Two former Buckeye defensive linemen wore their Ohio State helmets for one final game on Saturday.
In their final chance to play an actual football game before the 2022 NFL draft, Tyreke Smith and Haskell Garrett both put their skills on display for pro scouts as members of the National Team in this year’s Senior Bowl.
While neither was a starter, both Buckeyes mixed in for playing time with the National defensive line over the course of the game to help their squad earn a 20-10 win.
Smith made the biggest highlight between them late in the first quarter, when he spun his way off of Southern Utah left tackle Braxton Jones to get to Liberty quarterback Malik Willis and take him down for a sack on 3rd-and-8.
Myjai Sanders gets some pressure from behind on Willis, #OhioState DL Tyreke Smith gets the sack pic.twitter.com/Z9pHervNcj
— (@FTB_Vids_YT) February 5, 2022
That sack was the only tackle of the day for Smith.
Garrett, who was seen wearing a shoulder brace after leaving Thursday’s practice with an injury, bounced back with a solid showing as both a pass rusher and a run stopper while seeing regular reps in the defensive tackle rotation on Saturday, recording three tackles and pressuring American Team quarterbacks on several occasions, all the while drawing a good amount of double-teams throughout the game.
Former Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert, who was named on many “winners” lists from media members in attendance for the first two days of practice in Mobile, Alabama, did not play in Saturday’s game after reportedly suffering a minor foot injury that also kept him out of practice on Thursday.
Even so, Ruckert likely elevated his draft stock with his performance in practices – which are considered to be the more important part of Senior Bowl week – as The Athletic’s Dane Brugler named him as the biggest winner of the week among tight ends.
“Even though he missed Thursday’s practice with a minor injury, Ruckert impressed during the first two days,” Brugler wrote. “He is smooth in his routes to uncover downfield, and his ball skills were on display, consistently snaring throws away from his frame.”
