Sep 19, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Joey Bosa (97) tackles Northern Illinois Huskies punter Jake Ambrose on a botched snap during the second quarter at Ohio Stadium. The game is tied 10-10 at half. Photo Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Am I way off base by thinking Joey Bosa is being undervalued in this year’s NFL Draft?
Seriously, a guy that’s 6-foot-6, 275 pounds that has made a living out of sacking quarterbacks and tackling ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage for the past three years at Ohio State (yeah, Ohio flippin’ State), runs a 4.86 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and all of a sudden starts sliding down mock drafts?
Really? Why?
Before spring practices fired up all of the country prior to last season, every talent evaluator and knowledgeable football junkie in America was talking up this guy like he was the second coming of Lawrence Taylor after he played an instrumental role in Ohio State downing Alabama and Oregon to win the first-ever College Football Playoff.
Coming off a campaign in which he recorded 55 tackles, 13 ½ sacks, 21 ½ tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in the Buckeyes championship campaign, Bosa was simply dominant. Not only did he became just the 27th Ohio State player in 84 years to be named a unanimous All-American, but he also took home the Big Ten and the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year awards as a true sophomore.
Then came all the expectations in 2015 for Bosa, and the Buckeyes, to repeat the 2014 team’s success, but that’s not how things played out.
Despite being named a Big Ten first-team selection for the second consecutive season, Bosa’s numbers dipped to five sacks and 16 tackles for loss (13 ½ in Big Ten play, which led the conference) in his final stint in Columbus primarily due to being the focal point of every opposing team’s offense.
But personal numbers don’t always tell the story of how a player impacts a defense.
Consider this, when Bosa was on the field, he played a major role in Ohio State ranking second nationally in fewest points allowed (15.1), which tied national champion Alabama, in the team’s 12-1 campaign. And by taking on consistent double and even triple teams when opposing offenses went to the air, Bosa freed up his teammates, which allowed the Buckeyes to tally 38 sacks, which tied for ninth nationally.
In his three seasons at Ohio State, Bosa started 37 out of 41 games. He finished third on the school’s all-time sacks list (26), fourth in sack yardage (177 yards), fourth in tackles for loss (50 ½) and fourth in tackles for loss yardage (247). His five career forced fumbles led to 44 Buckeye points and during his three-year tenure playing for Urban Meyer, Ohio State had a combined record of 38-4.
Bosa has the strength and athletic ability to play end or outside linebacker in a 3-4, or he could be a prototypical end in a 4-3 defense. He could also move inside in either scheme in almost-certain passing situations (nickel and dime packages as well) due to his size and ability to get off blocks.
“I can see myself playing anywhere on the defensive line,” Bosa said at the NFL Combine. “I have been working standing up. I have been working on my linebacker drops. So I definitely believe I am ready to play in a 3-4 or 4-3.”
Look, players either enhance or diminish their stock year after year based on pre-draft workouts and testing. But teams with their minds set on drafting a player for a particular need, such as quarterback, like say, the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 this year, usually miss out on a great player and a safer pick like Bosa because they become fixated on drafting a player to fill a critical need.
Take the 2011 draft for instance. Tennessee and Jacksonville had the No. 8 and No. 10 picks respectively and both teams needed a quarterback. The Titans selected Jake Locker (out of the league) and the Jaguars took Blaine Gabbert (now with San Francisco). But here’s the kicker: All-Pro left tackle Tryon Smith went No. 9 overall to Dallas and All-Pro defensive tackle J.J. Watt went No. 11 overall to Houston.
Now in hindsight, it’s easy to second guess the decision-making of those two franchises with their two picks. But it just goes to show how a team can be set back for years by reaching for a player to fill a need when the best player available was potentially staring them right between the eyes.
“I do believe I am the best player in the draft,” Bosa said when asked where he stacks up with the rest of his draft class. “Of course, there’s a lot of amazing players in this draft and it’s going to be up to Tennessee to make that decision. But I think as a top player, if you don’t believe that, then there’s something wrong.”
Bosa is expected to go within the top five picks in April’s NFL Draft, but if he falls to say … Dallas, at No. 4 overall, the Cowboys would likely be ecstatic to get a player of his caliber at that spot.
After all, Bosa was in line to be the top pick last year and he’s ranked as Lindy’s top player in this year’s draft. But I guess a year’s time, or a disappointing 40 time, can change things. Just don’t expect it to change my opinion that Bosa should be the first player taken in April.
Twitter: @MattLowe777
