Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State runner-up in 2023 ESPN Offensive Line U rankings

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Ohio State runner-up in 2023 ESPN Offensive Line U rankings

The Ohio State offensive line was at the center of Buckeyes discourse this offseason. After all, Ohio State is replacing three starters up front, all of whom were selected in this year’s NFL Draft.

That group of departures featured a pair of first-team All-American offensive tackles, Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones.

Whether the Buckeyes can soften the blow of their absence, plus that of two-year starting center Luke Wypler, will be a test of Ohio State’s offensive line pipeline.

It’s a pipeline that has been among the strongest in the country. Actually, ESPN staff writer David Hale has the Buckeyes No. 2 in his Offensive Line U rankings, as part of his “Position U” rankings for 2023.

“A quick reminder of our formula: ESPN Stats & Information combed through data on every team dating back to 1998, looking at key markers of greatness at each position. We awarded points for college production (by way of all-conference and All-America honors), NFL draft selections and NFL production (though only through the players’ first five years — Michigan can claim responsibility for Tom Brady’s success for only so long).”

David Hale, ESPN staff writer

Here’s the complete top 10:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin
4. Oklahoma
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan
7. USC
8. Georgia
9. Iowa
10. Florida

Ohio State is behind Alabama, which has had 12 offensive lineman taken in the first or second round of the NFL Draft since Nick Saban became head coach. Last year, the Crimson Tide weren’t at their best up front — they were tied for 47th in sacks per game allowed and ranked 30th in rushing offense — but they still produced a third-round pick in offensive tackle Tyler Steen, Hale pointed out. The name to know for Alabama this year is offensive tackle JC Latham. He could be another first rounder.

Michigan is four spots below Ohio State on Hale’s O-Line U rankings. The Wolverines, however, have won the Joe Moore Award — given to the best O-Line unit in the country — back-to-back seasons, something no other program had done before. Michigan had to reload at the position this offseason, needing to replace starters at center and left tackle, but the Wolverines have a track record of filling holes up front.

Ohio State is still sorting out its offensive line for 2023, but it seems as if redshirt freshman center Carson Hinzman, left tackle Josh Simmons and right tackle Josh Fryar are all emerging. The line will be anchored by returning starting guards Matthew Jones, a sixth year, and Donovan Jackson, a media-voted first-team All-Big Ten honoree last year.

The pressure is on for the Buckeyes to maintain their reputation up front.

Trio of veteran Buckeyes players named captains

For the first time since 2009, Ohio State will have fewer than four captains this season. A year removed from having six captains, the Buckeyes will trot out just three in 2022.

Those three, however, are strong program leaders: tight end Cade Stover, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and former walk-on wide receiver Xavier Johnson.

Stover and Eichenberg are returning captains and starters. All three are from Ohio. Stover is from Mansfield, Eichenberg is from Cleveland and Johnson is from Cincinnati.

Learn more about them here.

Ohio State receiver Xavier Johnson earns ‘Block O’ jersey honor

In addition to being a team captain, sixth-year wide receiver Xavier Johnson will also wear the “Block O” jersey in 2023. That means he’ll wear No. 0 instead of his normal No. 10.

Johnson is the fourth-ever recipient of the Buckeyes jersey. The NCAA approved the use of No. 0 jersey in April 2020, and Ohio State director of football operations Quinn Tempel linked the font of the zero on the Buckeyes’ jerseys to the Ohio State “Block O” logo. From that point forward, it became an annual tradition to select one player to wear that No. 0 jersey, or the Block O jersey.

“It really should come from the offseason program and who has put years into the program and who has been through some adversity, who has worked through some things, who has fought through things and really lived our culture,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day told Lettermen Row two years ago about the tradition. “With everything that’s gone on this year and the great tradition that Ohio State has, how can we now create something that can be new? We thought naming the award after Bill Willis would be a great decision because it’s great way we can honor him. So, then you ask who it should be?”

This time around, it’s Johnson, who earned a scholarship in 2021 and then made a significant offensive impact in 2022, notably scoring touchdowns in the opener against Notre Dame and in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia. He’s also been a consistent special teams contributor over the years.

For more on Johnson’s honor, go here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 13 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 97 days

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