Ohio State defensive tackle Mike Hall selected No. 54 overall by Cleveland Browns
COLUMBUS — Ohio State defensive tackle Mike Hall was questioned about his injury history and consistency during the pre-draft process.
But his production when he was on the field certainly can’t be questioned, and after a stellar Pro Day and a good round of pre-draft interviews, Hall is off the board on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
He was taken No. 54 overall Friday night in the second round by the Cleveland Browns; he is heading home. Hall is the second Ohio State player to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, joining Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who was selected No. 4 overall by the Arizona Cardinals.
Hall had 45 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six sacks and a fumble recovery for the Buckeyes across two seasons as a regular contributor and starter. Of course, he had injury problems that kept him from consistently dominating for Ohio State during those two years.
But as an undersized defensive tackle, Hall showed tremendous upside that NFL teams liked enough to consider him this early in the draft.
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“I would say just the biggest thing is, a lot of guys say I’m undersized, or ‘I can’t do this. I can’t do that.’ I feel like I only focused on that,” Hall told me in the month leading up to the draft. “I gained a couple of pounds since the Senior Bowl and the combine, just to be able to stay in the same speed and skill set that I’m at.
“I didn’t lose a step and or lose a beat.”
Hall couldn’t work out at the NFL Combine because of a hamstring injury, but he made the most of Ohio State Pro Day and wowed scouts. Now he’s off the board on the second night of the draft.
He’s heading back home to Cleveland to begin his NFL journey.
Recruiting background from Mike Hall
From Lettermen Row’s Andy Backstrom:
Mike Hall Jr. was the No. 8 defensive tackle in the 2021 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He helped Streetsboro High School to its first-ever playoff win when he was a junior. That year, he posted 72 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and five sacks. But a broken hand cut his senior season short: He played only three games — that said, he combined for 24 tackles and nine TFLs in those outings.
Hall also held scholarship offers from Alabama, Penn State, Tennessee, Florida State, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Arizona State, West Virginia, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Toledo, Kent State and Akron. It wasn’t long before Ohio State won out, though, as Hall decided to stay in state and shut down his recruitment in February 2020, several months before the start of his senior season.
