Eleven former Ohio State Buckeyes — a number that trails only Alabama's 14 — accepted invites to the 2018 NFL Combine, the league announced Tuesday morning.
Scouting profiles come with every prospect except early entrant Jerome Baker. Some include quotes from team scouts and executives that may or may not have a direct interest in inflating or deflating a player's stock:
- A scout in the AFC North on Marcus Baugh: "Looks a lot better than he plays."
- NFC team scout on Jamarco Jones: "He has holes like they all do but I think he's safer than Mike McGlinchey as a pro. Ohio State's scheme doesn't give you as many pro-style looks as Notre Dame, but I think he'll fit in well as a pro."
- AFC regional scout on J.T. Barrett: "Great leader and a high character guy. I want him to succeed but I just don't see enough talent to be an NFL quarterback."
Here's the full list; click the name for NFL.com's official individual prognosis on Urban Meyer's latest crop of talent:
| PLAYER (POSITION) | STRENGTHS | WEAKENSSES | COMPARISON | DRAFT GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEROME BAKER (LB) | – | – | – | – |
| J.T. BARRETT (QB) | "Outstanding leader. Teammates love him and he handled the rotation quarterback issue with maturity in 2016." | "Operation time and ball handling are a little slow. Not a naturally accurate passer. Makes receivers work too hard." | – | Round 7/PFA |
| MARCUS BAUGH (TE #3) | "Able to post up defenders and hold them off to pry a better throwing window open. Has some open field talent with the ball in his hand after the catch." | "Gawky and awkward in his movement. Has extremely awkward gait as a runner and is able to be re-routed." | – | Round 7/PFA |
| JALYN HOLMES (DL) | " Long-limbed with frame to pack on more functional muscle. Looks awkward in movements, but is sneaky strong. Can shudder a blocker's pads with strong pop from his hands." | "Doesn't play with much suddenness or quick-twitch. Tight hips cause sluggish lateral movement. Has trouble sinking and scrapping against down blocks due to high center of gravity." | Henry Anderson | Round 3 |
| SAM HUBBARD (DL) | "Plays with consistent pad level and good bend at point of attack. Attacks with square pads and a wide, balanced base. Sinks hips and braces up with arm extension when setting the edge." |
"More worker bee than twitchy athlete. Burst to the ball is just average. Doesn't get early wins at the point of attack." |
Preston Smith | – |
| JAMARCO JONES (OL) | "Pass sets feature adequate balance, a flat back and chin tucked. Looked much more confident in pass protection this year." | "Doesn't have optimal height/length for tackle. Needs to close distance and speed up hands against long edge-setters." | Michael Oher | – |
| TYQUAN LEWIS (DL) | " Plays with adequate upfield charge as a rusher. Able to gain good ground up to the rush arc with his first two steps." | "Average athlete at the position. Movements can be somewhat segmented. Plays with too much wasted motion." | Tank Carradine | Round 5-6 |
| BILLY PRICE (OL) | "Freaky strength and explosiveness. Expected to crush the bench press at the Combine." | "Has had consistent tape where impatience gets him in trouble. Lunges out to find shade defenders causing him to over-set and lose balance." | LeCharles Bentley | Round 2 |
| DENZEL WARD (DB) | "Supreme athletic ability. Expected to be impressive Combine tester. Can park in a deep squat under wide receiver's chin at the line." | "Frame is somewhat slight and he feels small in coverage at times. Lacks play strength to jam and disrupt." | Chris Harris Jr. | Round 1 |
| DAMON WEBB (DB) | "Opportunistic. Grabbed five interceptions this season and has two career pick-sixes." | "Undersized with narrow waist and the build of a cornerback. Below average athletic ability." | – | Round 7/PFA |
| CHRIS WORLEY (LB) | "Team leader with outstanding football character. Has overcome personal adversity on and off the field. Former safety with a feel for play development." | "Movement is rigid and segmented. Plays straight legged. Lacks fluidity in open field and is sluggish with change of direction." | – | Round 7/PFA |
The NFL will host the 2018 combine Feb. 27th to March 5th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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