As the No. 1 inside linebacker prospect in the class of 2014, Raekwon McMillan was expected to make an impact for Ohio State as a true freshman. Even though expectations were high for the Hinesville, Ga. product, McMillan exceeded them.
It is uncommon for true freshman linebackers to play, let alone make an impact. Since 1990, Ohio State has signed 72 freshman linebackers; about two-thirds of them failed to get on the field. Only six players were "impact players", recording 20 or more tackles: Lorenzo Styles, Andy Katzenmoyer, A.J. Hawk, Ross Homan, Ryan Shazier and now Raekwon McMillan.
Whatever the expectations for McMillan, there's a strong chance he can meet them. All five linebackers to make an impact as true freshmen had strong sophomore seasons, and McMillan will likely do the same.
| Styles | Katzenmoyer | Hawk | Homan | Shazier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOLO TACKLES | 84 | 80 | 52 | 35 | 70 |
| TOTAL TACKLES | 117 | 97 | 106 | 67 | 115 |
| TACKLES for LOSS | 9 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 17 |
| SACKS | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| INTERCEPTIONS | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Though some may have dreamed of McMillan starting from day one, he spent 2014 as part of a linebacker rotation with senior Curtis Grant. McMillan played in 13 games, recording 30 solo tackles, 24 assisted tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and an interception.
Now that Curtis Grant has graduated, Raekwon McMillan is the presumed starter at middle linebacker for the Buckeyes in 2015. Even with a solid freshman season under his belt, he needs to show more as a sophomore.
At 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, McMillan has ideal size for a middle linebacker. Inside linebackers are asked to be a key run stopper, which requires fending off blocks from offensive linemen. On passing plays, they are asked either to drop into coverage, spy on the quarterback or blitz. McMillan was best as a blitzer, picking up two sacks and three tackles for loss against Kent State.
One concern about middle linebackers is about their foot speed; if they are matched up with slot receivers, they will often be burned. McMillan, though, has the ability to go into pass coverage and stick to receivers. On his interception return touchdown against Maryland, he dropped back into pass coverage, read the quarterback's eyes, snagged a tipped ball and raced untouched to the end zone.
Seeing as Ohio State returns a strong defensive line, teams are less likely to test McMillan in pass coverage than run defense. He won't have to be an outstanding playmaker (although he has that capacity), but he will need to be able to take away easy completions over the middle. He can do this by quickly diagnosing passing plays, positioning himself to avoid coverage gaps, and being a sure tackler on dumpoffs and other short passes.
In short, McMillan's versatility will be tested in 2015. As long as he remains healthy, he'll be asked to record something like 100 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions. It's a tall task for a linebacker, but it's the baseline for what past stars have done.
Alongside Darron Lee and Joshua Perry, McMillan will be expected to be a star. Given his skill set, there's no reason to think he won't be a feature player in 2015.
