Tag: Matthew Jones

Former Ohio State offensive lineman Ben Christman finds his new home in the SEC

Christman is heading a bit South to continue his career #GoBucks

When Ohio State signed offensive lineman [autotag]Ben Christman[/autotag] in the 2021 recruiting cycle, many expected him to contend for a starting spot early in his career.

As the seventh-ranked interior lineman and 124th overall player according to the 247Sports composite, expectations were high for the Ohioan. Unfortunately, Christman couldn’t crack the lineup in Columbus and decided late last month to enter the portal.

It didn’t take him that long to find a new home in Lexington, Kentucky. The 6-foot, 6-inch and 300-pound lineman will suit up for the Kentucky Wildcats this fall. You’d have to expect he is in line for a starting position or at least a good amount of playing time.

The Buckeyes return both starting guards, [autotag]Donovan Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Matthew Jones[/autotag], so for at least this coming season, playing time would have been difficult for Christman. We wish Ben the best with Big Blue.

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Junior Ohio State offensive lineman enters the transfer portal

The Buckeyes lose some depth on the line #GoBucks

Transfer season is once again upon us and [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] has taken a few hits. On Tuesday, wide receiver Caleb Burton entered the portal.

On Wednesday, offensive lineman [autotag]Ben Christman[/autotag] joined Burton in making a move from Ohio State. The Ohio native redshirted during his first year on campus and didn’t see the field often this past season.

There wasn’t much buzz about Christman contending for a starting job this fall after spring camp, so this move makes sense for the soon-to-be third-year player. The Buckeyes are also over the scholarship limit, so you can expect more portal news as the program gets down to the 85-player limit the NCAA mandates.

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Christman was regarded as one of the best interior offensive linemen in the 2021 recruiting cycle, ranked as the No. 7 interior lineman and 124th overall player on the 247Sports composite.

It’s not a massive loss for the Buckeyes, but one that affects depth. The starters at guard are set: [autotag]Donovan Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Matthew Jones[/autotag]. Christman was never really considered a candidate for either open tackle positions or center. He had rotated in behind Jackson at left guard during the spring, but he’s most likely looking to be the guy somewhere else. We wish Ben the best of luck at his next destination.

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Top five rated Ohio State center recruits since 2000

Top five rated Ohio State center recruits since 2000 #GoBucks

We have been diving into some of the more highly touted recruits in Ohio State history. We recently discussed the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles and guards, but we wanted to look into the history of recruiting centers.

There are some very interesting names on this top five recruiting list and even though 247Sports only goes back to 2000, there are some memorable names. It is always fun to reflect on how some of these guys performed and whether or not they lived up to expectations. Offensive line recruits are always interesting because these are guys that are often switching positions, but let’s dive in.

One returning Ohio State offensive line starter ranked among best entering 2023

Although Ohio State has to replace three of five offensive line starters from last year, Donovan Jackson’s spot is not in question.

The 2022 season is just barely in our rearview mirror and as [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] prepares for the spring, there is one spot on the offensive line  there aren’t any questions at.

Guard [autotag]Donovan Jackson[/autotag] has lived up to his five-star billing in the 2021 class. He played in every game during his freshman year and became a starter this past season.

The experience and performance have many considering him one of the best in the country, and [autotag]Pro Football Focus[/autotag] also believes that is the case. Jackson was named as one of the top-10 returning interior offensive lineman for the 2023 season, ranking eighth overall.

Jackson is one of two players returning along the line. [autotag]Matthew Jones[/autotag] is the other. The Buckeyes will lean on their experience as they replace 60% of the starters in the unit from last season.

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Ohio State finally gets a commitment from a transfer portal offensive lineman

The Buckeyes get an addition to their offensive line #GoBucks

The [autotag]Ohio State football[/autotag] team’s search for a transfer portal offensive lineman to help fill three vacant spots had come up empty until Wednesday. [autotag]Louisiana-Monroe[/autotag] offensive lineman [autotag]Victor Cutler[/autotag] ended the drought by committing to the Buckeyes.

The 6-foot, 2-inch, 280-pound guard will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. This is a very interesting addition because offensive guard is the only position along the line with returning starters, [autotag]Matthew Jones[/autotag] and[autotag]Donovan Jackson[/autotag].

Could one of them move inside and play center? That is a real possibility, but we will find out much more when spring practice begins and reports of what the offensive line looks like emerge. None of these three have the length teams are looking for at tackle, so it’s unlikely one of them moves to the outside of the line.

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Ohio State offensive line starter coming back for 2023 season

Great news for the offensive line #GoBucks

The Ohio State football program hasn’t received the best news regarding their offensive line in the last few days. It wasn’t a surprise offensive tackle [autotag]Paris Johnson Jr.[/autotag] decided to leave for the NFL, however, center [autotag]Luke Wypler [/autotag] leaving was.

It’s almost a foregone conclusion that a third starter, tackle [autotag]Dawand Jones[/autotag], will follow his teammates to the NFL since he’s already committed to playing in the Senior Bowl.

The unit could have lost a fourth member. However, [autotag]Matthew Jones[/autotag] announced Wednesday morning that he plans to return to Columbus for another season. Jones and fellow guard [autotag]Donovan Jackson[/autotag] will be the two returning starters along the line in 2023 if Jones does what we expect.

Jones mentions unfinished business in his return post, which surely means a win against our rivals along with another shot with his [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] teammates at a College Football Playoff title.

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The day after: Thoughts on Ohio State’s crushing loss to Georgia

So many thoughts but these stuck out in my mind the most. How about yours Buckeye fans? #GoBucks

If you were like me, it was hard to sleep Saturday night.

For more than three quarters of the [autotag]Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl[/autotag], it looked like [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] would face [autotag]TCU[/autotag] with a national championship on the line. Georgia had different plans. It mounted a massive comeback during the fourth quarter and sent the Buckeyes back to Columbus with a disappointing loss.

Since the game ended, many thoughts have passed through my head, some good, some bad and a great many pondering what the future for [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] and his program will look like. Here are my thoughts the day after Ohio State’s 42-41 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal. (Also, happy New Year’s everyone, even if it wasn’t what many of us wanted).

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Keys for Ohio State to defeat Georgia in the Peach Bowl

What are your keys for the Buckeyes? #GoBucks

The Buckeyes are underdogs and aren’t projected by many to have a chance against Georgia, last year’s [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] champion.

To say the Bulldogs are unbeatable, however, is false, even though they have not yet lost this season. They bring a 15-game winning streak and a 27-1 record over the last two seasons into this game.

It is not an easy task for [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] and [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag], but that is why they play the game. For the Buckeyes to come away with a win and play for a national championship, they are going to have to play one of their most complete games of the year. There will be plenty of keys to getting a victory against Georgia and here are a few that stick out.

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Multiple Ohio State stars make Mel Kiper of ESPN’s top NFL prospects

Expect to see a lot more Buckeyes on Sunday’s!

There is some good and bad when it comes to the uptick in NFL Draft projections. The good is that the Buckeyes are always very well represented at the next level, the bad sees [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] stars moving on and the end of the college football season.

Even though it is inevitable, it’s a bit bittersweet. With that said, Mel Kiper of ESPN (subscription required) has released his top 25 big board prospects along with his top 10 positional prospects for the upcoming 2023 [autotag]NFL Draft[/autotag]. It should come as no surprise that a large amount of Buckeye players made the list. Find out below who made the top 25 overall and who is considered the best at their positions.

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Top three NFL draft-eligible guards in the Big Ten for 2022

Top three draft-eligible guards in the Big Ten. #B1G

It is never too early to talk about the NFL Draft and one of the most polarizing and fun positions to discuss is the guard position. Despite being an Ohio State fan, I must give credit where credit is deserved and Michigan has an extremely impressive track record of producing high-end interior offensive line talent.

The Buckeyes have obviously also produced their share of high-end talent like Wyatt Davis, Jonah Jackson, and William Roberts, who all went in the first three rounds of the NFL draft. It looks like this season, Ohio State may provide another underrated sleeper on the interior, but let’s dive into the top three draft-elgible guards in the Big Ten.