Welcome to the Skull Session.
Want to relive the greatest run in college football history?
Watch this.
greatest run in college football history. pic.twitter.com/XncbB36FYU
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) February 11, 2025
Have a good Tuesday.
CONSENSUS BIG BOARDS. Since Ohio State won the national championship on Jan. 20, NFL writers have ranked their top 50 prospects available in the 2025 NFL draft. Go figure: Those top 50 lists are chock full of Buckeyes. To kick off the Skull Session, I’ve collected six lists released over the past three weeks, from The Athletic’s Austin Mock to ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
The Athletic’s Austin Mock (Jan. 21)
- No. 9 - Josh Simmons
- No. 16 - Emeka Egbuka
- No. 19 - Tyleik Williams
- No. 37 - Jack Sawyer
- No. 43 - Donovan Jackson
- No. 45 - JT Tuimoloau
ESPN’s Matt Miller (Jan. 24)
- No. 14 - Josh Simmons
- No. 25 - Emeka Egbuka
- No. 33 - Tyleik Williams
- No. 36 - Donovan Jackson
- No. 37 - Jack Sawyer
- No. 45 - JT Tuimoloau
- No. 50 - TreVeyon Henderson
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah (Jan. 28)
- No. 25 - Emeka Egbuka
- No. 30 - Josh Simmons
- No. 31 - Donovan Jackson
- No. 34 - Quinshon Judkins
- No. 36 - TreVeyon Henderson
- No. 40 - Jack Sawyer
ESPN’s Jordan Reid (Feb. 7)
- No. 11 - Josh Simmons
- No. 24 - Emeka Egbuka
- No. 38 - Donovan Jackson
- No. 46 - TreVeyon Henderson
- No. 48 - Tyleik Williams
CBS Sports (Feb. 10)
- No. 17 - Josh Simmons
- No. 30 - Jack Sawyer
- No. 32 - Emeka Egbuka
- No. 37 - Tyleik Williams
- No. 41 - Donovan Jackson
- No. 43 - JT Tuimoloau
- No. 48 - Denzel Burke
Pro Football Focus (Feb. 10)
- No. 12 - Josh Simmons
- No. 14 - Emeka Egbuka
- No. 22 Jack Sawyer
- No. 28 - Tyleik Williams
- No. 43 - JT Tuimoloau
It’s interesting that each top 50 has Simmons as Ohio State’s top prospect, save for Jeremiah’s at NFL Network. I’ll be honest – when Simmons committed to the Buckeyes before the 2023 season, I thought he would be serviceable, but I had no idea he would become a future first-round pick. Therefore, I have to give credit to Simmons and Justin Frye for the development that took place over Simmons’ year-and-a-half on campus. I also have to credit Lawrence Taylor, who made the left tackle the second-most-valuable position in football when he made a career out of demolishing quarterbacks in the 1980s.
“AMAZING WHAT A YEAR DOES.” The Big Ten Network profiled Ohio State forward Evan Mahaffey and his family on “The Journey.”
In 2024, Mahaffey’s father, Jamie, underwent a heart transplant while his son played in his second college basketball season and first with the Buckeyes. Jamie’s recovery, which included regaining strength after the amputation of his lower right leg and toes on his left foot, kept him from attending Ohio State’s games. This season, however, Jamie has been able to attend a majority of his son’s games.
“It made me think deeper into, like, don’t take it for granted,” Evan Mahaffey said of seeing his father endure pain and recover. “Don’t take any day for granted.”
The feature shows footage of Jamie Mahaffey attending Ohio State’s win over Iowa on Jan. 27. Evan Mahaffey scored four points and had five offensive rebounds while coming off the bench for the Buckeyes.
Jamie Mahaffey said the chance to watch his son perform was not lost on him that night.
“This time last year, I was watching on an iPad with tubes in my mouth,” he said. “Amazing what a year does.”
“I PROBABLY WOULD’VE TRANSFERRED MUCH EARLIER.” In an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show last week, Joe Burrow said he would have transferred from Ohio State earlier had name, image and likeness and free transfer rules existed when he was in school.
“I probably would’ve transferred much earlier than I did, but I had to graduate to go play,” Burrow said. “At the time, the transfer portal wasn’t a thing. I think it became a thing the next year after I transferred, but I still think you had to sit out a year.”
Burrow then shared some advice to high school prospects deciding where they want to continue their football careers.
“You should take advantage of (NIL),” Burrow said. “If you’re going to make seven figures in college, you’ve got to go and take advantage of that. If you’re in high school and you’re getting offered that, go wherever they’re paying you the most.”
I’m sure Ohio State and LSU loved to hear that last sentence.
I’m kidding, of course.
In the current NIL landscape, schools like Ohio State and LSU don’t throw bags at recruits like Miami, Texas A&M, Oregon and some other schools that have boosters with the deepest pockets known to man. Or, at least the Buckeyes and Tigers don't make it as obvious. If recruits take Burrow’s advice, prepare for those schools to land the sport’s best prospects year after year.
Still, I am hopeful program pedigree makes a difference in recruiting – that is, Ohio State and LSU have both won three national titles since 2000, so neither the Buckeyes nor the Tigers should have to meet the same financial commitments as programs that have fewer trophies in their facilities…
** ahem **
Oregon has won zero national championships.
** ahem **
Zero.
My message to recruits: Money matters, but development and on-field success matter even more!
“ONE FOR EACH WIN.” NASCAR star Denny Hamlin’s love for the Buckeyes blossomed as Ohio State defeated Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame en route to the program’s ninth national title. Hamlin credits Travis Rockhold, the producer of his podcast Actions Detrimental, for the start of his fandom. Hamlin and Rockhold even attended the national championship game in Atlanta.
Finally a champ. pic.twitter.com/kvmJDaHlrZ
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) January 21, 2025
(The caption, “Finally a champ,” refers to Hamlin’s lack of a Cup championship, as the 44-year-old holds the record for the most wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, 54, without winning a title.)
In the latest episode of Actions Detrimental, Rockhold surprised Hamlin with a sheet of Buckeye Leaves. Rockhold said the Ohio State football program gifted them to Hamlin to celebrate his new fandom.
“How about that? Oh, man,” Hamlin said when he received the Buckeye Leaves. “I think one for each win. Like, when I win, I need to put a Buckeye (on my helmet). These are authentic. I can tell. Thank you. Thank you.”
Earlier in the episode, Hamlin shared how he became an Ohio State fan and what stands out to him about Buckeye Nation.
“I’ll be honest. When you jump on the bandwagon of the best team, it surely makes it easy and fun,” Hamlin said. “To me, the atmosphere was the biggest thing that I noticed. It was so different. If I go to an NFL game, it’s a Panthers game, and I’m not a Panthers fan. Charlotte fans are suspect at best when it comes to their fandom, so it’s like going to a library compared to when I went to the Shoe. It was unbelievable. The crowd was so freakin’ loud at every play. Usually, you can get the excitement at the beginning or the end, but it’s every play.
“I’ve mentioned it, but Travis hangs his whole life on every play that happens. If it’s 1st-and-10 and they only get 2 yards, he’s losing his mind. He’s like, ‘The offensive coordinator!’ or ‘Stupid play!’ It’s so wildly entertaining.”
Welcome to the Ohio State fandom, Denny.
We have a lot of Travises, but they’re our Travises, and we love them.
This is the way in Buckeye Nation.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Cold" - Chris Stapleton.
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