Could Ohio State's defensive line be more talented than an NFL defensive line?
Greg Schiano thinks so, and he would know.
Ohio State's defensive coordinator was the head coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and 2013, where his defensive line included Gerald McCoy – a five-time consecutive Pro Bowl defensive tackle – among others. Yet when BTN Live's Dave Revsine asked Schiano on Saturday whether Ohio State's 2017 defensive line is the most talented defensive line he's ever had, Schiano said it was.
"It is, and that's not a joke," Schiano said. "We had a great player in Tampa by the name of Gerald McCoy, a tremendous player, but that was one guy. I go back to my days at Miami (as a defensive coordinator) in '99 and 2000, this is clearly a better group than those guys, so that's saying something."
Miami's defensive line in 1999 included two future first-round NFL draft picks (Damione Lewis and William Joseph) and a second-round draft pick (Michael Boireau), so saying Ohio State's defensive line is more talented than that defensive line really is saying something.
The stronger take, though, is saying that Ohio State's defensive line is more talented than one that actually was an NFL team's defensive line, which drew criticism on social media from Buccaneers fans and followers.
Schiano had Gerald McCoy and Michael Bennett in 2012, gtfoh https://t.co/6OVXMc7hrd
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) August 6, 2017
Lol. Schiano is salty apparently. Taking shots for no reason. https://t.co/kUeT8vtR3d
— Marc Magana (@Bucsfan02) August 6, 2017
It's a bold statement to say that a college defensive line could be better than one with players who have proven themselves in the NFL, but Ohio State's defensive line is loaded with players who are expected to play at the next level.
Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Dre'Mont Jones and Nick Bosa are all projected as future early-round draft picks. Jalyn Holmes, Michael Hill and Robert Landers are potential NFL players too. The Buckeyes are also loaded with younger talent who could ultimately prove to be NFL-caliber players too, including five-star true freshman defensive end Chase Young.
Watch the video above to see the rest of Schiano's interview with BTN Live.
