Tag: Shaun Wade

Did the Ravens improve their roster enough during 2021 draft?

The Baltimore Ravens addressed multiple needs during the 2021 NFL draft. However, did they improve their roster enough?

As the Baltimore Ravens watched the 2021 NFL draft wind down, they came away confident that they had put together a great group of rookies who could come in and play quality football at the highest level. A big part of that was not only did they draft quality football players, but they also filled plenty of holes on their roster. However, did they improve their roster enough to be seen as true contenders for a Super Bowl?

In short, the answer is yes. No team is able to fill every single need with a high quality player unless they get extremely lucky with development, drafting, and free agency bargains. With Baltimore, they addressed many of their holes that were issues heading into the draft, and have already shown a willingness to round out their roster with free agents at the needs that they didn’t look at during the draft.

The Ravens took two wide receivers in Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace to add more talented weapons for Lamar Jackson. They drafted two edge defenders in Odafe Oweh and Daelin Hayes to try to offset the losses of Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jihad Ward. They selected a guard to shore up the interior of their offensive line in Ben Cleveland, while also taking a do it all H-back in Ben Mason. The team also made sure to shore up their secondary by taking both Brandon Stephens and Shaun Wade.

That draft haul for Baltimore signifies an effort to put the best possible roster on the field in Week 1 of the 2021 season. However, the Ravens didn’t select an offensive tackle or a defensive lineman, sparking a bit of panic as to how they planned to fill out those positions. While the team hasn’t addressed the defensive line (and honestly doesn’t need to until the 2022 draft), Baltimore signed tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who should slot into the right tackle spot that so desperately needed a starter after the departure of Brown.

The draft is a way to fill holes while also leaving room to improve a roster in the remaining waves of free agency. The Ravens used that strategy to perfection, and still could use another veteran edge rusher to truly have minimal needs remaining to address. While Baltimore didn’t plug up every single hole on their roster during the 2021 draft, they improved their team and added enough talent to keep them in the Super Bowl contenders category.

Ravens announce jersey numbers for 2021 draft class

The Baltimore Ravens selected eight players in the 2021 NFL draft. It was revealed what jersey numbers they’d wear at the pro level

The Baltimore Ravens selected eight players in the 2021 draft. Each of them will be asked to come in and contribute at a high level while also developing their skills.

A big talking point for the newest members of the team was what jersey number each player was going to wear. Rashod Bateman posted a photo on his Instagram of him in a No. 12 jersey, which sparked plenty of conversation. On Wednesday, Baltimore officially announced which numbers the rookies from their draft class would be wearing.

It’s notable that new edge rusher Odafe Oweh will be wearing former Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon’s No. 99, while defensive back Brandon Stephens will be donning running back Mark Ingram’s (and cornerback Lardarius Webb’s) old No. 21 jersey. Defensive back Shaun Wade will be wearing No. 29, which was formerly worn by safety Earl Thomas III (and most recently cornerback Tramon Williams).

Baltimore’s 2021 draft class will be expected to play football at an extremely high level moving forward. Now they can look good doing it in their new jerseys.

Ravens select Shaun Wade with No. 160 overall pick in 2021 draft

The Baltimore Ravens selected cornerback Shaun Wade with the No. 160 pick in the 2021 NFL draft

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The Baltimore Ravens have three fifth-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, and with their first fifth-round selection at No. 160 they took cornerback Shaun Wade out of Ohio State University.

Wade saw his draft stock plummet in 2020 after having a great few seasons as a nickel cornerback. In 2020 he moved outside and struggled, and subsequently fell to Baltimore at No. 160.

With Tavon Young suffering three season-ending injuries in five years, drafting slot cornerback depth was a priority, especially if they didn’t want to risk moving Marlon Humphrey back inside in the event of Young going down.

Wade has plenty of potential at the next level. He could also see time at free safety, but the Ravens will probably look to develop him as a slot option.

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Follow Shaun Wade through behind the scenes pro day workout

Thanks to the Ohio State creative team, we can share a behind-the-scenes look at Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade’s pro day workout at OSU.

Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade is now in wait and see mode — well, aside fromĀ a pretty cool campaign called “Cleats on the Ground.” He’s taking five days leading up to the 2021 NFL draft to get out in his hometown Jacksonville community to make a difference.

But when it comes to putting in the workouts, interviews, and film for the NFL, that’s all done. Now all that’s left to do is hear his name called during the draft this weekend.

Before that though, Wade took one more opportunity to work out in front of NFL scouts and coaches at Ohio State’s second pro day. He didn’t participate in the first pro day because of a turf toe injury, but he had himself a fantastic day during the second one despite not being at 100%.

We’ve shared some photos of that day when heĀ ran a blistering 40-yard dash, but we now have some video too that you can watch of some behind-the-scenes moments of that workout. It all comes courtesy of the Ohio State Football Twitter account and the creative team.

I love seeing these peek behind the curtains you don’t normally get to witness and this is just another great example.

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WATCH: Shaun Wade visits local high school football team on day three of ‘Cleats on the Ground’ campaign

Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade visited a local high school football team on the third day of his ‘Cleats on the Ground’ outreach campaign.

We’ve been following a pretty cool thing Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade has been doing. He’s been using the days leading up to the 2021 NFL draft to perform some outreach in his hometown community of Jacksonville, Florida. The campaign is called “Cleats on the Ground,” and we think it’s a beautiful thing.

For a little background, we asked Shaun’s dad Randy how the idea was born and it had everything to do with getting on the ground and in the community to make a difference.

ā€œā€˜CLEATS ON GROUNDā€™ comes from the saying ‘Boots on Ground’ in the military, meaning youā€™re truly in the fight,ā€’ said the elder Wade. ā€œShaun and I had discussions about his childhood ā€” how athletes, stars, entertainers, and successful people never came in our community. We always had to go find them in a game or event. While Shaun had free time, he wanted to dedicate some time to visit people in his community to show he caresā€¦ Just better something that wasnā€™t done to him.”

Now that’s a young man and family that gets it. My interactions with the Wade family have always been excellent, and it’s a testament to what they believe in, and how Wade was raised.

But back to “Cleats on the Ground.”

Day one consisted of talking to a youth football team. Day two involvedĀ visiting some troops in the area, and day three was spent speaking to the Jean Ribault Trojans high school football team in JAX. And as always, his day was encapsulated with video shared to his and his father’s Twitter account.

We’ve been sharing the efforts with you up until now and we’ll continue by sharing part three of a five-day effort that says a lot about who Wade is as a person. Click on the below and watch Wade talk to the team about what to expect in college, what he’ll remember, and more.

Look. I know Wade’s NFL stock seems to have fallen from where it was at the end of 2019, but if character means anything in the draft process, someone’s going to be extremely happy by nabbing a guy that has a high ceiling to go with what he’ll mean as a great ambassador for said NFL team.

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Ohio State football 2021 draft comparisons – Cornerback Shaun Wade

Who are the best comparisons for former Ohio State Buckeyes corner, Shaun Wade? We look at one Buckeye and one overall NFL player.

The 2021 NFL draft is less than a week away and we have covered a brief breakdown of the best possible comparisons for each Ohio State football players. The first day of the draft starts next Thursday in Cleveland, and although Justin Fields is likely the only candidate to be taken on that specific day, there are numerous Buckeyes ready to hear their names called on day two and beyond.

Shaun WadeĀ once opted out of the 2020 season but rejoined the team once the Big Ten officially announced their fall season. Wade was the leader of the 2020 defensive backfield despite likely being an early-round selection in the NFL draft without taking a snap.

Itā€™s time to take a look at some comparisons for Wade, first from an all-around perspective then we will dive into his best Ohio State alum comparison.

Player Profile

Name:Ā Shaun Wade

Position:Ā Cornerback

Height:Ā 6-feet, 1-inch

Weight:Ā 196-pounds

NEXT ā€¦ The closest all-around comp to Wade

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

WATCH: Shaun Wade visits troops on day two of ‘Cleats on the Ground’

We’re following an outreach campaign Ohio State DB Shaun Wade is embarking on prior to the draft. Day two featured him visiting troops.

We stumbled across this while looking at former Ohio State players on Twitter and we loved it so much, we decided to follow where things go. In case you haven’t been paying attention, Buckeye defensive back Shaun Wade is using his last days before the 2021 NFL draft working a campaign called “Cleats on the Ground.”

His father Randy Wade provided Buckeyes Wire with some background on the efforts, and we have to say, we like Wade getting involved in the community of his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

“‘CLEATS ON GROUND’ comes from the saying “Boots on Ground” in the military, meaning you’re truly in the fight,” said the elder Wade. “Shaun and I had discussions about his childhood — how athletes, stars, entertainers, and successful people never came in our community. We always had to go find them in a game or event. While Shaun had free time, he wanted to dedicate some time to visit people in his community to show he cares… Just better something that wasn’t done to him… “‘CLEATS on Ground.'”

We love it, so we’ll be following his five days of working on outreach in his community. Day one featured Wade talking to a youth football team about staying in school and working hard, and by the looks of it, day two focused on him visiting some troops.

Take a look at the video shared by Wade’s father Randy, and watch him visiting military personnel and showing them a little love with his time and energy — something we could do more of in this country.

To be honest, we can’t like this enough. Whatever team gets Shaun Wade in the NFL draft is not only getting a player with a high ceiling but one that is a pretty outstanding human being too.

Good on you Wade!

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Contact/Follow usĀ @BuckeyesWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ FacebookĀ to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

WATCH: Shaun Wade ‘Cleats on the Ground’ community outreach kicks off in Jacksonville

Ohio State DB Shaun Wade is kicking off an outreach campaign in Jacksonville called ‘Cleats on the Ground’ as he awaits the 2021 NFL draft.

One thing I love about covering the Ohio State football program is the type of young people that come through the program. We are biased here at Buckeyes Wire, but there has been a concerted effort to not only recruit great players at OSU, but great people. Hardly ever do we run into kids that disrespect media obligations or carry themselves in a way that appears selfish. There are also countless examples of players that have given their time to the community and other noble causes.

Take cornerback Shaun Wade for example. As he waits to hear his name get called in the 2021 NFL draft, he has apparently gone home to Jacksonville to make an impact on his community. According to a Twitter video his dad Randy shared, Wade is spending “5 Days to serve his community called ‘Cleats on Ground.'” His focus, according to the Tweet involves “visiting youth organizations, Military Vets, Juvenile Facilities and others.”

I don’t pretend to know Wade personally, but the times that we’ve covered him and his family, they’ve been nothing but gracious, engaging, and intentional on making a difference.

You can get a look at day one of Wade’s efforts as he visits what looks to be a youth football team and provides a critical talk on getting good grades, finishing school, and continuing to work hard every day.

We can’t wait to see what the other four days look like. Good on you Wade. Here’s to hoping your NFL career on the field is as golden as your work off of it.

LOOK. Shaun Wade shows out at Ohio State pro day No. 2.

Ohio State DB Shaun Wade showed everyone why his skills could translate to a special player at the next level during OSU’s second pro day.

Although most were interested to see Ohio State quarterback Justin FieldsĀ do his thing at OSU’s second pro day, cornerbackĀ Shaun Wade was also doing showing us his athletic skills. It all went a little under the radar because of the buzz surrounding Fields, but as a reminder, WadeĀ did not work out at pro day No. 1 because of a turf toe issue that rendered him incapable of showing his best.

He may not have been complete 100% on Wednesday either, but he showed all the NFL types that were there why he was projected as a first-round pick at the end of last season.

Not only did Wade throw down a 4.43 40-time, but he also lept out of the building with a 37.5″ verticle, and put down a broad jump of 10′ 3″. Those numbers, by the way, fair very well in relation to what other first-round defensive backs have put up for OSU in other combine-type workouts.

The 40-time, in particular, is impressive seeing how Wade is probably not hitting on all cylinders quite yet. A turf toe issue can linger for a while and pushing off at the start had to feel a little uncomfortable. Here’s a look at Wade’s 40-yard dash performance.

It’s unlikely that Wade’s performance is going to make anyone revisit his fall out of the first round, but what it likely did do is settle some that had questions of whether he had it athletically still or not. Maybe, he did enough for someone to even take a shot at him in the second round, we just don’t know yet — and won’t — until all the drama unfolds in Cleveland at the 2021 NFL draft.

With as high of a ceiling as what Wade has, he might make an NFL team look like draft savants a couple of years down the line. Here is some more video of Wade’s workout Wednesday all courtesy of the Ohio State Dept. of Athletics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q2ScGBVKm4

Shuan Wade delays pro day workout to April 14

According to Eleven Warriors, Ohio State football corner Shaun Wade has delayed his pro day workout because of a lingering turf toe issue.

Ohio State is scheduled to hold its pro day for potential NFL draftees this coming Wednesday, March 30. There is sure to be a slew of Buckeye players working out for NFL scouts and executives, but it appears one of the biggest names will be missing.

According to Eleven Warriors, defensive backĀ Shaun Wade will delay his pro day workout until April 14 because of a lingering turf toe issue that has limited his ability to go full speed.

From Eleven Warriors:

ā€œMy toe still has been bothering me,ā€ Wade told Eleven Warriors. ā€œEven though when I do it April 14th, it probably still is gonna mess with me, but Iā€™m just trying to make sure Iā€™m ready.

ā€œI just started two weeks ago running the 40 and doing things. So everybody was definitely ahead and stuff like that. But yeah, I just gotta keep on getting better and things like that and get the toe better. I got a cortisone shot three weeks ago, and it hasnā€™t really kicked in for me. I did a lot to the toe, so after all this, Iā€™m gonna get a PRP shot so it can heal all the way.ā€

Shaun Wade tells Jim Rome love of Ohio State had him come back to OSU
Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

If anyone needs to show well in front of the NFL types, it could be the former projected first-rounder. Wade made the decision to come back for one more season when the Big Ten switched gears and put an abbreviated football schedule back on the table. The former slot corner moved to the outside and got criticized greatly in the media for giving up some big plays and being out of position.

We’ll keep an eye on not only the upcoming Ohio State pro day, but when, where, and how Wade’s workout before scouts go as well.

All Ohio State football players eligible for the 2021 NFL draft

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