Welcome to the Skull Session.
I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day.
Let's have a good Friday, shall we?
“IT WOULDN'T HAVE SAT RIGHT." This offseason, 11 Buckeyes — or should I say Eleven Warriors? — deferred their prosperous NFL careers for another year and returned to Ohio State. They were TreVeyon Henderson, Donovan Jackson, Emeka Egbuka, Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton, Cody Simon, Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom.
Weeks ago, I wrote that all of those Buckeyes deserve praise for their decision; however, none deserve more than Sawyer. His conversations behind closed doors at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center helped those teammates understand how legen—wait for it—dary the 2024 season could be for Ohio State.
In a recent appearance on 97.1 The Fan, Sawyer shared the reasons he returned to Ohio State for another year. All of them were (and are) excellent. I think you should hear (or read) them.
“Coming on late in the season, finally playing my best ball was good for me," Sawyer said. "After the year, I sat there and thought, ‘Hey, I’m from Columbus. I love Columbus. I love the fans. I love Coach (Ryan) Day, Coach (Larry) Johnson, Coach Mick (Marotti) and everybody that’s a part of Ohio State.’ We fell short of reaching the goals that we promised these guys when we signed our letters of intent to come here. That didn’t sit right with me. I knew I wasn’t gonna walk out of here on those terms — not when we have another shot to beat ‘The Team Up North,’ win a Big Ten title and win a national championship. I know for a fact that we have the team to do it this year.
“For me, it wouldn’t have sat right to leave those guys hanging, leave Columbus hanging, with having another shot to come back and do it. For me, the decision was easy. It was about coming back, beating ‘The Team Up North,’ winning the Big Ten title and then winning the national championship.”
Oh, Jack Sawyer.
What a man, what a man, what a man...
He's a mighty-mighty good man.
“HE'S GONNA BE GOOD." In a recent episode of NFL Stock Exchange, a Pro Football Focus podcast, Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers ranked the top 15 wide receivers who could enter the NFL draft in 2025. Both Sikkema and Rogers ranked Emeka Egbuka in their top five, and in doing so, the hosts heaped copious amounts of praise on the Ohio State pass catcher.
“I look at some of his traits and see Keenan Allen,” Rogers said. “Like, man, the way this guy can change gears through his routes to create space and separation, he’s a route technician. He can play inside; he can play outside. A lot of people will think of Jaxon Smith-Njigba when they watch him, but I actually think he’s a better athlete than JSN was in the vertical aspect of the game. JSN was in rare territory in terms of the technician he was, but Egbuka is very good.”
That’s six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen. That’s 904 receptions, 10,530 yards and 59 touchdowns in 11 seasons, Keenan Allen. Oh, and you all know who JSN is. I don’t need to explain his greatness.
“I think he is a slightly bigger, slightly faster Amon-Ra St. Brown,” Sikkema said. “He’s a former five-star receiver in the 2021 class. He had all the recruiting accolades. He goes to Ohio State and is able to stand out in a major way in 2022. His numbers were fantastic. … He’s a quick and controlled player. He has speed control. … He is a willing, feisty blocker. He is a high-IQ player and knows how to attack all kinds of leverages and find space in between zones.”
That's two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown. That’s 315 receptions, 3,588 yards and 21 touchdowns in three seasons, Amon-Ra St. Brown.
No matter the comparison for Egbuka, Sikkema is sure Egbuka will shine in the NFL.
“He’s gonna be good,” Sikkema said. “In a world where we want to bet on and rank who is gonna be good in the NFL, I think Emeka Egbuka is a really easy projection with so many translatable skills. What he does is so translatable to something that will succeed at the NFL level with all that he brings to the table.”
I’d expect no different from the latest prospect from Wide Receiver U.
QUACK QUACK. Ok... so... basically...
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB | DEVIN SANCHEZ | ★★★★★ | #5 NATL | #1 CB |
| CB | NA'EEM OFFORD | ★★★★★ | #6 NATL | #2 CB |
| QB | TAVIEN ST. CLAIR | ★★★★★ | #10 NATL | #3 QB |
| S | FAHEEM DELANE | ★★★★ | #35 NATL | #2 S |
| WR | QUINCY PORTER | ★★★★ | #47 NATL | #7 WR |
| LB | TARVOS ALFORD | ★★★★ | #48 NATL | #5 LB |
| OT | CARTER LOWE | ★★★★ | #51 NATL | #6 OT |
| DE | ZAHIR MATHIS | ★★★★ | #62 NATL | #6 Edge |
| DE | ZION GRADY | ★★★★ | #71 NATL | #7 Edge |
| RB | BO JACKSON | ★★★★ | #79 NATL | #4 RB |
| DE | LONDON MERRITT | ★★★★ | #118 NATL | #14 DL |
| TE | NATE ROBERTS | ★★★★ | #138 NATL | #6 TE |
| DT | MAXWELL ROY | ★★★★ | #229 NATL | #26 DL |
| S | DESHAWN STEWART | ★★★★ | #245 NATL | #22 S |
| DT | TRAJEN ODOM | ★★★★ | #283 NATL | #31 DL |
| WR | DE'ZIE JONES | ★★★★ | #291 NATL | #39 WR |
| S | CODY HADDAD | ★★★★ | #380 NATL | #19 ATH |
| LB | ELI LEE | ★★★★ | #382 NATL | #41 LB |
| RB | ISAIAH WEST | ★★★ | #534 NATL | #45 RB |
| WR | BODPEGN MILLER | ★★★ | #584 NATL | #91 WR |
| TE | BRODY LENNON | ★★★ | #611 NATL | #32 TE |
| OL | JAKE COOK | ★★★ | #627 NATL | #40 IOL |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||
Oregon will be a thorn in Ohio State's side for years to come, huh?
in recent weeks, I have touted Ohio State's victories in recruiting. The Buckeyes have landed commitments from top-100 prospects Bo Jackson, Faheem Delane, Quincy Porter and Zion Grady, as well as top-300 prospects Trajen Odom and Maxwell Roy. (There are also three-star recruits Isaiah West, Bodpegn Miller and Brody Lennon —can't forget them, either.)
In other words, Ohio State has cooked.
But so has Oregon.
In the same timeframe, the Ducks have landed commitments from No. 28 overall prospect Dorian Brew and No. 3 overall prospect Dakorien Moore, as well as top-300 prospects Ziyare Addison, Jordon Davison, Da'Saahn Brame, Brandon Finney and Josiah Sharma. Of those seven recruits, five were Ohio State targets — each to different degrees — in Brew, Moore, Addison, Davison and Finney.
That's something. Ohio State possesses the No. 1 overall class in 2025, according to the 247Sports composite, and ranks ahead of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and Oregon, but that's something.
Keep an eye on the Ducks, folks.
A MESSAGE FROM 12 GAUGE. Cardale Jones shared a message with Buckeye Nation this week. In a post on X, the former Ohio State quarterback thanked the program's fans and the people of Ohio for their love and support over the past 10 years.
I havent played a snap at Ohio State in 9 years and was apart of a national championship team 10 years ago. The continued love & support I receive in Ohio/Buckeye Nation, youll think Im still behind center. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate it!
— Cardale Jones (@CJ1two) July 3, 2024
That's what winning a national championship will do for an Ohio State quarterback.
Take notes, Will Howard.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Me and Julio" - POMPLAMOOSE ft. Lawrence
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