind someone who has years in the league and has had success at the NFL level. If the Giants draft Haskins and choose to put him behind center during his first year, he will still have Manning to help and guide him along the way.
Saquon Barkley can also help Haskins, as he is one of the better backs in the league but can also catch the ball out of the backfield, giving Haskins an easy option to complete passes and move the ball.
“In his inspiring and emotional journey back to recovery and hopefully once more the football field, Ryan Shazier’s next chapter will continue to be penned as a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
In happy and inspiring news this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers have tolled Ryan Shazier’s contract, keeping him on the roster for the 2019 season.
“We will continue to support Ryan’s efforts to return to play,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told the team’s website. “Although he won’t be able to help us on the field in 2019, his leadership, insight and emotional support have always been very valuable to us, and we look forward to his contributions in our pursuit of a championship.”
Shazier is a graduate of the Ohio State University and suffered a brutal injury to the spine while making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals in December 2017. Shazier has made great strides to return, but will be placed on the physical unable to perform list this season.
“The eighth-seeded Buckeyes will take on ninth-seeded Indiana at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in a match up between two teams squarely on the bubble.”
-Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State will take on Indiana on Thursday in the Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament. This is likely a game that can be viewed as a play-in to the NCAA tournament. Ohio State (18-13, 8-12) and Indiana (17-14, 8-12) are both sitting directly on the bubble this year, and a win would be huge for either team’s résumé.
Kaleb Wesson will be back for the Buckeyes after missing the last three games serving a suspension for a violation of athletic department policy. In the only meeting of the season, Ohio State won a defensive minded battle in Assembly Hall, 55-52. You can expect the same thing this time around—and the stakes will be as high as they get.
Bracketology wise, Joe Lunardi of ESPN has the Buckeyes the last team in and the Hoosiers as the first team out so, that can very well flip if the Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes.