Ohio State Football: Four Buckeyes land on the same NFL team
The Ohio State football team got six players drafted into the NFL over the weekends with a number of other signings as undrafted free agents.
The Ohio State football team will have their eyes on one NFL team in particular when next season starts. The Cleveland Browns drafted two former Buckeyes and added two others as undrafted free agents.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones and center Luke Wypler were drafted by Cleveland while safeties Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCalister were signed as undrafted free agents. This is great for the players themselves as there will be some familiarity when they start their new careers. Especially given the fact that Jones and Wypler will be in the same meeting room while Hickman and McCalister will be as well.
I can’t ever recall a situation where four rookies from the same school landed on one particular team. The Eagles are becoming known as Georgia of the north, but they only have three players from this class.
This is also a major shift in thinking on the Browns’ part. Over the previous 13 years, they have only drafted two former Buckeyes and they matched that number in this draft class alone. Maybe they got sick and tired of seeing all these great former Buckeye players on the Cincinnati Bengals twice per season.
The great thing is that I believe all these players are in a pretty good spot up in Cleveland. For Hickman and McCalister, they are going to need to prove their worth on special teams. Hickman excelled in that area during his time in Columbus. They are also pretty thin at the safety position so both will get a shot at making the club.
As for Dawand Jones, he’s probably in line to be the team’s third tackle on the roster next season behind Jed Wills and former All-Pro Jack Conklin. He will have a chance at learning behind Conklin and could end up being the team’s starting left tackle in 2024 as the Browns have not picked up Wills’ fifth-year option yet.
The road will be tougher for Luke Wypler as the Browns just re-signed Ethan Pocic to a new three-year deal. Pocic has some injury issues so if Wypler can win the backup job in camp he might get a chance to play in 2023.
Next. 3 coaches more annoying than Dabo Swinney. dark
It’s great to see all these former Buckeyes on one team and it will be good for them to have some familiarity in a new setting. Good luck to all these players.