Ohio State Football: Why Dwayne Haskins should get deserved respect

Dwayne Haskins is eagerly and anxiously awaiting his future, but is the Ohio State quarterback getting the draft respect he deserves?

Former Ohio State Quarterback Dwayne Haskins is just days away from finding out where his new home will be as the NFL Draft is quickly approaching. Haskins’ name has been a hot topic of discussion for many reasons since he declared for the draft back in January.

Much debate has arisen between Haskins and former Oklahoma Quarterback Kyler Murray as to who translates as the better prospect.

When evaluating the two elite signal callers, it is apparent their styles of play are polar opposites. One would think the edge would go to Haskins being a better NFL talent due to his ability to sit in the pocket and dissect defenses with his accuracy and precision.

However, most of the hype has surrounded Murray which has left Haskins in somewhat secondary discussions in the eyes of some experts.

The 2018 season was an uncharacteristic one according to the standards of Ohio State football for many reasons. At times, the Buckeyes lacked the ability to play fundamentally sound and it was evident through penalties and giving up big plays. Not to mention the off the field issues surrounding the program in the Zach Smith saga that ultimately led to the questionable three game suspension of Urban Meyer.

Wrapped inside of all of that was 6-foot-3 231 pound Dwayne Haskins who proved time and time again to be the Buckeyes’ steady hand and rock. Regardless of the circumstances, Haskins continued to ball and rewrite the record books.

Haskins was often overlooked in 2018 from the opening snap through the Heisman presentation even after the monumental preseason hype that he managed to exceed.

Part of the reason appears to be the country forgetting about Ohio State or writing of the Buckeyes all together after Meyer’s suspension and especially following the Purdue loss. Nevertheless, Haskins continued to produce monster numbers and develop his leadership skills to elevate his team to the next level.

Though a quarterback is a product of those around him, Haskins made that statement a two-way street. A heavy portion of his passing yardage may have come on short yardage throws or screens with speedy and talented receivers like Parris Campbell, KJ Hill, and Terry McLaurin. But Haskins consistently showed he could stretch the field vertically and possessed the arm strength to make every throw in the playbook.

One of the most underrated parts of Dwayne’s game is his pre-snap adjustments and ability to read and diagnose the defense. Haskins is also a highly intelligent football player as his game IQ is above most.

He is a student of the game and it is especially evident when he stands in the shotgun and adjusts or flips the protection before the play. Doing this allows him to avoid the pressure and stay calm in the pocket and make the play.

Moreover, Haskins also developed the ability to make plays with his feet as the season wore on – he did not turn into a mobile threat, but he at least made the defense respect him down the stretch. He finished the year having thrown for 4,831 yards and a school record 50 touchdowns with a monster 1,500+ yard 17 touchdown four game run to cap off the Buckeyes’ second straight Big Ten Title and Rose Bowl Victory.

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Dwayne Haskins’ accolades from his legendary 2018 campaign may have flown under the radar or have been overlooked by some, but his record and resume speak for themselves as do his intangible qualities and brilliant football IQ thanks to, in part, Ryan Day who did an outstanding job coaching him.

Admittedly, he needs a year to further develop and mature by sitting behind a veteran NFL QB, but all things considered, Haskins is the top QB prospect in this year’s draft and should be the first one off the board.

In the most likely outcome, he should be on his way to East Rutherford, New Jersey to suit up for his childhood team the New York football Giants. Haskins fulfilled his childhood dreams of coming to college at Ohio State and playing quarterback here. Will he be able to have a storybook setup to begin his NFL career?

The world will soon find out. But whether or not Haskins is the first QB taken, whichever team drafts him will be set for the future with a seemingly prototype QB under center leading their franchise on and off of the field.