It’s that time of year again.
With Big Ten Media Days just two weeks away and the start of preseason camp just three weeks away, we held our fourth annual Ohio State football team draft this week, in which Eleven Warriors beat writers Dan Hope and Griffin Strom went head-to-head to draft what we believe are the best possible lineups from the Buckeyes’ 2022 roster.
Our draft – which you’ll be able to hear with our real-time reactions as it happened on this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays – consisted of 44 total selections, with each of us selecting 11 players on offense and 11 players on defense to build our 22-man lineups.
On offense, each writer was required to draft one quarterback, five offensive linemen and five skill-position players (running backs, wide receivers and tight ends). On defense, each writer was required to draft at least three defensive linemen, two linebackers and four defensive backs with the flexibility to draft from any positions for our final two defensive picks, though both writers chose to draft four DL, two LBs and five DBs.
After former Eleven Warriors beat writer Colin Hass-Hill pantsed Dan in last year’s draft – Dan somehow allowed Colin to end up with C.J. Stroud, TreVeyon Henderson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave and four of Ohio State’s five starting offensive linemen – the veteran beat writer was motivated to redeem himself in this year’s draft. Griffin, meanwhile, looked to pick up where Colin left off by handing Dan another defeat.
Below, you can see who we selected with each of the draft’s 44 picks along with our explanations for why we made each pick we did, a side-by-side look at our lineups and our arguments for why each of our teams would win a hypothetical game against the other. At the bottom, cast your vote for which of our teams you think would win that game – and feel free to let us know what you think of our drafting in the comments.
The Picks
1. C.J. Stroud, QB (Griffin)
Not much of an explanation needed here, is there? It’s a flat-out no-brainer at the top of the draft order as I get the returning Heisman Trophy finalist and potential No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft as my first pick. Even with last year’s Heisman Trophy winner (Bryce Young) returning in 2022, Stroud is the preseason favorite to win the award per many betting sites, and I’ll gladly take the potential best player in college football on my squad.
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR (Dan)
3. Paris Johnson Jr., OT (Dan)
After missing out on the chance to draft Stroud, landing his superstar wide receiver and best offensive lineman was the next-best thing.
Smith-Njigba is arguably Ohio State’s best player and perhaps the best wide receiver in all of college football after his record-setting 2021 season, so I didn’t have to think twice about taking him with the No. 2 overall pick. Johnson will also be one of Ohio State’s most valuable players if he becomes the player he’s expected to be at left tackle, and I wasn’t going to risk not getting at least one of the Buckeyes’ starting tackles after Colin swiped them both from me last year.
4. Dawand Jones, OT (Griffin)
5. Denzel Burke, CB (Griffin)
Dan took the next two picks off my draft board with Smith-Njigba and Johnson, but I was of a similar mind when it came to taking a tackle early on given the Buckeyes’ lack of depth at the position. Jones is the more proven tackle commodity at the college level, which means I may end up stealing Ohio State’s top exterior lineman despite Dan’s pick.
I also secured perhaps Ohio State’s best defensive back in Burke, who will come in handy as a lockdown corner to slow down the likes of Smith-Njigba, depending on where he lines up at wideout.
6. Ronnie Hickman, S (Dan)
7. Luke Wypler, C (Dan)
Hickman was Ohio State’s most consistent defensive player in 2021, and he might be Ohio State’s most important defensive player this season as he anchors the secondary from the “adjuster” free safety position.
Sticking with the theme of learning from last year’s mistakes and prioritizing the offensive line early, I drafted Wypler to secure the Buckeyes’ starting center, ensuring my roster includes two of Ohio State’s three returning starters up front.
8. Donovan Jackson, G/T (Griffin)
9. J.T. Tuimoloau, DE (Griffin)
With Ohio State’s two starting tackles already off the board and Dan having taken two linemen with his first four picks, I took a player who could line up at guard or tackle depending on how the rest of the picks shake out. Jackson doesn’t have the experience to draw upon, but he has potential in spades, which is why he’s been cross-training at both left guard and tackle ahead of his first year as a starter.
With my next pick I took Tuimoloau, who I expect to be the Buckeyes’ top pass-rusher in 2022 after the flashes he showed this spring.
10. Jack Sawyer, DE (Dan)
11. TreVeyon Henderson, RB (Dan)
I would have drafted both of Ohio State’s five-star sophomore defensive ends here if Griffin hadn’t taken Tuimoloau, but I’m no less happy to land Sawyer, who I expect to be a major difference-maker as a pass-rusher this season.
Henderson fell out of the top 10 because of Ohio State’s running back depth, but he easily could have been a top-five pick based on his performance in 2021, so I couldn’t pass upon his talent any longer at the 11th slot.
12. Emeka Egbuka, WR (Griffin)
13. Matt Jones, G/C (Griffin)
Given the depth Ohio State possesses at wide receiver, I wasn’t too worried about getting Stroud a wideout early in the draft order. But with my sixth pick, I took a player that might turn out to be the second-best receiver on the team. Egbuka hasn’t had the single breakout performance that Marvin Harrison Jr. enjoyed in the Rose Bowl, but his body type and versatility mirror Smith-Njigba’s own.
Next I took Jones, who could either play center or guard for my squad, and also gives me three of Ohio State’s five starting offensive linemen for the 2022 season.
14. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR (Dan)
15. Steele Chambers, LB (Dan)
As talented as Egbuka is, I was happy Griffin chose to pass on Harrison, who I expect to be the Buckeyes’ second-most productive wide receiver this year behind only Smith-Njigba. Chambers was already Ohio State’s best linebacker last season even though he only started playing the position in August, so I’m expecting him to be a star for the Buckeyes’ defense this year now that he’s had a full offseason of development at the position.
16. Cody Simon, LB (Griffin)
17. Julian Fleming, WR (Griffin)
My picks got a bit less sensical here as my draft day organization began to unwind, but I stand firm that Cody Simon might just be the top linebacker among the core group of Simon, Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers at the two inside positions. Coming off shoulder surgery has led to a quieter offseason for the New Jersey native, but I’d expect him to make plenty of noise once the season begins.
The jury is still out on what the ceiling for Fleming will be this season, but he could feasibly end up being anywhere from the Buckeyes’ second to fourth option at wideout in 2022. He was my second pick at receiver as I looked to avoid picking up less experienced players at the position.
18. Tanner McCalister, S/CB (Dan)
19. Josh Fryar, T/G (Dan)
McCalister’s experience playing for Jim Knowles at Oklahoma State could make him one of Ohio State’s most important defensive players this year, so I didn’t want to miss out on the stability I expect him to provide at the nickel safety position.
I drafted Fryar higher than I had him slotted on my draft board because Griffin tipped his hand that he was considering drafting another offensive lineman with the 16th or 17th pick. I expect Fryar to be Ohio State’s sixth man on the offensive line this year, and I didn’t want to let Griffin draft four of the top six offensive linemen.
20. Josh Proctor, S (Griffin)
21. Tyleik Williams, DT (Griffin)
It’s no secret that Knowles’ defense relies heavily on safety play, and I picked up my first of the draft here with Proctor. The fifth-year senior played free safety last year before suffering a season-ending leg fracture in Week 2, but filled the bandit role in Knowles’ scheme in the spring game. With Hickman already off the board, Proctor gives me OSU’s No. 2 adjuster safety and potentially its No. 1 bandit, with the versatility to slot into either role at a high level.
In Williams, I get the Ohio State DT with the most upside and a potential game-wrecker on the interior. The big man was second in sacks on the Buckeye roster as just a true freshman, and he's shed weight to further improve his athleticism and stamina going into year two.
22. Cameron Brown, CB (Dan)
23. Zach Harrison, DE (Dan)
Considering that both of them could feasibly be playing in the NFL right now, I was ecstatic to land Brown and Harrison at the midway point of the draft. Landing Ohio State’s two most experienced defenders outside the top 20 feels like a steal. Brown adds another key piece to my team’s secondary while Harrison pairs with Sawyer to form a strong defensive end tandem.
24. Enokk Vimahi, G/T (Griffin)
25. Kourt Williams, S (Griffin)
The last lineman on my board for both tackles and guards, I figured I needed to scoop up Vimahi or risk scraping at the bottom of the barrel for another option on the outside of my front line. In pairing with Proctor, Williams gives me two of Ohio State’s top three safeties in the pool of adjusters and bandits, even if both DBs are coming off of injury rehabilitation entering the preseason.
26. Tommy Eichenberg, LB (Dan)
27. Jordan Hancock, CB (Dan)
Eichenberg appears poised to build on his standout Rose Bowl performance after a strong spring, giving my team both linebackers who are likely to start for the Buckeyes this season. Hancock is in line to be Ohio State’s No. 3 cornerback following a strong spring of his own, and I wanted to make sure I landed two of the Buckeyes’ top three cornerbacks since I’ll be going up against Stroud.
28. Caden Curry, DE (Griffin)
29. Jayden Ballard, WR (Griffin)
Curry showed flashes of big potential as both a traditional edge rusher and Jack as just a true freshman this spring, and this pick was made with the possibility that he could play both. Jayden Ballard has been something of a forgotten man in the Buckeye wide receivers room, but he’s talented enough to make big plays for my offense as the third receiving option behind only Egbuka and Fleming.
30. Cade Stover, TE (Dan)
31. Kye Stokes, S (Dan)
Stover is expected to be the Buckeyes’ starting tight end this year and is their best in-line blocker at the position, so I wasn’t going to let him sit on the board any longer. Stokes flashed tremendous playmaking ability in his first spring as a Buckeye, so I opted to bet on his upside and pair him with Hickman as my second deep safety to round out my secondary.
32. Toby Wilson, C (Griffin)
33. Taron Vincent, DT (Griffin)
Perhaps my most head-scratching pick of the day came here, when I opted to select Wilson to close my starting five up front. While it may seem perplexing, Wilson’s selection speaks to the lack of depth on the Ohio State offensive line, which forced me into a gut check call with options dwindling for my fifth man.
The selection of Vincent allowed me to leave Dan without either of my top two defensive tackles on the Buckeye roster, even if both Vincent and Williams typically play 3-tech.
34. Jerron Cage, DT (Dan)
35. Ty Hamilton, DT (Dan)
Although I was hoping Vincent would stay on the board for one more pick, I was content to wait on drafting defensive tackles with the belief that I could win with any of Ohio State’s top four (or even five, as I also considered Mike Hall here) players at the position. Cage and Hamilton will both play nose tackle for the real-life Buckeyes this season, but Hamilton slides over to 3-technique to pair with Cage in this lineup.
36. Cameron Martinez, S/CB (Griffin)
37. Gee Scott Jr., TE (Griffin)
I went with Martinez instead of Lathan Ransom at the nickel safety position solely due to Ransom’s Rose Bowl leg fracture, which leaves his health status in question for the start of the season. Martinez has starting experience in the Buckeye secondary, albeit brief, and the athletic potential to make things difficult for opposing targets. With Dan drafting Henderson and not having Stroud on his roster, I decided to lean into my pass-heavy offensive attack by drafting Gee Scott Jr. at tight end instead of Joe Royer.
38. Joe Royer, TE (Dan)
39. Jakob James, G/C (Dan)
I considered three different options with the 38th overall pick: Take an unproven wide receiver (I would have gone with Kyion Grayes), add a second tight end in Royer or add a second running back who could also play some receiver snaps in Evan Pryor. Ultimately, I decided to go with a two-tight end offense and draft Royer, who I believe will be the Buckeyes’ most productive pass-catcher at tight end this year.
James is likely to be one of Ohio State’s first two or three offensive linemen off the bench this season along with Fryar and Vimahi, so I’m happy to land him as the ninth offensive lineman off the board and plug him in at guard.
40. Miyan Williams, RB (Griffin)
41. Teradja Mitchell, LB (Griffin)
Not exactly at risk of Dan stealing my picks this late in the draft, I went ahead and selected Williams at running back, who I didn’t fear losing given Dan’s early selection of Henderson. Still with just one linebacker, I chose a veteran leader in Mitchell over more unproven linebacker options like Arizona State transfer Chip Trayanum and true freshman C.J. Hicks.
42. Kyle McCord, QB (Dan)
43. Ben Christman, OL (Dan)
I waited until my last two picks to draft a quarterback because Griffin already had Stroud, but I feel comfortable with McCord, who I believe would be the starter for most FBS teams this year. The Buckeyes are in a fortunate position having a backup quarterback who was a five-star recruit and already has game experience, and that lessens the sting of not landing Stroud in this exercise.
Picking from a group of unproven backups to round out my offensive line, I went with Christman, who has the flexibility to play either guard or tackle and should be ready to push for a spot on the two-deep this year now that he has a year of development under his belt.
44. Jakailin Johnson, CB (Griffin)
My final positional need was at cornerback, and J.K. Johnson figures to be a safer bet as a second-year player than true freshmen Jyaire Brown and Ryan Turner. We haven’t seen much of Johnson yet, but he was a top-50 prospect out of high school and possesses an oft-cited “dog” mentality with which to work.
Lineup Comparison
| Griffin’s Team | Position | Dan's Team |
|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | ||
| C.J. STROUD (1) | QB | KYLE MCCORD (42) |
| MIYAN WILLIAMS (40) | RB | TREVEYON HENDERSON (11) |
| EMEKA EGBUKA (12) | WR | JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA (2) |
| JULIAN FLEMING (17) | WR | MARVIN HARRISON JR. (14) |
| JAYDEN BALLARD (29) | WR/TE | JOE ROYER (38) |
| GEE SCOTT JR. (37) | TE | CADE STOVER (30) |
| DAWAND JONES (4) | LT | PARIS JOHNSON JR. (3) |
| DONOVAN JACKSON (8) | LG | JAKOB JAMES (39) |
| TOBY WILSON (32) | C | LUKE WYPLER (7) |
| MATT JONES (13) | RG | BEN CHRISTMAN (43) |
| ENOKK VIMAHI (24) | RT | JOSH FRYAR (19) |
| DEFENSE | ||
| J.T. TUIMOLOAU (9) | DE | JACK SAWYER (10) |
| CADEN CURRY (28) | DE | ZACH HARRISON (23) |
| TYLEIK WILLIAMS (21) | DT | TY HAMILTON (35) |
| TARON VINCENT (33) | DT | JERRON CAGE (34) |
| CODY SIMON (16) | LB | STEELE CHAMBERS (15) |
| TERADJA MITCHELL (41) | LB | TOMMY EICHENBERG (26) |
| DENZEL BURKE (5) | CB | CAMERON BROWN (22) |
| JAKAILIN JOHNSON (44) | CB | JORDAN HANCOCK (27) |
| CAMERON MARTINEZ (36) | S/CB | TANNER MCCALISTER (18) |
| JOSH PROCTOR (20) | S | RONNIE HICKMAN (6) |
| KOURT WILLIAMS (25) | S | KYE STOKES (31) |
The Case for Each Team
Griffin
I could end this debate in two words: C.J. Stroud. I have the single most impactful player on either side of the ball on my team, and frankly Dan’s slightly deeper draft performance isn’t likely to make up for that difference.
If I was to stretch out the argument, though, I’d mention that I have three members of Ohio State’s starting 2022 offensive line (Dawand Jones, Jackson and Matt Jones) – which is one more than Dan – and three wide receivers to Dan’s two. With Scott Jr. at tight end to pair with Egbuka, Fleming and Ballard, I like my Stroud-led pass attack more than what Dan can do with McCord under center. Even without a dominant run-blocking tight end or Ohio State’s first-string running back, the combination of Miyan Williams and both of the Buckeyes’ starting guards up front should allow my running game to be more than serviceable.
One could argue I also have the roster’s top defensive end and two best defensive tackles in Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams and Vincent, which should only aid in my ability to stymie Dan’s formidable rushing attack. On the back end, I have the Buckeyes’ best defensive back in Burke and two of their top four safeties in Proctor and Williams. That crew will make things tough for a quarterback with only one game of starting experience in college football.
So what if I picked Toby Wilson? As long as I’ve got QB1 and a rock-solid supporting cast (for the most part), I like my chances against the team Dan’s assembled.
Dan
I went into this year’s draft determined to build the most well-rounded lineup possible by ensuring I landed at least one of Ohio State’s top two players in every position group, and I believe I did exactly that.
Offensively, I believe I have the Buckeyes’ three best skill-position players not named Stroud in Smith-Njigba, Henderson and Harrison, while I also have Ohio State’s starters at arguably the two most important offensive line positions with Johnson and Wypler. McCord will have a diverse group of weapons to utilize around him, and our two-tight end formation with Henderson in the backfield will allow us to pound the ball when needed to take pressure off the quarterback.
Defensively, Saywer and Harrison have the makings of a dominant pass-rush duo while Cage and Hamilton should provide stout interior run defense. Chambers and Eichenberg will likely be the Buckeyes’ top two linebackers this year, and I love the mix of experienced veterans (Hickman, McCalister, Brown) and high-upside youngsters (Hancock, Stokes) I’ve assembled in the secondary.
I’d love to have one more projected starter on the offensive line and either Williams or Vincent to bolster my interior pass-rush at defensive tackle, but otherwise, this draft went the way I hoped and expected it would. Griffin’s team may have the advantage of a proven quarterback, but I’d take my roster at just about every other position.
