2018 tOSU Defense Discussion

[bukIpower]

I figured I would start this thread now because it's inevitable we will start to discuss the next season soon.

DL- We lose 4 upfront with Hill, Holmes, Lewis, and Hubbard. With a two deep most likely looking like this

DE- 1. Bosa 2. Cooper
DT- 1. Jones 2. Haskell
DT- 1. Landers 2. Jackson
DE- 1. Young 2. Cox

You also have to figure Vincent will be in the mix as well. I also would not be shocked to see a player like Booker get bumped down to Defensive end as we seem to have moved away from him at LB. Also I may be wrong on this but I believe Sprinkle does have the ability to get a medical redshirt for his year he missed.

LB- We lose Worely

OLB- 1. Baker 2. Jones
MLB- 1. Borland 2. Browning
OLB- 1. Harrison 2. Werner

It's possible here that Browning makes a move at MLB or maybe even takes over for Harrison. It'll be hard to keep him off the field with his size (6 foot 4) and his athletic ability. Watch for Werner too as the staff really loves him.

Secondary- We lose Ward and Webb

CB- 1. Arnette 2. Sheffield
S- 1. Fuller 2. Davis
S-1. Pryor 2. Proctor
CB- 1. Okudah 2. Wade

This group is going to be a very tall and long bunch with every starter being over 6 foot 1. Sheffield very well could be the 2nd starter but overall I think we will have 3-4 corners playing equal reps much like the 2016 season. Watch out for one of the true freshman coming in to compete for the lone spot next to Fuller.

Overall I personally feel the DL will have a better starting unit but it will be important to develop a few more players to provide depth which right now won't be quite as good. The LB's have been much aligned but we seemed to have found a good place with Borland in the middle. The secondary IMO will be spectacular because they will have it all with size, experience, speed, and physicality. We should be very excited to see what this group can do next season.

 

[GovTressel]

Jones won’t be back...neither will Baker, though he won’t grade nearly as high.

 

[pnuts34]

Agree with @GovTressel on crossing of Baker and Jones.

I would also throw Barrow in the mix at DT after recovering from another leg injury.
I think just gets passed up if he doesn't finally put it all together.

And I haven't been sold on Arnette to get the torch passed to him from Ward. Gambles too much and becomes a liability on the back and far too often

 

[bukIpower]

Jones won’t be back...neither will Baker, though he won’t grade nearly as high.

I've seen zero talk of Jones going first round though and Baker gave himself a D on the year recently in an interview. That doesn't sound like someone who's confident he put his best foot forward, but you may be right.

I just think both come back though particularly Jones. He's had a quiet year in comparison to last year.

 

[pnuts34]

I've seen zero talk of Jones going first round though and Baker gave himself a D on the year recently in an interview. That doesn't sound like someone who's confident he put his best foot forward, but you may be right.

I just think both come back though particularly Jones. He's had a quiet year in comparison to last year.

Agreed, I'm going off of pre season. Jones should, I expect will return. And that's one of the biggest returns of the entire team, IMO

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Jones won’t be back...neither will Baker, though he won’t grade nearly as high.

Uh, no. All the pro scouts have to do is watch how many times Baker over-pursued or was woefully out of position, and at times looked totally lost. Now, he improved markedly at the end of the season and played very well in the CCG, but no way will any team draft him higher the round 3-4 right now. That said, if he stays and continues his improvement he could easily work himself into a first-round pick.

 

[bukIpower]

Pnuts and Mili summed up why I thought Jones as well as Baker will be back...

Jones played well but his injury I suspect slowed him down a bit and his production just wasn't there this year. Also Baker as pointed out largely was disappointing this year and to go along with Booker I believe was a large reason why we struggled in the games we struggled in.

What are you guys' expectations for Vincent coming in? By all accounts he's the best DT we've landed in quite a while and to me he's the dark horse here.

I have a feeling this defense is going to be the best UFM has ever had personally. Big secondary, Deep LB crew that seems to have found themselves, and a DL that has the potential to be the best starting 4 UFM has ever had.

 

[pnuts34]

Pnuts and Mili summed up why I thought Jones as well as Baker will be back...

Jones played well but his injury I suspect slowed him down a bit and his production just wasn't there this year. Also Baker as pointed out largely was disappointing this year and to go along with Booker I believe was a large reason why we struggled in the games we struggled in.

What are you guys' expectations for Vincent coming in? By all accounts he's the best DT we've landed in quite a while and to me he's the dark horse here.

I have a feeling this defense is going to be the best UFM has ever had personally. Big secondary, Deep LB crew that seems to have found themselves, and a DL that has the potential to be the best starting 4 UFM has ever had.

I'm skeptical of the defense next year. For a few reasons :

The DL is going to lose an immense amount of talent, basically like what we lost at DB last year, and will be leaning on one kid who can be a rising star(Bosa, like Ward was this year) and guys stepping into new starter roles. the biggest difference being that no one in the DB core was as talented as Young(Sheffield looked like a star in spring and fall camp, but not once the season started). Young has proven himself in real time game reps and will be a monster given starter reps. After Bosa and Young, Jones and Landers, its all unknowns. which can be seen as good and bad, we won't find out until the off season and we REALLY won't find out until the season begins.

LB hinges on IF Baker returns(he still realistically can leave for the NFL) and IF Booker can ever become the player that everyone thought he would be when he signed with the Buckeyes. Outside of Borland and Harrison, the rest of the LBs are unknown outside of special teams.

DB will be interesting, because for another year we lose a prominent player in that corp. And no one from this years starters(not named Denzel Ward) makes me confident that they can step in for #12. I say the staff should go with the young guns and Sheffield and Arnette are special teamers if they can't step up to the level that OSU needs them to be. Too much young talent on this roster at CB and S to not play them in favor of upper class men, I don't see how Okudah, Wade, Riep and Williamson can't offer as much talent. And not to mention Pryor at S. Fuller looks to be our best returning DB

 

[woofermazing]

Young with a full off season of S&C, and Bosa on the other side?

 

[GovTressel]

Uh, no. All the pro scouts have to do is watch how many times Baker over-pursued or was woefully out of position, and at times looked totally lost. Now, he improved markedly at the end of the season and played very well in the CCG, but no way will any team draft him higher the round 3-4 right now. That said, if he stays and continues his improvement he could easily work himself into a first-round pick.

If he gets a 3-4 round grade he’s definitely gone.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

If he gets a 3-4 round grade he’s definitely gone.

Which would be stupid.

 

[ant80]

Jashon Cornell.

edit: Antwan Jackson will DEFINITELY be in the mix.

 

[pnuts34]

Which would be stupid.

Its never stupid for someone to earn a paycheck. Its stupid for fans to want to make decisions for players, not knowing their family's financial background, or worrying about a kids risk for injury. If Weber gets injured next year you nor any other fan will compensate him for the money he would lose. Im all for kids leaving to live their dreams and earn a paycheck, they're ready when they're ready to sign. Just like Cardale shouldve left after his NC run, even though so many fans wanted him to stay, he risked millions

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Its never stupid for someone to earn a paycheck. Its stupid for fans to want to make decisions for players, not knowing their family's financial background, or worrying about a kids risk for injury. If Weber gets injured next year you nor any other fan will compensate him for the money he would lose. Im all for kids leaving to live their dreams and earn a paycheck, they're ready when they're ready to sign. Just like Cardale shouldve left after his NC run, even though so many fans wanted him to stay, he risked millions

It is stupid when he could go from making $800,000 a year (with much less guaranteed) to $2-6M a year (with a lot, if not most, guaranteed). In case you're unaware, there are insurance policies designed specifically for this scenario which are at no/little cost to the kid upfront. Now, if he grades about at early- to mid-second round, then maybe make the jump, but if he's graded at third round or later his best choice is to get the insurance and build himself into a higher draft pick. This ain't selfishness on my part, but rather what's most likely best for Jerome.

This will give you an idea of the salary disparities between rounds: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/draft/

 

[bukIpower]

I'm skeptical of the defense next year. For a few reasons :

The DL is going to lose an immense amount of talent, basically like what we lost at DB last year, and will be leaning on one kid who can be a rising star(Bosa, like Ward was this year) and guys stepping into new starter roles. the biggest difference being that no one in the DB core was as talented as Young(Sheffield looked like a star in spring and fall camp, but not once the season started). Young has proven himself in real time game reps and will be a monster given starter reps. After Bosa and Young, Jones and Landers, its all unknowns. which can be seen as good and bad, we won't find out until the off season and we REALLY won't find out until the season begins.

LB hinges on IF Baker returns(he still realistically can leave for the NFL) and IF Booker can ever become the player that everyone thought he would be when he signed with the Buckeyes. Outside of Borland and Harrison, the rest of the LBs are unknown outside of special teams.

DB will be interesting, because for another year we lose a prominent player in that corp. And no one from this years starters(not named Denzel Ward) makes me confident that they can step in for #12. I say the staff should go with the young guns and Sheffield and Arnette are special teamers if they can't step up to the level that OSU needs them to be. Too much young talent on this roster at CB and S to not play them in favor of upper class men, I don't see how Okudah, Wade, Riep and Williamson can't offer as much talent. And not to mention Pryor at S. Fuller looks to be our best returning DB

You don't think Okudah doesn't step up? He's gotten the most reps of any freshman that's played for Coach Combs which is saying a TON. Even if Okudah doesn't step up we will have Arnette and Sheffield which I believe those two have been playing great all year.

The DL will not be as deep but IMO the starting 4 will be better but don't sleep on all the kids that have got reps over the past two years. Cooper, Cornell and then adding Jackson as well as Vincent should be some really good depth. Maybe not as good as this years depth but it won't be startling how bad they are either.