Carlos Hyde will lead the contingent of six former Buckeyes into the 2014 NFL Combine, scheduled to take place February 22-25 in Indianapolis. The event will be broadcast on the NFL Network.
Here are the six former Bucks, per OSU release:
WR Corey Brown
True senior wide receiver Corey Brown, from Upper Darby, Pa., and Cardinal O’Hara High School, led (or tied) for the team lead in receiving in each of his last three seasons and in the process became just the second Ohio State receiver to have consecutive seasons of at least 60 receptions (David Boston; 1997-98). His 63 receptions in 2013 are the fifth-most in school history, as are his 145 career receptions. His 1,750 receiving yards (14th) and 15 career touchdowns (12th) also rank high among the school leaders. Corey played in 48 games and started 35 times.
RB Carlos Hyde
True senior running back Carlos Hyde, from Naples, Fla., and Naples High School, can be considered among the top running backs in Ohio State history. Tough and durable, he owns the best yards per carry average for a career (6.1), single season (7.3 in 2013) and game (10.2 vs. Illinois in 2013). He has the sixth-most rushing yards in school history – 3,198 – and a handful of Top 5 career or single season totals, including career rushing touchdowns (4th with 37), career touchdowns (4th with 41), season per game rushing average (5th at 138.3 ypg in 2013) and season and career 100-yard games (5th with nine in 2013 and 16 overall, respectively). He played four years (2010-13) for the Buckeyes with 41 games played and 20 starts. In his 20 starts, he averaged 112.1 rushing yards per game and scored 26 touchdowns.
C Corey Linsley
Fifth-year senior center Corey Linsley, from Youngstown, Ohio and Boardman High School, has been the center of attention on the Ohio State offensive line for the past two seasons and earned all-Big Ten Conference honors each year. He made the transition from offensive guard/tackle to center in the spring of 2012 and proceeded to start every game in 2012 and 2013, a stretch of 26 games when the team won a school-record 24-consecutive games. He logged more than 1,600 plays from scrimmage those two seasons and graduated in December 2013 with his degree in economics.
OT Jack Mewhort
Fifth-year senior offensive tackle Jack Mewhort, from Toledo, Ohio and St. John’s High School, was named a first-team All-American by ESPN.com and a second-team All-American by Walter Camp, Sports Illustrated and the FWAA as a senior in 2013. He was the foundation of an offensive line that helped the Buckeyes rank fifth nationally in rushing (308.6 yards per game) and shatter school records for points scored (637), touchdowns (87) and touchdown passes (38), plus score the third-most rushing touchdowns in school history (45). He played in 49 games as a Buckeye and started 39 consecutive games to close his career.
CB Bradley Roby
Fourth-year junior CB Bradley Roby, from Suwanee, Ga., and Peachtree Ridge High School, announced prior to his junior campaign that he would be foregoing a senior season in order to enter the NFL Draft. He was a starter in all 37 games he played in over his three-year playing career with the Buckeyes. He had 44 career passes defended (eight INTs and 36 PBUs) and he ranked third in school history with 226 interception return yards. He was tied for the school record (with seven others) with two career interception returns for TDs. He scored five touchdowns on defense and special teams, and in 2012 he led the nation in passes defended with 19.
LB Ryan Shazier
True junior LB Ryan Shazier, from Pompano Beach, Fla, and Plantation High School, opted to enter the NFL Draft at the conclusion of his junior season. A first-team All-American in 2013, he finished his Ohio State career ranking 15th with 306 total tackles. He ranks sixth all-time in school history in career solo tackles (201) and career tackles-for-loss (44.5) and was on pace to set school records in both had he stayed for his senior season. He led the team in tackles in 2012 and 2013 to join an elite list of players, including James Laurinaitis, A.J. Hawk, Chris Spielman and Pepper Johnson, to lead the team in tackles in consecutive years. He had 15 games with 10-or-more tackles.
This list makes me somewhat sad, because these were all great players in the Scarlet and Gray, and Ohio State will have A LOT of production to replace next year.
Best of luck, fellahs.
