PFF Praises Buckeyes' 2024 NFL Draft Talent On Offense
Last season, the Ohio State Buckeyes' offense was explosive to the point they could strike any second and turn a one-possession game quickly into a three-possession game.
After averaging the second-most points per game at 44.6 and the ninth-most total offense at 490.7 yards per game, the Buckeyes are looking ahead to life after C.J. Stroud, who was the highest-drafted quarterback in program history.
With gaping holes on the offensive line and the questions about how good Kyle McCord or Devin Brown can be, it's easy to get wrapped up in the unknown.
However, taking a more positive outlook, remember the weapons that the Ohio State offense has established and is bringing back.
Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick highlighted six Buckeyes who are top-10 draft-eligible players at their respective decisions and ones to keep an eye on in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Here is what Chadwick wrote about each of the six prospects.
"Henderson was dominant as a true freshman, rushing for 1,251 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021. A broken bone in his foot caused him to miss five games this past season, and he finished with a 73.9 grade. He’s a natural pass-catcher who caught 27 of his 29 targets in 2021 for 312 yards. If he can bounce back in 2023, he could be the top back in this class."
RB Miyan Williams:
"Williams took the reins as the Buckeyes' top back in 2022 with Henderson battling a foot injury.
Among Power Five running backs, Williams was fourth in forced missed tackle rate (38%), yards after contact per attempt (4.4) and first down/touchdown rate (38.3%). While only 5-foot-9, Williams is a human wrecking ball at 225 pounds."
"Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison’s son could be one of the best wide receiver prospects in the PFF era. He’s a freak athlete at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and was both the highest-graded and most valuable receiver in the country this past season, according to PFF’s wins above-average metric. Against single-coverage, the sophomore’s 878 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns led all FBS wide receivers."
WR Emeka Egbuka:
"Outside of Harrison Jr., Egbuka was the most valuable Power Five wide receiver last year according to PFF’s wins above-average metric. Only Harrison had more receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2022 than Egbuka among returning Power Five receivers. Egbuka’s 2.98 yards per route run ranked third in that same group as well. He’s a savvy player who can create after the catch, though he needs to prove he can win more consistently on the outside against press coverage."
TE Cade Stover:
"Unlike [Stanford tight end Benjamin] Yurosek, Stover has no such issues as a run blocker. He made five big-time blocks this past season (PFF’s highest-graded blocks), which was tied for fourth among Power Five tight ends.
Working against Stover as a receiver is the fact that he plays with Harrison Jr. and Egbuka, the two best returning wide receivers in college football. He still impressed as a pass catcher, though, as his 110 receiving yards after contact ranked 11th among Power Five tight ends."
IOL Donovan Jackson:
"Jackson was a top-15 recruit coming out of the 2021 class according to On3 Sports’ consensus ratings.
The sophomore began to live up to the hype this year in his first season as a starter. His 76.7 grade was a top-10 mark among Power Five guards in 2022 while his nine big-time blocks were tied for sixth."
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