Ohio State’s Top 15 Performers from the 2022 NFL Season

By Dan Hope on February 13, 2023 at 8:35 am
Nick Bosa
Kelley L Cox – USA TODAY Sports
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Now that the 2022-23 NFL season has officially concluded, it’s time to look back at who this year’s top-performing Buckeyes were around the league.

Fifty-five former Ohio State football players played in at least one NFL game this season, giving us plenty of options to choose from when ranking the league’s best Buckeyes of the year that was. Narrowing the list down to 15 players wasn’t easy, as plenty of other NFL Buckeyes had seasons worthy of recognition.

Among the honorable mentions who just missed the cut:

  • Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward had a productive season statistically in which he recorded 53 total tackles, three interceptions, 15 passes defended and two fumble recovery touchdowns. Overall, however, Ward didn’t perform up to his usual standard this past season, allowing more receiving yards in coverage (543) than in any previous season of his career, per Pro Football Focus.
  • Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott tied for fifth in the NFL with 12 rushing touchdowns but had the fewest yards per carry (3.8) among all NFL running backs who took at least 200 carries during the regular season.
  • Denver Broncos defenders Dre’Mont Jones and Baron Browning were both impactful as pass-rushers as Jones recorded 47 total tackles with 6.5 sacks in 13 games while Browning recorded 24 total tackles with five sacks in 14 games.
  • Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell (63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns) and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown (43 catches for 555 yards and three touchdowns) both had their most productive seasons by far as NFL players.
  • Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah had an up-and-down year in coverage like Ward but had his most productive season so far in the NFL with 73 total tackles, a pick-six, a forced fumble, two tackles for loss and seven passes defended.

The following 15 Buckeyes are those who we determined had the best all-around seasons for their respective teams and relative to their peers in the league. (Note: This list only includes players who finished their college careers at Ohio State, so Joe Burrow and other NFL players who started their college careers at Ohio State but transferred elsewhere were not considered.)

15. Pete Werner, LB, New Orleans Saints

Regular Season Stats: 80 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 FF, 3 PD

Werner was one of the most productive linebackers in the entire NFL, even leading the league in solo tackles for a portion of the season until he suffered an ankle injury in Week 9. That injury, coupled with a hamstring injury in December, would limit him to just three more games for the rest of the season, in which he recorded six tackles.

Even still, Werner finished within the league’s top 100 in both total (80) and solo (56) tackles. His performance in the first half of the season was enough to establish Werner as one of the Saints’ core defensive players and one of the NFL’s top young linebackers.

14. Jerome Baker, LB, Miami Dolphins

Regular Season Stats: 100 tackles, 4 sacks, 6 TFL, 1 FF, 4 PD, 7 QB hits
Playoff Stats (1 game): 7 tackles, 1 sack

Baker reached the 100-tackle mark for the third time in his five-year NFL career with another productive season as one of the leaders of the Dolphins' defense.

Pro Football Focus gave Baker the highest grade of his career to date (74.6) for the 2022 season and graded him as the 15th-best linebacker who played at least half of his team’s snaps. He helped the Dolphins earn their first playoff berth in six years and was productive in his first career postseason game, recording seven tackles with a sack in the Dolphins’ loss to the Buffalo Bills.

13. Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders

Regular Season Stats: 64 catches, 656 yards, 4 TD; 38 carries, 187 yards, 1 TD

The first of two Washington receivers from Ohio State to make this countdown, Samuel was both the Commanders’ second-leading receiver and third-leading rusher in 2022.

After missing most of the 2021 season with a groin injury, Samuel showed why the Commanders gave him a three-year, $34.5 million contract to be their slot receiver two years ago. His 64 catches for 656 yards and 38 carries for 187 yards were the second-highest marks of his six-year NFL career.

12. Taylor Decker, LT, Detroit Lions

Regular Season Stats: 17 starts at left tackle, four sacks allowed in 665 pass-blocking snaps

After playing in only nine games in 2021 due to a finger fracture, Decker re-established himself as a stalwart on the Lions' offensive line in 2022. He started all 17 games at left tackle and allowed only four sacks in 665 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF, which graded him as the 20th-best offensive tackle who played at least half of his team’s snaps this past season.

The Lions’ offensive line was widely regarded as one of the NFL’s best in 2022, and the rock-solid play of Decker – who forms an All-Buckeye pairing on the left side of Detroit’s offensive line with Jonah Jackson – was a big reason why.

11. DaVon Hamilton, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars

Regular Season Stats: 56 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 PD, 6 QB hits
Playoff Stats (2 games): 8 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PD, 1 QB hit

Hamilton had a quietly great season as the Jaguars’ starting nose tackle, tying for the 14th-most total tackles (56) among defensive tackles in 2022. He was consistently productive as a run-stopper, recording 64 total tackles and six tackles for loss between the regular season and postseason, while he also generated 31 quarterback pressures as a pass rusher, per PFF.

With Hamilton anchoring the defensive line, the Jaguars ranked 12th in the NFL in both rushing defense (114.8 yards allowed per game) and scoring defense (20.6) en route to earning their first playoff berth in five years.

DaVon Hamilton
DaVon Hamilton was among the NFL Buckeyes who had career years in 2022. (Photo: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union/USA TODAY Network)

10. Malik Hooker, S, Dallas Cowboys

Regular Season Stats: 62 tackles, 3 INT, 2 TFL, 1 FR, 3 PD, 1 TD
Playoff Stats (2 games): 14 tackles

Hooker had the best season of his six-year NFL career in 2022. Handling the back end of the Cowboys' defense as their top free safety, Hooker recorded a career-high 62 tackles, matched his professional best with three interceptions and scored his first touchdown as a pro on a 38-yard fumble return.

After an injury-plagued start to his NFL career, Hooker showed a resurgence of the big-play ability that made him a star at Ohio State, all the while being a consistently reliable linchpin of a Dallas pass defense that ranked eighth in the league in passing yards allowed per game (200.9). Per PFF, he allowed only 123 receiving yards all year on 613 coverage snaps.

9. Vonn Bell, S, Cincinnati Bengals

Regular Season Stats: 77 tackles, 4 INT, 1 sack, 4 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 8 PD, 4 QB hits
Playoff Stats (3 games): 17 tackles, 1 sack

Bell also had a big year as a playmaking safety as one of the anchors of the Bengals' defense as he helped lead Cincinnati to its second straight AFC Championship Game. Having recorded only three interceptions (regular season and postseason) in the first six years of his NFL career, Bell topped that number in one season alone with four picks in 2022.

Only three NFL players had more combined interceptions and forced fumbles than Bell’s six, and he was a captain of a defense that ranked sixth in the NFL with just 20.1 points allowed per game. The Bengals will presumably make re-signing him a priority as he reaches the end of the three-year contract he signed with the team in 2020. Still, his consistent production and leadership ability will give him plenty of suitors on the open market if he hits free agency.

8. Sam Hubbard, DE, Cincinnati Bengals

Regular Season Stats: 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 11 TFL, 1 FF, 3 PD, 22 QB hits
Playoff Stats (3 games): 7 tackles, 1 sack, 2 FR, 3 QB hits, 1 TD

Like Bell, Hubbard played a vital role for the Bengals both on and off the field as a team captain and one of their core defensive players. He hit the 60-tackle mark for the fourth year in a row as one of the top run stoppers on a defense that ranked seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (106.6), while he also contributed 6.5 sacks as a pass rusher.

While these rankings are primarily based on what players did during the regular season, Hubbard cemented his place in the top eight – and in Bengals lore – by making one of the best plays of the entire postseason with his game-winning, NFL playoff record 98-yard fumble return touchdown in the Bengals’ opening-round playoff win over the Baltimore Ravens.

7. Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears

Regular Season Stats: 192-318 passing (60.4%), 2,242 yards, 17 TD, 11 INT; 160 carries, 1,143 yards, 8 TD

Fields was historically great as a runner in his second NFL season. His 1,143 rushing yards are the second-most ever by an NFL quarterback in a single season and were the seventh-most among all NFL players in 2022. He led all qualifying rushers for the 2022 season with 7.1 yards per carry, including 10 running plays of 20 yards or more, and he set the regular-season single-game record for rushing yards by an NFL quarterback with a 178-yard day against the Dolphins.

As a passer, Fields remained inconsistent in his sophomore campaign, ranking just 25th among NFL quarterbacks in passer rating (85.2). His elite performance as a runner, though, made him one of the NFL’s most entertaining players to watch in 2022 and gave Ohio State and Chicago Bears fans alike a reason to be excited about his future in the league.

6. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

Regular Season Stats: 72 catches, 1,042 yards, 4 TD

It didn’t take long for Olave to become a star in New Orleans. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 draft was the NFL’s 18th-leading receiver in his rookie season, topping the 1,000-yard mark in just 15 games played.

With 13 catches of 20-plus yards in year one, Olave showed the same deep-threat ability that made him a star for the Buckeyes. If the Saints can upgrade at quarterback this offseason, there’s reason to expect even bigger things from the former Buckeye wideout in year two.

5. Corey Linsley, C, Los Angeles Chargers

Regular Season Stats: 14 starts at center, zero sacks allowed in 584 pass-blocking snaps
Playoff Stats (1 game): One start, zero sacks allowed

Linsley was ranked by PFF as the best pass-blocking center in the entire NFL for the second year in a row, allowing zero sacks and just seven total quarterback pressures on 584 pass-blocking snaps. His pass protection helped lead the way for the Chargers to throw for the third-most passing yards per game (269.6) among all NFL teams in 2022.

The former Ohio State center didn’t repeat as a Pro Bowler, which can be partially attributed to Linsley missing three games with injuries, but he was still one of the NFL’s best centers when he was on the field.

4. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

Regular Season Stats: 83 catches, 1,103 yards, 4 TD; 4 carries, 4 yards

Wilson was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year after a spectacular debut season in which he broke a pair of Jets rookie records by catching 83 passes for 1,103 yards. The No. 10 overall pick immediately became the star of the Jets’ offense as he used his route-running skill, contested-catch ability and elusiveness to extend plays in the open field to make highlight-reel plays all year long.

He and Olave became the first pair of rookie receivers from the same school to top 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. Wilson thrived despite subpar quarterback play in 2022 – the Jets’ quarterbacks had the worst combined passer rating in the league – and like Olave, he should be poised for an even bigger second year if his team can upgrade at quarterback this offseason.

3. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

Regular Season Stats: 77 catches, 1,191 yards, 5 TD; 7 carries, 29 yards

McLaurin further established himself as one of the NFL’s elite wide receivers in 2022, earning the first Pro Bowl berth of his career as he caught 77 passes for 1,191 yards, the 10th-most among all NFL players this past season.

Despite the inconsistency Washington has had at quarterback throughout his four NFL seasons, McLaurin has been a model of consistency, topping 900 yards all four years and 1,000 yards in each of the last three. With 16 catches of 20-plus yards and plenty of spectacular grabs in 2022, McLaurin had his best year and continued solidifying himself as the face of the Commanders’ franchise.

Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin solidified his status as one of the NFL’s top wide receivers in 2022. (Photo: Eric Hartline – USA TODAY Sports)

2. Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers

Regular Season Stats: 74 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 14 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 4 PD, 23 QB hits

In his 12th NFL season, Heyward remained as disruptive as ever as the star of the Steleers’ defensive front. He hit double-digit sacks for the second year in a row thanks to a strong finish of the season in which he recorded 5.5 sacks in the final four games, while his 74 total tackles tied for the second-most among all NFL interior defensive linemen.

The 33-year-old made his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl as an alternate and was ranked by PFF as the NFL’s fifth-best interior defensive lineman for the year. He also continued to make a big impact off the field, as he was nominated for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award – one of two Buckeyes nominated for the award along with Hubbard – for the fifth time.

1. Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers

Regular Season Stats: 51 tackles, 18.5 sacks, 19 TFL, 2 FF, 1 PD, 48 QB hits
Playoff Stats (3 games): 11 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 FR, 1 QB hit

While there’s plenty of room to debate the second through 15th spots on this list, it was an easy choice to pick Ohio State’s No. 1 NFL performer of 2022. Bosa wasn’t just the top Buckeye in the league this season. He was the best defensive player in the entire NFL, earning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the league with 18.5 sacks.

Bosa’s 48 quarterback hits likewise led the league, while he was also stout against the run, topping 50 total tackles for the second year in a row. He was Ohio State’s only first-team All-Pro this season, and his dominant play up front was a huge reason why the 49ers allowed the fewest points (16.3) and yards (300.6) per game of any NFL team this year.

Now firmly established as one of the NFL’s elite players, Bosa could be in line for a record-breaking contract that makes him the league’s highest-paid defensive player as he enters his fifth year in the league.

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