Tag: J.T. Tuimoloau

Ohio State lands nine players on PFF top ten positional rankings

Ohio State lands nine players on PFF top ten positional rankings #GoBucks

Pro Football Focus (PFF) has been releasing their top ten positional rankings for returning players and Ohio State leads the way with nine players making an appearance on their respective positional list.

Of the ten running backs ranked, two Buckeyes make the list with both Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson making the cut. Henderson finished last season with a PFF receiving grade of 73.6, which led all Big Ten backs. Judkins leads all current Power Five backs with 2,726 rushing yards since 2022.

Emeka Egbuka also made his positional list at wide receiver and will have an opportunity to be the number-one option in Columbus after the departure of Marvin Harrison Jr. Donovan Jackson is the lone offensive lineman to make his positional list.

Both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau made the top ten list for the edge defenders and it makes sense considering Sawyer was the only edge last season to earn grades 85 or higher as both a pass-rusher and run-defender. Tuimoloau is fourth among Big Ten edge defenders the last two seasons with 69 pressures. Tyleik Williams also made his positional list after tallying 26 run-defense stops, which was second among Big Ten defensive tackles.

Denzel Burke also made the cut after forcing 10 incompletions this past season, which was 20th among Power Five cornerbacks. Caleb Downs was also the number one returning safety according to PFF.

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PFF lists one Ohio State football player on All-Returning defense

PFF lists one Buckeye on 2024 All-Returning defense #GoBucks

Pro Football Focus has released its 2024 all-returning defense and only one Ohio State player made the team and even he is an incoming transfer. The list feels a bit odd considering the massive amount of talent Ohio State has returning, but that may be just my bias.

Caleb Downs is the lone Buckeye to make the team and that makes sense after the true freshman earned All-American honors from PFF after starting for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Downs finished the season with an 88.9 coverage grade, which was the fourth amongst all FBS safeties.

Other Buckeyes who could have made a claim on this list are defensive end, J.T. Tuimoloau, and cornerback, Denzel Burke. Tuimoloau ended last season with an unspectacular PFF grade of 76.9 and that likely played a role in his omission, but anyone who watched his play last season knows he is elite.

Denzel Burke actually made PFF’s top ten returning cornerbacks list at number seven and finished with an incredible catch allowance rate of 19.1% of his targets while in single coverage, but that was apparently not good enough for their all-returning Team.

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ESPN names two Ohio State pass-rushers as top ten players in the country

The Buckeyes have an elite pair of defensive end

When Ohio State football found out that both starting defensive ends, [autotag]Jack Sawyer[/autotag] and [autotag]J.T. Tuimoloau[/autotag] were returning, it was viewed as a massive win for head coach Ryan Day.

ESPN is backing up that notion as they looked at the top ten returning pass-rushers and both Buckeyes made their list. Sawyer checked in a No. 4, as Chris Low noted that he “has the burst, size, and skills to reach double digit sacks in 2024 on an Ohio State defensive line that will be loaded.”

That sounds good to us, but what about Tuimoloau? The other former 5-star came in a few spots lower at No. 8. Again Low broke down the seniors game,  as “he has the strength and power to overwhelm opposing offensive tackles.”

The expectations are in the statosphere for both Buckeyes, and they should produce this coming fall.

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Ohio State football’s J.T. Tuimoloau has found the perfect NIL deal

This is perfect for Tuimoloau

There is an art to making good name, image and likeness deals and it looks like Ohio State defensive end, [autotag]J.T. Tuimoloau,[/autotag] has found one.

The senior lineman surprised many when he opted to return to Columbus for another season, spurring the NFL. Like another Polynesian, Troy Polamalu, Tuimoloau has hair that is unforgettable.

Playing off that trait like Polamalu, the current Buckeye announced a NIL partnership with a shampoo company. It’s a perfect deal for Tuimoloau, as he luscious locks adorn the label. Many other players have had similar deals, but none quite as exceptional as the one the star Ohio State defensive end signed.

You can support Tuimoloau’s newest adventure at local Giant Eagle stores if you so desire.

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Top players who opted to return to college instead of entering the 2024 NFL draft

Top players who opted to return to college instead of entering the 2024 NFL draft

Most of the time when college players make an announcement about their eligibility and the NFL draft, it’s them declaring they’re leaving school and entering the professional ranks. But not everyone leaves early, not even when projected as a potential first round pick.

There are a few college players who opted to stay in the college ranks instead of declaring for the 2024 NFL draft. Here are some of the bigger names who opted to stay in school.

Four prominent Ohio State players are staying in school for 2024

Four prominent Ohio State players are staying in school for 2024 instead of declaring for the draft

With the deadline for underclassmen to declare their eligibility for the 2024 NFL draft coming up quickly, four Ohio State Buckeyes have opted to return to Columbus for another season of college football.

Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and cornerback Denzel Burke have all announced they’re not entering the draft. All three had the potential to be top 50 overall picks in the upcoming draft and have been fixtures of two-round mock drafts for months.

Tuimoloau cited “unfinished business” in his social media post announcing his return. Burke also brought up the idea of winning a championship with his Buckeye teammates in his announcement.

Ohio State football NFL draft declaration tracker

Ohio State gets more good news as J.T. Tuimoloau set to return for senior season

JTT is back! #GoBucks

While the season didn’t end well for Ryan Day and the Ohio State football team, the offseason has been absolute fire for the Buckeyes. In years past, a team with this much talent would see players leave for NFL riches as soon as they could. But it’s a new era in college football and the Bucks just got word that another key piece is coming back for his senior year in J.T. Tuimoloau.

Tuimoloau made his decision known on his personal Instagram page. “A sense of unfinished business” stuck out in the post. This class is yet to beat Michigan, yet to experience a Big Ten Championship, and maybe the ultimate goal … a national championship.

With the amount of talent coming back to Columbus and the additions from the transfer portal, all three are well within reach.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2ArnSrJx6B/

Tuimoloau’s return further solidifies a defense that was one of the best in the nation. Don’t be fooled by his lack of flashy numbers, this is an elite defensive end and his return is huge for Ohio State.

At this time, Marvin Harrison Jr. is the only Buckeye who has declared for the NFL Draft while forgoing his remaining eligibility. Just one remains… running back TreVeyon Henderson and we should know his plans in the near future.

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2024 NFL draft: Bowl season EDGE big board

2024 NFL draft: Bowl season EDGE big board from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

Welcome to winter! For most 2024 NFL draft prospects, it’s now draft prep season. A few still have bowl games on the schedule, but the season to impress NFL talent evaluators on the field is largely complete.

Up next in the positional rankings are the EDGE group. Call them defensive ends or outside linebackers — often changing between the two roles in the same game — these players are primarily pass rushers. It’s a position with one of the highest bust rates but also one where scheme fit matters a ton.

Offensive tackles

Wide receivers (via Brennen Rupp)

Cornerbacks

Lions draft: 10 early candidates to be Detroit’s 1st-round pick in 2024

An early look at 10 prospects who figure to appeal to the Detroit Lions with their top pick in the 2024 NFL draft

The college football season is quickly coming to an end, believe it or not. That means the draft prospect evaluation season is really starting to heat up.

Normally, the NFL draft is a bigger priority amongst Lions fans at this time of the year. And while the scouting staff has been operating like always, the success of the 7-2, first-place Lions has put the draft on the back burner for most fans.

In looking ahead at the 2024 NFL draft, which will take place in Detroit next April, the draft range for the Lions top pick figures to be in the 25-32 overall range of the first round. Picking that much later opens up a lot more possibilities for the Lions and what player(s) they might target.

Here are 10 prospects who appear to fit what the Lions want in a prospect and would fill a need on the Detroit roster. It’s just an early look at who the Lions figure to have some interest in drafting with their top pick. They are listed here in alphabetical order.

Rams land franchise QB, stud pass rusher in 2-round mock draft

In Draft Wire’s latest 2-round mock draft, the Rams take Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy at No. 6 overall

Matthew Stafford is probably going to play at least one more season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, but with the veteran quarterback turning 36 in February, that’s far from a certainty. Even if Stafford does come back for another year (or two), the Rams will most likely be looking for his eventual replacement in the upcoming draft – where they could be selecting in the top 5.

Analysts have begun looking at possible quarterback targets for the Rams at the top of the draft, and in Draft Wire’s latest mock, we get a new name: Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

That’s who Jeff Risdon has the Rams selecting at No. 6 overall in his new two-round mock draft, explaining why McCarthy might be a fit in Los Angeles in Round 1.

The Rams first first-round pick since Jared Goff in 2016 sets up their replacement plan for Matthew Stafford. Their Week 9 glimpse of life without their aging, banged-up franchise QB was not pretty. McCarthy’s game isn’t always pretty either, but he’s taken a big step in processing the defense quickly and making better decisions with his passing and tuck-and-run abilities.

In his second season as a starter, McCarthy has thrown for 2,134 yards and 18 touchdowns with only three interceptions. This comes after he tossed 22 touchdown passes and five picks in 2022. He’s not the best athlete but he has enough mobility to make plays outside the pocket and scramble to pick up yardage.

Later on in the mock draft, the Rams select Ohio State pass rusher J.T. Tuimoloau. At 6-foot-4, 277 pounds, Tuimoloau has good size to play outside linebacker in the Rams’ scheme, and he’s had good production in college. He has four sacks this season and 11 total since 2021, also adding 20.5 tackles for a loss.

This haul addresses two of the Rams’ biggest needs, though McCarthy probably isn’t the quarterback many fans want Los Angeles to land in Round 1.