Highlights from Minicamps As Justin Fields and the Rest of Ohio State's Rookies Go Through Their First NFL Practices

By Dan Hope on May 17, 2021 at 8:35 am
Justin Fields
Kamil Krzaczynski – USA TODAY Sports
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Ohio State’s new class of rookies went through their first practices as NFL players this past weekend.

Between Friday and Sunday, all of the NFL teams that drafted or signed rookie Buckeyes this year held their minicamps for first-year players. With the exception of Denver Broncos seventh-round draft pick Jonathon Cooper, who was unable to participate in rookie minicamp after undergoing a heart procedure last week, the rest of Ohio State’s NFL newcomers – plus a couple of non-rookie Buckeyes who are still trying to make it in the league – were on the field with their new teams for the first time over the past three days.

Thanks to media members who were on site at those rookie minicamps as well as some of those rookies participating in press conferences, we were able to get a glimpse at what most of those recent Buckeyes were up to this weekend, and we’ve rounded up some of the highlights from their first weekend of NFL practices below.

QB Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

This weekend was the first time Fields threw passes in a Bears uniform, and media members on the scene had the opportunity to film a few of his passes – from a distance – while the team's official Twitter account also shared some close-up video of the former Ohio State quarterback in their practice highlights.

Where Fields perhaps made the biggest impression over the weekend, however, was in his press conference after the first day of minicamp on Friday, where he made it clear that he’s beginning his NFL career with confidence.

When asked if he was ready for the spotlight that comes with being the Chicago Bears’ quarterback of the future, Fields said, “I’m made for this. I’m built for this.” And he also said he’s going into this summer with the mentality of trying to win the starting job right away even though the Bears have said that Andy Dalton is their starting quarterback for now.

“I think everybody on our team should be striving for a starting job, and if you’re not, then there’s no reason for you to be here,” Fields said. “So of course, I’m going to do everything I can to get that starting job. It’s not up to me, Coach (Matt) Nagy has a set plan for my development and stuff like that, but I’m just gonna work hard and keep my head down and just keep grinding it out every day.”

C Josh Myers, Green Bay Packers

Despite undergoing surgery in January to repair a foot injury he suffered during his final season at Ohio State, which kept him from participating in the Buckeyes’ pro day in late March, Myers was back on the field this weekend to participate in the Packers’ rookie minicamp.

Myers, who’s expected to vie for the Packers’ starting center job as a rookie, told reporters after the first day of minicamp that it was “a dream come true” to be on the field as an NFL player for the first time.

“It’s hard to put into words what it really feels like to step out on the practice field for the first time,” Myers said. “When I was a little kid, this was all I ever wanted to do … and for me to be able to live that dream out, like I know literally millions of others want to, it’s just kind of almost a humbling experience, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.”

He said his toe is feeling healthy now, too.

“I’m doing really good with it,” Myers said. “It seems like it’s getting better and better every week. I’m able to run pretty much full-speed. I was doing offensive line drills all day today. There are a couple things that I’m getting held out on, and that’s more of a safety thing for now. Why push it hard in May when we don’t absolutely have to? So there’s a few things that I’m kind of being careful with but other than that, I’m doing pretty much everything.”

RG Wyatt Davis, Minnesota Vikings

Like Myers, Davis was able to participate in his first NFL practices at the Vikings’ rookie minicamp this weekend despite battling an injury – in his case, a knee injury – down the stretch of his final season at Ohio State. He told reporters on Friday that he is “fully cleared” and “100 percent.”

That allowed him to get out on the field this past weekend and put the same powerful punch on display that made him a two-time All-American for the Buckeyes:

Although Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said after they drafted him that they thought Davis could play either left or right guard in the NFL, he spent the rookie minicamp lining up at the same right guard position he played for the Buckeyes, and said he’s been told that’s the position he’ll play in Minnesota.

Like Myers, Davis was thrilled just to be back on the field going through a football practice again after spending the last four months going through the pre-draft process.

“I’m so happy that we’re playing football now, not running around cones,” Davis said.

RB Trey Sermon, San Francisco 49ers

The Bay Area turned into the “Trey Area” this weekend as both Treys drafted by the 49ers – first-round quarterback Trey Lance and Sermon, who they selected in the third round – made their practice debuts at the team’s Santa Clara headquarters.

Sermon said “it was a great feeling just getting back out on the field.”

ILB Baron Browning, Denver Broncos

When Baron Browning was drafted by the Broncos, many people – including Browning himself – thought that would mean playing outside linebacker and getting more opportunities to rush the passer in Denver’s 3-4 defense. He was practicing only at inside linebacker, though, during rookie minicamp, as the Broncos want to give him the chance to settle in at one position.

Browning told reporters this weekend that he’s embracing and enjoying the position he’s playing and the opportunity to just focus on one linebacker spot for now after moving between roles during his Ohio State career.

“It’s a great feeling, just because I can kind of focus on that one position and kind of critiquing every small detail,” Browning said. “I want to be known more as a technician, I don’t want to be a guy known as an athlete. I want to be known as a guy who’s a technician, so that’s kind of where my focus is.”

DT Tommy Togiai, Cleveland Browns

There wasn’t a ton of coverage of how the rookie minicamp went for Togiai, but Orange and Brown Report’s Fred Greetham shared a video of Togiai going through drills with other Browns defenders during his first practice in Berea on Friday.

TE Luke Farrell, Jacksonville Jaguars

Most of the attention in Jacksonville this weekend went to Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne participating in their first NFL practices and Urban Meyer coaching his first NFL practices, but Farrell was one of the players catching passes from Lawrence as they had their first opportunity to build on-field chemistry in advance of their rookie seasons in the league.

DB Shaun Wade, Baltimore Ravens

Another Buckeye who had to work his way back from injury this spring after playing hurt for Ohio State during the 2020 season, Wade appeared to be healthy for his first practices as a Raven. 

The Ravens shared multiple clips of Wade going through defensive back drills during his first weekend on the field with his new team.

K Blake Haubeil, Tennessee Titans

Titans writer Jim Wyatt shared a photo of Haubeil, who will be competing with second-year Tucker McCann this summer to be Tennessee’s kicker this season, kicking off during one of the Titans’ minicamp practices.

P Drue Chrisman, Cincinnati Bengals

If you’re a fan of holders, then you’ll appreciate this clip of Chrisman holding for fellow rookie specialist Evan McPherson (who was drafted to be the Bengals’ new kicker) during their minicamp on Friday.

WR Johnnie Dixon, Cleveland Browns

While most of the players at this past weekend’s rookie minicamps were in fact rookies, each team was also allowed to host up to five tryout players to participate in their camps. One of those players was former Ohio State wide receiver Johnnie Dixon, who’s still trying to make it in the league even though he hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since going undrafted in 2019.

Because of his Ohio State background, Dixon (wearing No. 18) naturally drew more attention from media than a typical tryout player would at Browns minicamp.

QB J.T. Barrett, Dallas Cowboys

Another tryout player on this year’s rookie minicamp circuit was former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, who also hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since going undrafted in 2018, but got the opportunity to serve as one of two passers for the Dallas Cowboys this past weekend.

You can get a glimpse of Barrett throwing a couple of passes in the video below:

RB Mike Weber, Green Bay Packers

Weber was another non-rookie from Ohio State who was on the field for minicamp work this past weekend. In Weber’s case, he’s already under contract with the Packers, but was eligible to participate in rookie minicamp because he hasn’t yet played a full NFL season.

Every opportunity to get reps can be valuable for someone like Weber who’s trying to earn a spot on the Packers’ regular-season roster and stick around in the league, and the clip below shows they had him working on his pass-catching this past weekend.

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