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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Ohio State

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01/23/23 - Josh Proctor, rSr/2024, Ohio State + More +

Josh Proctor will be returning for a sixth season as an Ohio State football player, according to the Columbus Dispatch. His return - despite participating in senior day - provides some added depth to a safety room already losing two starters in Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCalister. Proctor was expected to be a starter for the Buckeyes in 2022 and came into the season as such. But one bad play against Notre Dame opened the door for Lathan Ransom to demand more playing time, and he gradually started to take on more over time.

That meant less for Proctor, who finished the season playing just 192 snaps in eight games, with most of his time being spent on special teams. He only played over 20 snaps in a game three times all year, finishing with 21 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups. His 2022 season was much different than what his role would've been in 2021 had he not broken his leg in the second game of the season against Oregon. His absence that year was only part of the reason why OSU's defense wasn't up to par. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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FS Josh Proctor, Ohio State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/20/23 - Tristan Gebbia, rSr/2024, Ohio State + More +

Ohio State is adding a veteran to its quarterback room. Tristan Gebbia, who spent five seasons at Oregon State before putting his name in the NCAA transfer portal two weeks ago, is joining the Buckeyes for his final season of eligibility. "I am excited to get started on this new journey," he wrote in an announcement posted on Twitter on Wednesday. The expected arrival of Gebbia provides the Buckeyes with additional depth at the position with Kyle McCord and Devin Brown to compete this offseason to replace C.J. Stroud as their starting quarterback. Stroud, who starred for two seasons behind center and became the most efficient passer in program history, declared for the NFL draft on Monday.

Gebbia has some starting experience, having started five games for the Beavers in 2019 and 2020, but had slid down the depth chart in recent seasons after tearing a hamstring. Rehabilitation from the injury sidelined him for all of 2021, and he appeared in only four games last fall. Despite losing the starting job, he was selected as a team captain for three straight seasons. Over his career with the Beavers, he completed 128 of 200 passes for 1,250 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. - Columbus Dispatch

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QB Tristan Gebbia, Ohio State
News Source: Columbus Dispatch
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01/19/23 - Lathan Ransom, rSr/2025, Ohio State + More +

Lathan Ransom's final impression from the 2022 season involved a stumble and fall, but that was not the sequence that defined the Ohio State football safety's season. That came a month prior to the Peach Bowl, when the Buckeyes were trailing 14-10 at Maryland. Ransom took down tight end C.J. Dippre for an 8-yard loss on second down, which eventually led to a Terrapins punt attempt. Then, for the second time in as many games, Ransom raced in off the edge and blocked the punt, setting OSU up for a go-ahead touchdown. Oh, and Ransom had only recently returned to the game after missing two series - not for performance reasons, but because he needed to have a cast put on the thumb he'd just broken.

Ransom's playmaking skills provided a needed jolt to the Buckeyes' secondary. Now the season's best comeback story becomes 2023?s source of stability and continuity. The safety group enters an offseason of transition and turnover. Ransom's decision to stay for a fourth season rather than pursue the NFL Draft makes him the most tenured contributor in that room. He also possesses upside that could make him a better pro prospect one year from now. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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SS Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/18/23 - Tommy Eichenberg, rSr/2024, Ohio State + More +

The Buckeyes might lay claim to the Big Ten's best linebacking group with the return of Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers. The starting tandem smothered ball carriers throughout this past season, one of the biggest areas of improvement for a defense that had been gashed often in the previous year before Jim Knowles took over as defensive coordinator to rebuild that side of the ball. In a conference filled with run-heavy offenses, they remain well-positioned to bottle up most backs.

Expect Eichenberg, who was among the most productive tacklers in the Football Bowl Subdivision, to be among the preseason favorites for the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker and possibly the biggest star for Ohio State on defense since Chase Young lined up on the edge in 2019. His presence should further help with continuity and leadership as the Buckeyes transition into the second year of Knowles' system. - Columbus Dispatch

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ILB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
News Source: Columbus Dispatch
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01/18/23 - Kamryn Babb, rSr/2023, Ohio State + More +

Ohio State wide receiver Kamryn Babb announced on Tuesday he won't return next season, forgoing the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to all players in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. "I'm excited to start the next chapter that God has for me by sharing my story with the world," Babb said in a video posted on his social media accounts. Injuries, which included four anterior cruciate ligament surgeries, mired much of Babb's five seasons with the Buckeyes, but his perseverance made him an inspiration to teammates and led him to twice be selected as one of the team captains.

Babb also became the recipient of the Block "O" jersey this past fall, an honor given in recent seasons in recognition of legendary Ohio State lineman Bill Willis. He caught his first career pass late in a blowout win over Indiana in November when quarterback C.J. Stroud found him in a corner of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown. A mob of teammates immediately mobbed him in celebration. - Columbus Dispatch

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WR Kamryn Babb, Ohio State
News Source: Columbus Dispatch
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01/17/23 - Lathan Ransom, rSr/2025, Ohio State + More +

Lathan Ransom was one of Ohio State football's more inspiring stories on the 2022 defense. He will now be expected to lead the 2023 defense as one of its proven veterans. Ransom's father, Nathan, confirmed to the Columbus Dispatch that his son will be back with the Buckeyes for a fourth season this fall. Monday is the deadline for third-year players to enter April's NFL Draft. Ransom had blossomed into a potential draft prospect this season while playing the Bandit safety position in Jim Knowles' new defense. He was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's top defensive back. That was quite a climb from where Ransom's 2021 season ended.

His ability to contribute at the start of last season was still in doubt as preseason camp began. Ransom suffered a compound leg fracture while covering a kickoff against Utah in the Rose Bowl last Jan. 1. The injury required surgery, and Ransom remained sidelined in the spring as new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles evaluated talent and installed his system. By preseason camp, however, Ransom had returned to practice. On opening night against Notre Dame, he took over at Bandit safety on the second play of the game. He went on to start nine of the 12 games in which he played, including the final eight of the season. Ransom finished third in tackles with 74, along with 1.5 sacks, one interception, three pass breakups and two blocked punts. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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SS Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/16/23 - *C.J. Stroud, rSo/2023, Ohio State + More +

Ending mounting drama, Ohio State redshirt sophomore quarterback C.J. Stroud announced on social media Monday morning he will forgo his final three years of eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft, where he is projected to be a top-10 pick. Drama had been increasing in advance of the Monday deadline as theories and conjecture discussed NIL money and a bigger college legacy might get him to return. A former four-star prospect from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Stroud finishes his career as the only two-time Heisman Trophy finalist in school history after throwing for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in 25 games as a starter.

Stroud's Twitter statement: "First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for blessing me with health, favor and opportunity. To my family, thank you for laying the foundation on which I stand. Through all the uncertainties one thing was always certain, our love for on another. Thank you for always believing and supporting me. To my teammates, coaches, strength staff, nutritionists, academic advisors, support team, and everyone that works at the WHAC, thak you for building that young 18 year old redshirt into the man I am today. To Buckeye Nation, it's been a hell of a ride. To the students, alumni, and all of THE Ohio State fans, thank you for welcoming a kid from Cali into the Buckeye family. This Process has been difficult, and the decision, one of the hardest I've ever had to make. As a kid I dreamed of playing football at the highest level and after much prayer, I'd made the decision that it's time to turn those dreams into a reality. With that said, I am declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft. This ain't goodbye...Buckeye For Life!" - Frank Cooney, NFL Draft Scout/Stroud's Twitter

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QB *C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
News Source: Frank Cooney, NFL Draft Scout/Stroud's Twitter
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01/16/23 - Lathan Ransom, rSr/2025, Ohio State + More +

Ohio State will have at least one returning starting safety for next fall. Lathan Ransom, who started nine games as the strong safety this past season, is returning to school, putting off entering the NFL draft after being eligible for the first time. His father, Nathan, confirmed his return in a text message with The Dispatch on Monday, the deadline for underclassmen to file paperwork for early entry into the draft.

Ransom overcame a broken leg to break out as a redshirt sophomore, a gruesome injury suffered while covering a kickoff in last year's Rose Bowl win over Utah, and stepped up as one of the most productive players on an improved defense under new coordinator Jim Knowles. He finished with 74 tackles, the third-most among the Buckeyes' defenders behind only run-stuffing linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers, and was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. - The Columbus Dispatch

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SS Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
News Source: The Columbus Dispatch
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01/16/23 - *C.J. Stroud, rSo/2023, Ohio State + More +

Tick, tick, tick. Today, Monday Jan. 16, is the deadline for college football underclassmen to officially declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. There are rumblings that Ohio State quarterback C. J. Stroud will return to the Buckeyes for big NIL money and a chance to enhance his college legacy. Early today, one of Ohio State's biggest Name, Image and Likeness influences, Brian Schottenstein, tweeted out a cryptic message that is likely Stroud-related."Got some big news today..." he tweeted. The deadline to announce a 2023 NFL Draft decision is on Monday. ESPN's Peter Burns tweeted: "If it doesn't happen with CJ Stroud, it will just be a matter of time. Sooner or later a Top 10 NFL draft pick (QB) is going to forgo the NFL to play one more season in CFB. Would have to imagine it would need to be a NIL package of over $15M. Worth it for a school? Likely." Stay tuned. - Frank Cooney, NFL Draft Scout

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QB *C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
News Source: Frank Cooney, NFL Draft Scout
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01/15/23 - *C.J. Stroud, rSo/2023, Ohio State + More +

Most of Ohio State football's eligible players have announced their intentions for April's NFL Draft - with one very notable exception. In fact, 29 of the 32 players listed in the first round of a new CBS mock draft Friday have declared their entry. Two of the exceptions are receivers Jordan Addison of USC and Quentin Johnson of TCU, projected as mid first-round selections. The other is Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud, frequently listed among the contenders to go No. 1 overall. Stroud's departure for the draft after three seasons has been considered a formality since, at the latest, his transformation into a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2021. The widespread certainty only grew when he followed up with another strong season.

His presence as one of the top three quarterbacks in this draft - along with Kentucky's Will Levis and Alabama's Bryce Young - is shaping the conversation around several NFL franchises this winter. Yet Stroud has deliberated more than expected on this decision. The deadline for early entry - players leaving after their third year of college - is Monday. There is precedent here. Other no-doubt NFL quarterback talents have come back for an extra year. Peyton Manning did it at Tennessee a generation ago, and things worked out fine for him long term. Andrew Luck was expected to go No. 1 overall in 2011, stayed at Stanford, and went No. 1 the next year. Oregon's Justin Herbert might have been the top quarterback taken in a somewhat soft 2019 class, but held off to go sixth overall in 2020. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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QB *C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/15/23 - Miyan Williams, rJr/2024, Ohio State + More +

Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, coming off an injury-hampered 2022 season, thinks he is ready for a challenge in 2023. And he may get one. Running back Miyan Williams announced he would return instead of pursuing the NFL. Dallan Hayden impressed as a freshman. Henderson welcomes the challenge. "I want it bad," he said. "I'll do anything, and I'm going to definitely do what I've got to do. Some people know who I am, and I'm going to definitely show that again next year." - Columbus Dispatch

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RB Miyan Williams, Ohio State
News Source: Columbus Dispatch
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01/12/23 - Tommy Eichenberg, rSr/2024, Ohio State + More +

Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg is returning to Ohio State for a fifth season, an announcement that marks a significant boost for the Buckeyes' defense. "After a lot of consideration and thought, I've decided to return for a final season at Ohio State," Eichenberg wrote in a post on Instagram on Thursday. "Back to work. Go Bucks."

As a breakout star last fall, Eichenberg was the centerpiece of the improvement the Buckeyes showed on that side of the ball in their first season under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. He made 120 tackles, a total that ranked among the most of all players within the Football Bowl Subdivision. In the Big Ten, only Iowa's Jack Campbell, who was the recipient of the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker, finished with more tackles. - The Columbus Dispatch

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ILB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
News Source: The Columbus Dispatch
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01/12/23 - Matthew Jones, rSr/2024, Ohio State + More +

Ohio State football will have two starters back on its 2023 offensive line, thanks to Matt Jones' decision to extend his career. Jones announced Wednesday he will put of the NFL Draft and return to the Buckeyes for a sixth season. The returning starter at right guard joins left guard Donovan Jackson as holdovers for this fall as Ohio State prepares to replace tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones and center Luke Wypler.

"Although i have dreams and aspirations to play in the NFL, my college chapter does not close here," Jones wrote on Twitter. With that being said, I will be returning to the Ohio State University for the 2023 season. It's God's plan and the brotherhood. I have unfinished business to take care of." Matt Jones emerged in 2021 as a utility man of sorts, filling in at multiple interior spots on the offensive line. He secured the starting right guard job last spring and turned in a second-team All-Big Ten season. Had Matt Jones not returned, OSU would have looked for new starters at four offensive line positions. Attempts to add more bodies through the transfer portal have fallen short. Starting experience among the returning reserve group is extremely limited. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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OG Matthew Jones, Ohio State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/12/23 - Dawand Jones, Sr/2023, Ohio State + More +

Dawand Jones came to Ohio State football as a project, an offensive lineman with the heart and mobility of a basketball player and the body of a small mountain. He leaves the Buckeyes as a down-ballot All-American and likely an early round NFL Draft pick. As expected, Jones announced Wednesday that he will conclude his college career by entering April's draft. Jones was ranked No. 1,043 in the 247Sports national composite for the 2019 class. Pushing 380 pounds at the time, the 6-foot-8 talent from Indianapolis had outgrown his basketball dreams while developing into a college prospect late in his high school career. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State
News Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
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01/12/23 - *Luke Wypler, rSo/2023, Ohio State + More +

Luke Wypler was a someone unexpected answer to Ohio State football's center needs in 2021 and emerged as a leading voice in 2022. In 2023, the New Jersey native will be in the NFL. Wypler announced Tuesday night he will enter his name in April's draft and forego his remaining college eligibility. Wypler spent the past two seasons as OSU's starting center. He took over late in preseason camp when presumptive starter Harry Miller stepped away from football. He started the next 26 games and emerged as one of the best centers in the Big Ten.

Ohio State's last three starting centers have all been relatively high NFL Draft picks. Pat Elflein was a third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2017. Billy Price went in the first round to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018. The Green Bay Packers took Josh Myers in the second round in 2021. Preceding them, Corey Linsley was a fifth-round choice of the Packers in 2014 and went on to become the NFL's highest-paid center. Wypler followed their examples with the Buckeyes, and will attempt to do the same in the pros. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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