The Drought is Over
Caleb Downs scores Ohio State’s first punt return touchdown since 2014.
The last 10 years of Ohio State football saw the Buckeye offense crank out top-15 scoring offense and total offense results in the same season seven times. Those offenses slotted inside the top-10 in total offense eight times.
The elite offensive output, especially since Ryan Day's arrival, benefits from a great scheme but the real trick to racing up and down the field almost at will is the result of incredible recruiting, particularly at the skill positions.
Over the last ten seasons, Ohio State's offense churned out 41 NFL draft picks including 10 first rounders. Spanning the last three seasons, the Buckeye offense boasts 15 picks including six first round selections.
| SEASON | SCOR DEF | TOT DEF |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 24 | 14 |
| 2021 | 38 | 59 |
| 2020 | 43 | 59 |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 |
| 2018 | 50 | 71 |
| 2017 | 15 | 9 |
| 2016 | 3 | 6 |
| 2015 | 2 | 9 |
| 2014 | 26 | 19 |
| 2013 | 28 | 47 |
Meanwhile, the OSU defense can tout very solid draft numbers over the last decade (36 total picks, 13 first rounders) but the totals over the last three seasons dry up to the tune of just six total draft picks, with none of those being first round selections. In fact, of those six guys selected in the draft, four were acquired in the fourth round or later. Also of note, Ohio State had just two picks total over the last two NFL Drafts.
Digging deeper, the impact NFL Draft-caliber players had on Ohio State's defenses over the last 10 seasons is hard to ignore.
The Buckeyes turned out four different defenses over the last decade that ranked in the nation's top-15 in both scoring defense and total defense. Those four units (2019, 2017, 2016, 2015) saw 21 total players selected in the NFL Draft following each season with a ridiculous 10 first rounders.
The other six defenses to take the field over the last decade generated a modest 15 draft picks with only three of those taken in the first round. Spanning the last two seasons, the Buckeye defense produced two picks - Tyreke Smith in the fifth round of the 2022 draft and Zach Harrison in the third round of this year's draft.
With the 2023 defense looking to become Ohio State's first top-15 group since 2019, let's look at the makeup of the four defenses over the last decade which did exactly that.
2019: #4 Scoring Defense, #1 Total Defense
The 2019 defense saw five guys selected in the 2020 NFL Draft headlined by first rounders Chase Young (No. 2 overall), Jeffrey Okudah (No. 3) and Damon Arnette (No. 19). Linebacker Malik Harrison went in the third round, Safety Jordan Fuller in the sixth and defensive tackle Jashon Cornell in the seventh.
Overall, Ohio State's defense had four guys selected in the top-100 picks of the 2020 Draft and Fuller was obviously a late-round steal.
Harrison was the team's top tackler, 2021 second-rounder Pete Werner finished second and Fuller third.
Young's dominant season featured 21 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks while Okudah led the team with three picks and nine pass breakups. Arnette chipped in eight PBUs.
Ten of the top 11 tacklers(!) on the 2019 defense were eventually selected in NFL Drafts. To quote an old acquaintance, "stars" matter.
2017: #15 Scoring Defense, #9 Total Defense
The 2017 defense had five players snagged in the 2018 NFL Draft with four of those coming within the first 77 picks. Denzel Ward was the lone first round selection (No. 4 overall) with Tyquan Lewis going in the second round before Jerome Baker (No. 73) and Sam Hubbard (No. 77) in round three. Jalyn Holmes was a fourth round pick (No. 102 overall).
Baker paced the team with 72 stops, Ward posted a team-high 15 PBUs with two picks, Hubbard cranked out 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks, both good for second-best on the squad (behind Nick Bosa) and Lewis chipped in 9.5 tackles for loss with 7.0 sacks.
Eight of the top 12 tacklers, and 13 of the top 18, went on to be selected in NFL Drafts.
2016: #3 Scoring Defense, #6 Total Defense
The 2016 defense had some damn horses, particularly in the secondary, as Marshon Lattimore (No. 11), Malik Hooker (No. 15) and Gareon Conley (No. 24) all went in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft with middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan coming off the board in the second round with the No. 52 overall pick.
With Lattimore, Hooker and Conley locking down the back end, Ohio State held opponents to a nation's best 5.6 yards per passing attempt allowed and a 48.9% pass completion rate allowed.
McMillan racked up a team-high 102 tackles, Hooker slotted No. 3 in tackles and picked off an incredible seven passes for 181 yards with three touchdowns, Lattimore added four picks and nine PBUs while Conley posted four interceptions of his own with eight pass breakups.
Twelve of the top 14 tacklers on the 2016 defense would go on to be snatched up in NFL Drafts.
2015: #2 Scoring Defense, #9 Total Defense
Like the 2019 defense, the 2015 edition had six players selected in the immediately following draft headlined by Joey Bosa (No. 2 overall), Eli Apple (No. 10) and Darron Lee (No. 20) going in the first round.
Vonn Bell proved a steal as a second round selection (No. 61 overall) before Adolphus Washington went in the third round (No. 80 overall) and Joshua Perry came off the board in the fourth (No. 102 overall).
Bosa led the charge with team bests in tackles for loss (16) and hurries (14), doubling the second-best teammate output. Apple racked up eight PBUs and Lee did a whole lot of everything ranking fourth on the team with 66 stops, third with 11 tackles for loss, fourth with 4.5 sacks and second with seven hurries.
Bell was close behind with 65 tackles and led the team with nine pass breakups. Washington clogged the middle while logging seven tackles for loss and four sacks.
Perry was an unsung hero with a second-best 102 stops and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Ten of the top 11 tacklers on the 2015 defense were eventually drafted.
Forwarding ahead to the 2023 defense, optimism is running high as the Buckeyes are in Year 2 of Jim Knowles' scheme transformation and return their top three tacklers, four of the top-5 tackles for loss guys and the top-3 sack guys.
Moreover, there's belief the Buckeyes have some of that first round talent ready to play huge roles this fall which proved integral to the success of great defenses past.
The list starts with defensive end J.T. Tuiomoloau after he showed flashes of pass rushing and game disrupting greatness last season. The way-too-early 2024 NFL Draft mocks have him as a sure first rounder and possibly a top-10 pick. If he can achieve consistency in production at the most valuable position on defense, that could almost singularly catapult the defense to greater heights.
Cornerback Denzel Burke is drawing mid-first round mentions for the 2024 Draft after a big-time freshman season followed by a slow start and injuries playing a part in an uneven 2023 campaign. That said, Burke is healthy and rejuvenated which should be huge for Knowles and company this fall.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr.'s 2023 showed a few glimpses of dominance but like Burke, injuries kept him from reaching the hype. Also like Burke, the belief is Hall is now healthy and ready to take the next step at another crucial spot on the defense.
There's certainly potential for another few guys to finally have breakout seasons worthy of NFL-level players. Defensive end Jack Sawyer arrived at Ohio State with a ton of hype but hasn't yet found a groove. That could change in 2023 however as he's no longer spending time learning the Jack position, depth in front of him has cleared and he can specifically focus on coming off the edge opposite Tuimoloau. If those two could show out like legit NFL prospects, the pass coverage becomes better by default.
Defensive tackles Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams could also significantly elevate their draft stock through improved performance, Hamilton particularly so.
Meanwhile, known entities in linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers should continue to play at least like potential mid-round picks and be crucial to the 2023 team's success. Another veteran, safety Lathan Ransom, has a chance to put more consistent play on tape which would not only be good for his draft stock but also in helping Ohio State's defense address its Achilles heel of surrendering big plays.
That's a lot of what ifs, no doubt, but it feels like Ohio State finally has enough horses to once again be a top-15 defense in college football.
