Urban Meyer: Chase Young is, 'No Brainer...Freak of Nature'

Former Ohio State coach touts likely No. 2 pick as unique talent

Bruce Hooley | Apr 22, 2020

Urban Meyer has placed enough elite talent in the NFL to know what an NFL player looks like, but looking at Chase Young is a new experience, even for a guy who's coached more than 20 first-round picks.

"I think he's the best talent in he draft," Meyer said Wednesday morning on WTVN Radio in Columbus. "From head-to-toe...you're talking about Nick Bosa, Joe Bosa, two of probably the best in the NFL, two of the best I've ever been around. Then you have Sam Hubbard (Bengals), Jalen Holmes (Vikings), Tyquan Lewis (Colts), Johny Simon (Patriots), so many great defensive ends.

"Then you stand next to Chase and watch what he can do physically . I just, I don't remember seeing many ever born like that, that I've ever seen. I've been in the SEC, the great conferences. He's a freak of nature. On top of that, you throw in a high-quality person that does it the right way and comes from a great family, you're talking about a no-brainer."

Young is presumably destined to go No. 2 overall Thursday in the NFL Draft, behind former OSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy last season at LSU, and perhaps in front of Buckeyes' cornerback Jeff Okudah third to Detroit.

Running back J.K. Dobbins could be a late first-round pick. If so, he would be the 15th Meyer recruited and coached at OSU.

"It's the same feeling you get when something great happens to your child," Meyer said. "That's how close we are to our players. Ryan (Day) is doing the same exact approach....all the people who develop them at Ohio State or Florida or Utah.

"When you see that happen, it's like when your child (has) something great happen. I never get more nervous than watching my kids play baseball for volleyball. Then, when something great happens. there's an overwhelming sense of pride.

" 'Thank goodness. Some great things are happening.' It's the same thing. That's how close we are with these players. They've always been like family to us."

OSU could have as many as 15 players drafted Thursday-Saturday.

Their success in the NFL, Meyer said, will depend upon their landing spots.

"So much of it is where they go," he said. "Mike Thomas hit the gold mine (with the Saints). He went to a place with an elite culture. elite quarterback, elite everything.

"Then you look at some of our other players, I'm not going to say names, because it's not fair to those organizations, but what happens is, I hear someone say, 'Well, he's a bad player.' I'm thinking, 'You're out of your mind,' 'He's a bad player.' They're the best of the best of the best, but they get stuck in some terrible situations."