Ohio State football: Buckeye defensive Draft preview

Plenty of Ohio State football players will be waiting to hear their name called this weekend. We take a look at where some of the defensive players could land.

After yesterday’s look at the Ohio State football team’s offensive and special teams players in the draft, time for a look at the other side of the ball. Once again, I’ll rely on the scouting reports from Ourlad’s Guide to the NFL Draft. They are in their 40th year of publication. Ourlad’s is made up of football guys who know what they’re talking about.

General Manager and National Scout Dan Shonka has played, coached, and recruited at all of the various levels of football. He spent 16 years as a scout in the NFL and USFL. Dan has certainly been around and I trust his evaluations.

Here is what they have to say about some defensive Buckeyes.

Baron Browning, Linebacker – Has the size and athleticism teams want at linebacker. He can fill inside gaps as well as pursue to the sidelines and is an effective blitzer coming up the middle or off the edge. He’s good in pass coverage, covers a lot of ground, and gets good depth dropping into coverage.

They say he matches up well with running backs and is quick to break on the ball. His pursuit angles need to get better because he will sometimes over or under- pursue. Ourlad’s has him being taken high in the second round.

Pete Werner, Linebacker – They say he’s instinctive, can fill inside gaps and make plays at the line of scrimmage, but can also set the edge on outside runs. He slips blocks well, can chase down a ball carrier, and is good at tackling in space.

Has the ability to stay with running backs and tight ends down the field in pass coverage. He’s good in zone coverage and breaks on the ball well. He can lose leverage when taking on blocks and get sealed off from the play. Needs to get better at handling straight-on blocks.

Is best suited for a 4-3 defense. They have him going early in the third round, but there have been multiple reports over the last several days of teams giving him a low first-round grade. He was perhaps the best player the Ohio State football team had on defense a year ago.

Shaun Wade   Cornerback – Has the height (6’1”), speed, and agility teams want at cornerback. He’s very comfortable playing in the slot but is a work in progress on the outside. Wade is physical enough in press coverage to disrupt a receiver coming off the line of scrimmage, can mirror the routes of quick receivers, and has the speed to stay with them on vertical routes.

He closes quickly when the ball is in the air. When he had problems playing outside they ranged from vulnerability to double moves, to missing jamming a receiver at the line of scrimmage, to not finding the ball in the air and giving up contested catches for touchdowns. Ourlad’s feels he has the ability and versatility to be a solid player if he cleans up his issues on the outside. They have him going in the middle of the third round.

Tommy Togiai, Defensive Tackle – Gets off the ball well and uses his strong hands to shed blocks. He has quick feet and can change direction easily. Togiai is a high-energy, aggressive player who will find his way through traffic and make plays away from the point of attack. His passionate playing style will make up for any physical shortcomings.

He struggles to maintain his position against the run when multiple blockers get their hands on him. He lacks a dependable base to anchor himself and has an inconsistent pad level. They give a fourth/fifth round grade, but see him being chosen late in the third round.

Jonathan Cooper, Linebacker – When he began interviewing with teams about the draft, he discovered they see him as an outside linebacker more so than a defensive end, which is where he spent his entire Ohio State career (Because of the position change, I will not be using Ourlad’s report here).

At 253 pounds, he’s not quite big enough to play end. During the Buckeyes’ Pro Day, he went through drills with the linebackers to show he can play in space and drop into pass coverage. His impressive 4.69 in the 40 puts him ahead of a lot of guys who spent their entire college career at the position. Combining his speed, athleticism, and quality character make him attractive enough for teams to consider taking him in one of the later rounds.

Justin Hilliard, Linebacker – He’s a high-energy player who attacks open windows and can make plays in the backfield. Can play against tight ends and slot receivers, and is physical enough to be able to jam them at the line of scrimmage.

He has above-average lateral ability and can tackle in space. Hilliard can get overaggressive in pass coverage and will bite on double moves. Has problems with cutbacks and shedding blocks. He’s proven he can be an outstanding special teams player. This should help in making an NFL roster. Ourlad’s sees him being taken in the middle of the sixth round.

Tuf Borland   Linebacker – He’s a smart, instinctive player who takes good angles to the ball. Ourlad’s says he fills holes quickly, is a sound tackler, and can slip blocks on the move. His ability to quickly read keys gets him into pass coverage in a hurry, closes well on the ball, but doesn’t make a lot of plays when in coverage.

He lacks the range to get to the perimeter and struggles with cutbacks. Can get swallowed up by blocks at the line of scrimmage and struggles to get off of them. Borland may not have the speed and ability to make a roster but could carve out a spot if he shows he can play special teams. Seventh-round pick or free-agent is the most likely scenario.

There’s your look at some defensive Buckeyes in the draft. I’m a big fan of understanding the nuances of football and I think Ourlad’s does a great job touching on them in their reports.

My advice to Ohio State football fans is don’t be too concerned about when a Buckeye is chosen; focus on who takes him. Being drafted by a team that is a good fit for a player is far more important than what round their name is called.