Ohio State Football: 2020 stat projections for Buckeyes in the NFL
Quarterbacks
Dwayne Haskins Jr., Washington Football Team
As the only former Ohio State quarterback starting in the NFL, Haskins was on-and-off the bench last season, throwing for 1,365 yards, 7 TDs, and 7 INTs, with a 58.6 completion percentage in just nine games played. With new head coach Ron Rivera at the helm, improvement should be in the cards for Haskins. But if he slips up, Rivera will likely be quick to pull the plug and turn to either Kyle Allen or Alex Smith.
2020 Projections: 65 completion percentage, 2,500 passing yards, 20 TDs, and 9 INTs
Running Backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Elliott has become more than just a dependable back, rushing for over 900 yards in each of his four seasons and finding the end zone 40 times over his career. In 2019, he finished second in the NFC with 1,357 rushing yards and punched in 12 TDs. Like Haskins, new head coach Mike McCarthy could bring new heights for Elliott, but with a more pass-centric offense (think Aaron Rodgers), I think Elliott’s numbers drop a bit on the rushing side in 2020 but could see improvement out of the backfield.
2020 Projections: 1,200 yards, 9 TDs, 550 receiving yards, 4 TDs
Carlos Hyde, Seattle Seahawks
Hyde has also become a dependable back, rushing for more than 900 yards in three of his six seasons. He could clash for playing time with 2019 1,000-yard rusher Chris Carson, but as Carson recovers from a hip injury in late December, the door could be open to Hyde to one-up last year’s 1,070-yard performance in Houston.
2020 Projections: 1,000 rushing yards, 7 TDs, 100 receiving yards
J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens
In his career at Ohio State, Dobbins rushed for almost 4,500 yards and found the end zone 38 times, while also receiving 71 passes for 645 yards and 5 TDs. Now with a Super Bowl-favorite in Baltimore, Dobbins will compete to beat out Mark Ingram II and Gus Edwards, who combined for over 1800 rushing yards in 2019, and Justice Hill, who had several explosive runs last year. He may not get much playing time, but Dobbins could be a steady back and get a few hand-offs from Lamar Jackson.
2020 Projections: 200 rushing yards, 3 TDs
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All-Purpose Backs
Curtis Samuel, Carolina Panthers
Since his time at Ohio State, Samuel has fulfilled a similar role in Carolina: speed and pass-catching ability out of the backfield alongside a generational talent: Christian McCaffrey. Even for a Carolina team that lost eight games in a row after starting 5-3, Samuel contributed 627 receiving yards, 6 TDs, 130 rushing yards, and a touchdown on the ground. Now without Kyle Allen and Cam Newton at quarterback, Samuel will have a chance to work with Teddy Bridgewater, which could be beneficial for both players in what will likely be a rebuilding year for new head coach Matt Rhule.
2020 Projections: 600 receiving yards, 150 rushing yards, 8 total TDs