Ohio State Football: Could the ‘Rushmen’ be even better this year?
Three outstanding defensive ends on last year’s Ohio State football team moved on to the NFL, but this group of ‘Rushmen’ may be even stronger.
This year’s Ohio State football team won’t have defensive ends Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis and Jalyn Holmes to give quarterbacks grief. After losing these outstanding players to the NFL, wouldn’t you expect the Buckeye pass rush to suffer? No, defensive line coach Larry Johnson is just reloading and the ‘Rushmen’ could be even better this year.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that coach Johnson has last year’s sack leader back. The guy who was named Big Ten Lineman of the Year in 2017, is on nearly every preseason All-American team and projected to be one of the first picks in the NFL draft next spring.
That would be defensive end Nick Bosa. However, there will be other players who will be flying around, and / or hitting quarterbacks.
This next guy will make quarterbacks nervous.
Chase Young is a former five-star recruit in the 2017 recruiting class. Young was ranked as the No. 2 defensive end and the 7th best player overall.
He got his feet wet last season and performed well in limited action. Young played in 9 games, had 18 tackles, 5 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Expect a breakout year for Young in his sophomore season because in the Ohio State Spring Game he was practically unblockable.
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Now for the forgotten man.
How could a player ranked the 3rd best DE and No. 33 player in the country in the 2016 recruiting class have a difficult time seeing the field? In Jonathon Cooper’s case, it wasn’t anything he did wrong, it was because he was buried in the depth chart behind Bosa, Lewis, Hubbard and Holmes.
Cooper is one player I think may shock those who forgot how talented he is. You know he has been drooling just waiting for his chance to get after quarterbacks.
Jashon Cornell has now been moved from tackle to end. He was the No. 7 DE and a top 100 player in the 2015 recruiting class so he is back to his natural position.
He can spell Bosa occasionally and possibly Dre’Mont Jones at the three technique position in the Rushmen package.
Add in freshman Tyreke Smith, the No. 4 defensive end in this year’s class, and it’s not hard to believe the Buckeyes will have a strong pass rush this season. And don’t discount tackles who will give quarterbacks grief with their push up the middle..
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Big Ten quarterbacks probably breathed a sigh of relief when Hubbard, Lewis and Holmes moved on to the NFL. Soon they may lose sleep the week before playing Ohio State. Wouldn’t you if you had to stand in the pocket with these guys coming at you?