Lewis Returning, How Good Can the Ohio State DE Unit Be?
The Ohio State defensive end unit was going to be very strong next season but with Tyquan Lewis returning it will be outstanding.
Tyquan Lewis has announced he will forego the NFL draft and come back to Ohio State his senior year. Lewis, Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes are all returning for the 2017 season and it’s possible the DE unit could be one of the best ever at Ohio State.
Lewis was expected by many to turn pro, but Adam Rittenberg of ESPN reported today that Lewis would be back with the Buckeyes. The junior was the sack leader for Ohio State in 2016 for the second consecutive season. He also was the Big Ten Lineman of the Year.
Hubbard announced he would return soon after the Buckeyes lost in the Fiesta Bowl. Holmes said he would be back for his senior year Wednesday on his Instagram account.
The talented trio and the outstanding young players Ohio State has on the roster will make the defensive end unit talented and very deep. There is a five-star recruit coming in the 2017 recruiting class as well.
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Nick Bosa became an impact player in part-time duty in 2016 and was named to the Freshman All-American Team. Jonathon Cooper was a five-star defensive end, as was Bosa, in the 2016 recruiting class but only saw limited action. The coaching staff is very high on Cooper, who is a speed rusher that just needs to put on some bulk.
Redshirt freshman Rashod Berry was moved to defensive end before last season and played well behind Lewis. Chase Young, the No. 3 ranked defensive end in the country, will be joining the unit next season.
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Having Hubbard, Holmes and the young talented players would have given the Buckeyes one of the best group of defensive ends in the nation next season. With the top defensive lineman in the Big Ten coming back, just how good can this unit be in 2017? Welcome back Tyquan.