As the esteemed conductor of his hype train, Urban Meyer has long lauded and believed Joey Bosa to be one of college football’s best players.
Last spring, Ohio State’s head coach told CBS Sports the sophomore “could be as good a defensive linemen I've ever coached. He can be as good as there is.”
Two days before team’s season-opener in August, Meyer said he's “as good a defensive end as anybody in America” while on his weekly radio show.
And after being named to three different first-team All-American teams in the last 36 hours, such comments are starting to sound less like opinions and more of fact.
Bosa, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound freak who looks more like Triple H and less like a college football player, has blossomed into one of sport’s premier talents and a household name outside of Columbus, Ohio.
He’s the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year, leads the conference with 13.5 sacks (fourth-nationally) and 20 tackles-for-loss (fifth-nationally). He was also a finalist for the prestigious Lombardi and Bednarik Awards but lost both to Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright III.
After being honored as a first-team Walter Camp All-American Thursday night, he needs to make either the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association or Sporting News first-team to become a consensus selection.
“He's extremely strong and quick and relentless. And on top of that he loves and understands the game,” Meyer said in late September.
But what perhaps makes Bosa so special and so endearing to the Ohio State faithful is how he’s also your best bro who does likes EDM and Call of Duty just like you do. It makes the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native a fan favorite. He’s relatable and accessible. He does backflips.
And with every week, it feels like Bosa writes another chapter in a book that’s a ways off from being completed. Shuffling from city to city on the award circuit is its latest page. It has him on the cusp of history, too.
Think about it:
- Against Navy, Bosa slammed into quarterback Keenan Reynolds and forced a fumble recovery for a touchdown that turned the tide against the Midshipmen.
- Against Cincinnati, Bosa leveled Bearcat quarterback Gunner Kiel off his feet and forced another critical fumble that swung momentum in Ohio State’s favor.
- In a double-overtime thriller against Penn State in State College, his walk-off sack of Christian Hackenberg kept the Buckeyes’ postseason hopes alive and well.
- In a 59-0 rout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game last weekend, Bosa scooped and scored a fumble for a touchdown.
It’s not an all-encompassing list of things Bosa’s done this season, but you get the idea.
With physical tools that should make him a first-round NFL Draft pick someday, he dominates regardless of who’s blocking him (and usually, it’s more than one guy).
“The sky is the limit for that guy with his abilities,” co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said.
After making a big play, Bosa throws his arms in the air and shrugs as if to say “Whoops, was that me?” or “That was too easy.”
Because lately, the spectacular has become ordinary for Bosa, who’s starting to grow into an Ohio State legend.
And now, he’s starting to collect the honors and hardware to show for it.
