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Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State NFL rookies receive Madden 24 ratings

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•07/22/23•

andybackstrom

Jaxon Smith-Njigba by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise. Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Buckeyes football, recruiting, basketball and more in Scarlet Sunrise.

Ohio State NFL rookies receive Madden 24 ratings

The Madden NFL 24 video game won’t be released until Aug. 18, but the game’s player ratings are already out.

Patrick Mahomes (99 overall), Joe Burrow (95 overall) and Josh Allen (94 overall) are the top-three rated quarterbacks this year.

Former Ohio State star signal caller C.J. Stroud — the highest-drafted quarterback in Buckeyes history — has a long way to go to sniff those ratings. As is often the case with most rookies in the game’s history, especially rookie quarterbacks, Stroud was given a relatively low rating. He’s a 73 overall. It’s worth noting, though, that Stroud was awarded an 89 throw power rating and an 82 speed rating.

Stroud went No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans in this year’s draft. Former Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. was picked No. 6 overall by the Arizona Cardinals. He’s a 77 overall in this year’s Madden, but his strength rating is notably an 89.

Then there’s former Buckeyes wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was selected No. 20 overall by the Seattle Seahawks. Smith-Njigba is a 78 overall, equipped with an acceleration rating of 90, an agility rating of 94 and a catch rating of 87.

Here’s where all six of Ohio State’s 2023 draftees stand, as far as the game’s initial player ratings go:

Note: Buckeyes alums — cornerback Marshon Lattimore (New Orleans Saints, 90 overall), cornerback Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns, 88 overall), EDGE Nick Bosa (San Francisco 49ers, 98 overall), EDGE Joey Bosa (Los Angeles Chargers, 91 overall) and wide receiver Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders, 92 overall) — are all highly rated.

Buckeyes reveal alternate uniforms for primetime Michigan State matchup

The tease is over. Ohio State has revealed its alternate uniforms for the 2023 season.

The Buckeyes will wear gray threads for their primetime, Nov. 11 game against Michigan State. They haven’t worn gray jerseys since their Oct. 29, 2017 thriller against then-No. 2 Penn State that saw J.T. Barrett throw three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and lead a memorable come-from-behind victory in the Horseshoe.

Last year, Ohio State’s alternate uniform was an all-black set for a Sept. 24 blowout win over Wisconsin. The Buckeyes have worn black threads for select home games since 2015.

For more on the new gray kit, though, go here.

Ohio State shifts focus from split to fully locked in on Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

Four-star linebackers Garrett Stover and Payton Pierce have served as the foundation of the Ohio State defensive recruiting class this cycle. But the Buckeyes are eyeing another prospect at the position.

After four-star Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy prospect Edwin Spillman committed to Tennessee Friday, all attention has shifted toward four-star Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco talent Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.

Ohio State beat reporter Spencer Holbrook and recruiting analyst Matt Parker discussed the Buckeyes’ recruitment of Viliamu-Asa in the latest episode of Lettermen Lounge, which you can read about here and watch below:

Making three predictions for Buckeyes re-energized cornerbacks room

Ohio State ranked sixth in the Big Ten in pass defense last year, but the Buckeyes struggled mightily in the back end down the stretch of the 2022 season.

First Ohio State gave up four pass plays of at least 30 yards, including three touchdowns of 45-plus yards, against Michigan in the regular season finale. Then the Buckeyes conceded eight passes of 20 or more yards, including a 76-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, versus Georgia in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal.

Ohio State’s cornerbacks weren’t exempt from that late-season unraveling. Can they help the Buckeyes build out a top-15 secondary in the country this time around? Will Denzel Burke play his way into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft? And how will the Buckeyes finish this recruiting cycle at cornerback?

Those three questions are explored in a round of Lettermen Row predictions for “Cornerbacks Week.”

Check it out here.

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Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 42 days
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