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It’s NFL Draft Day, fam. We’ve got lots of draft info in today’s Buckeye Bits, but we’ve also got some previews looking forward to whenever Ohio State gets back to playing both football and basketball, AND you have to scroll to the bottom and watch American treasure Alex Trebek absolutely destroy someone on national television.
I will also be live-tweeting the first round of the draft tonight, so don’t forget to join us @LandGrant33 for all of our normal shenanigans, and please, don’t make me use this meme on you:
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From around Land-Grant Holy Land...
BOOOOM! 2022 four-star cornerback Jyaire Brown commits to Ohio State
Me, LGHL
Ohio State has only signed two players from Louisiana since 1998; Jonathan Wells in 1998 and Nader Abdallah in 2004. So — while there is still a long time to go before Jyaire Brown can officially sign — if anyone is going to break this trend, we knew it was going to be Kerry Coombs, right?
Speaking of which, was there ever really any doubt that Kerry Coombs was the ?
Ohio State officially announced the Kerry Coombs hire on Jan. 20. Since then, he's managed to haul in:
— Gene Ross (@Gene_Ross23) April 23, 2020
2021 4⭐️ CB Jakailin Johnson
2021 4⭐️ CB/S Andre Turrentine
2022 4⭐️ CB Jyaire Brown
2021 4⭐️ ATH (DB) Jantzen Dunn
2021 4⭐️ S Jaylen Johnson
2021 3⭐️ CB Devonta Smith
Ohio State homing in on two 2021 four-stars
Tia Johnston, LGHL
I have to admit, when I saw this headline, I really thought that it should be “honing in” rather than “homing in.” But, because I trust our co-managing editor Tia Johnston implicitly, I gave it a quick Goog and realized that I am old, and while not completely wrong, I was still mostly pretty darn wrong.
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What your NFL team will be getting if they draft J.K. Dobbins
Me, LGHL
Allow me to quote myself, “In today’s NFL where running backs are seen as interchangeable drill bits, Dobbins is a Swiss Army Knife; he can do it all. He’s got speed, he’s physical, he’s got moves, he’s durable, he can catch out of the backfield, and he comes to play on the biggest stages.”
Opinion: Ohio State’s best NFL draft class
Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL
‘Zeke, Big Bear Bosa, Can’t Guard Mike, Adolphus Washington, Braxton Miller, Joshua Perry, 12 Gauge. Yeah, 2016 was a pretty good draft class.
What your NFL team will be getting if they draft K.J. Hill
Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL
The most productive wide receiver in OSU history, that’s what.
And I don’t know why, but this tweet seemed to get a certain set of people unnecessarily worked up today ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
it's gonna be amazing when the top three picks in the #NFLDraft tonight are Buckeyes
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) April 23, 2020
From around the gridiron...
Why 2021 Ohio State football commit Jaylen Johnson thinks his class can win three national titles
Stephen Means, cleveland.com
Four-star safety Jaylen Johnson is the kind of athlete that I like; he’s confident in himself, but is ready, willing, and able to work with his team. In fact, he’s already doing that. Johnson told Stephen Means, “I’m the best recruiter, and he knows it.”
The “he” being referred to in that sentence is the aforementioned Kerry Coombs.
While Johnson might need to hold his horses a bit, he praised Coombs and talks about how he and the other 2021 commits are working together to make this class one of the all-time best. Will they end up winning three national titles? I mean I don’t think so, but I certainly won’t complain if they do.
It’s not always a given that the best football players will also be the best humans, but it’s good to know that Chase Young is at the top of both lists:
Thank you to @postmates and @chipotle for helping me feed 300 Nurses at Southern Maryland Hospital yesterday. I was born at this hospital 21 years ago and today the dreams I’ve had my whole life will come true. Thank you to all the health care workers!! It’s DRAFT DAY!!! https://t.co/UZaIc8EvbE
— CY2 (@youngchase907) April 23, 2020
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors
In two seasons, Brian Hartline has proven that he cannot only bring elite talent into the Ohio State program, but he can most definitely coach them up once they are there, as well. OSU is losing 53 percent of its receptions from last season, but with the veteran leadership of Chris Olave paired with the two freshman phenoms from last year, Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams, that’s already a really good start to fill the holes. But, when you throw in the likes of talented freshmen Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Gee Scott Jr. and Mookie Cooper, it begins to look very promising.
Now, there will be other veterans looking to catch passes as well, like Demario McCall, Kamryn Babb, C.J. Saunders (if he is granted a sixth year of eligibility), and a bunch of tight ends that Ohio State has mostly forgotten about since the mid ‘90s. With this group of pass-catchers, I have full faith that Justin Fields will find more than enough open receivers to keep the passing production up at a level that it needs to be at.
Real recognizes real
I’m saying CONGRATULATIONS right now lil bro!! Whoever draft you is getting a straight up DOG but more importantly a great young man! #YoungKing https://t.co/cLmlL5ITX2
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 23, 2020
Scouting Report: Ohio State DT Jashon Cornell
Scouting Report: Ohio State TE Rashod Berry
Patrick Mayhorn, Buckeye Sports Bulletin
Our old friend Patrick Mayhorn is breaking down two under-the-radar Buckeyes in these articles. Jashon Cornell is a former five-star recruit who has been biding his time amongst a whole host of talented rushmen. Rashod Berry has had one of the most interesting careers in recent OSU memory. We’ve seen him at defensive end, we’ve seen him at tight end, we’ve even seen him out of the backfield at times.
Will either of them have a major impact whenever the Buckeyes get back to the field? I doubt it, but they should be important contributors, adding experience and depth on what should be one of the best teams in the country.
Some former Buckeye linebackers talking to some current Buckeye linebackers:
Huge S/O to @Bcarp3 @schlegelvellie for taking the time to share a powerful message outlining the crucial role that communication plays while building a strong brotherhood on and off the field. The Linebacker Tradition at tOSU unmatched. #H2 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/CJVSHjWFrb
— Al Washington (@CoachWash56) April 23, 2020
From around the hardwood...
Making Sense of Ohio State’s Transfer Additions, Departures and Where Chris Holtmann Goes from Here
Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors
I don’t know about you, but my head has been spinning with all of the turnover for the Ohio State men’s basketball team (and women’s too, but we’ll get to that). But, if Chris Holtmann is showing no signs of concern, I trust him... for now.
The transfers of D.J. Carton, Luther Muhammad, and Alonzo Gaffney were certainly all disappointing, but they all appear to be individual, isolated circumstances. Holtmann has done a good job of developing the players that have stuck with him, and has brought in some transfers to fill the recent gaps. So, I will continue to give him the benefit of the doubt for now, but if this becomes a yearly thing, or deters other big-time recruits from coming to Columbus, then we can talk.
I miss Aaron Craft. I miss TBT. I miss sports.
The most underrated part of Aaron Craft's game? He's one of the best touch passers in the world. pic.twitter.com/MbpHZUZG7R
— Car❌en’s Crew (@CarmensCrew) April 23, 2020
How will Ohio State replace Kaleb Wesson? There’s no easy answer (paywall)
Adam Jardy, Columbus Dispatch
Lots and lots of Kyle Young, with a sprinkling of Ibrahima Diallo.
Welp, this seems bad.
Janai Crooms is entering the transfer portal.
— Wyatt Crosher (@wcrosher) April 23, 2020
She is the fourth player from last year’s Ohio State roster to be leaving the team. https://t.co/wxsWyO3gvr
From around Buckeye Nation...
I’m not going to include all of the messages that the team posted, but you can find them at the link above. I also threw in a really nice video from that OSU-hating, SEC-loving, cheating, no-good, double-dealin’, fake news World Wide Leader ESECPN.
Urban Meyer
A message from @CoachUrbanMeyer to all of our Buckeyes waiting to hear their names called in tomorrow's #NFLDraft.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/s8U14CukH6
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 22, 2020
Orlando Pace
Who’s next? Good luck to all the Buckeyes in this weekend’s NFL draft.#GoBucks #DevelopedHere #2020NFLDraft https://t.co/f0Bp5EhG8J
— Orlando Pace (@OrlandoPace_HOF) April 23, 2020
Parris Campbell
A message from Buckeye great @PCampbell21 to all the #Zone6 wideouts about to see their lives changed this weekend. Brotherhood never stops ‼️✌️@KayJayHill@Austin__Mack11@BinjimenVictor#GoBucks #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/k372Ch9fWB
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 23, 2020
ESPN
.@jeffokudah arrived at Ohio State Jan. 8, 2017. His mother passed away less than a week later.
— ESPN (@espn) April 23, 2020
This is his story of inner strength and resilience. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/RpHvw8AjHA
And now for something completely different...
Hello, 911? I’d like to report a murder taking place on national television.
Didn’t know you could murder somebody on live TV but if you’re Alex Trebek, anything flies pic.twitter.com/TurxXDrXmj
— Koozie (@OldRowKoozie) April 23, 2020
If you happen to come across the version of this billboard that I am 100 percent sure is around Ohio State’s campus somewhere, please send us a picture at youdontgettheshow@landgrantholyland.com.
— Jimmy Burrow (@CoachBurrow) April 23, 2020