Thoughts on these jerseys?
Been toying around w/ some ideas for an alternate and found my way to this set. I think there’s some interesting ideas here that could make for a fun fauxback/city edition kind of vibe. Not sure, let me know if i’m onto something. pic.twitter.com/x6PmDvB61e
— Joe Gemma (@JoeDGemma) March 5, 2025
I like ’em.
Heck, I love ’em!
Have a good Thursday.
THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. What makes Brian Hartline the best wide receivers coach in the nation? There are dozens of possible answers to that question, each of them a combination of Hartline’s recruiting, his room’s production at Ohio State and his room’s success at the next level.
In regard to that last part, Hartline has had seven players selected in the NFL draft since 2019: Parris Campbell (2019), Terry McLaurin (2019), K.J. Hill (2020), Garrett Wilson (2022), Chris Olave (2022), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024). Emeka Egbuka will increase that number to eight in April.
What has led Hartline to develop such NFL-ready prospects? Three NFL executives shared their answers with Andrew Gillis of cleveland.com at the combine last week:
Washington Commanders GM Adam Peters
“Brian Hartline’s a great coach — and he has been for a long time,” Peters said. “I think he pours his heart and soul into those guys and getting them ready for the NFL. And a lot of those guys have a lot of success early on. We had a couple of ‘em. You can ask any team, they’ll say they have a lot of respect for those guys and that staff — and him in particular.”
Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider
“He’s a great teacher,” Schneider said. “You talk about acquisition and development, they’re getting the best receivers. I was just in Dallas a couple weeks ago, and his son might go to Ohio State. He was telling me about the recruiting process, and they’re obviously very good evaluators and he’s such a great teacher, played the game, knows what it takes, there’s a mentality approach that they have. They just have that receiver swag about them. It feels like they come into the league ready to go.”
Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort
“It starts that they get talented players,” Ossenfort said. “They do a good job of developing guys — they’re playing in big important games. You give them a lot of resources to improve, I think you see what the results are.”
I love the second sentence in Peters’ quote – that Hartline pours his heart and soul into his players. That’s what being a coach is all about!
TWO ROUNDS, SIX BUCKEYES. In his first mock draft since the NFL Combine, Jordan Reid of ESPN has six Buckeyes coming off the board in the first two rounds: Emeka Egbuka, Josh Simmons, TreVeyon Henderson, Donovan Jackson, Quinshon Judkins and JT Tuimoloau. (NOTE: I did not forget to name Jack Sawyer, but apparently Reid did!)
Here’s where Reid has each of them landing the draft:
No. 26 – Emeka Egbuka to the Los Angeles Rams
With Cooper Kupp seemingly on his way out of L.A., the Rams have a void opposite Puka Nacua. Egbuka slots perfectly into Sean McVay’s offense as arguably the most polished receiver in this year’s class. A detailed route runner, Egbuka doesn’t have A-level burst but understands how to create separation against man coverage and find holes against zone. Egbuka also isn’t afraid to roll his sleeves up as a blocker — a requirement in McVay’s offense. He’s the perfect WR2 complement to pair with Nacua.
No. 31 – Josh Simmons to the Kansas City Chiefs
This past season showed how bad the Chiefs need a long-term answer at left tackle, and they would be jumping up and down if Simmons lasts this long. One of the few true left tackles in this class, he confirmed at the combine that he suffered a torn patellar tendon against Oregon on Oct. 12. If not for the injury, Simmons would have potentially been a top-10 pick — he didn’t allow a sack or pressure prior to going down. Instead, he would be a late-Day 1 steal here for a team that has to improve its pass protection.
No. 33 – TreVeyon Henderson to the Cleveland Browns
General manager Andrew Berry has already stated that Nick Chubb will be allowed to test free agency. The Browns waste little time finding their next star rusher in this mock, adding a fluid and well-rounded option in Henderson. He just cracks my top 50, as his receiving ability could aid Cleveland’s struggling pass game.
No. 39 – Donovan Jackson to the Chicago Bears
The Bears can add another option for their offensive line here, focusing their attention on a prospect whose draft stock skyrocketed since shifting from guard to tackle in the middle of last season. Jackson gives Chicago versatility as it tries to build the best protection for franchise QB Caleb Williams.
No. 44 – Quinshon Judkins to the Dallas Cowboys
Rico Dowdle quietly rushed for 1,079 yards, but he’s now a free agent. Even if he returns, the Cowboys should still take advantage of a deep RB class. Judkins is a physical runner who would bring plenty of upside to an offense that needs a strong run game to aid quarterback Dak Prescott.
No. 49 – JT Tuimoloau to the Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals can continue their defensive line makeover with Tuimoloau, a power rusher who has also proven to be a stout run defender. He uses strong hands to lock and shed blockers when setting the edge, and evaluators think he is NFL-ready because of his overall strength.
Before Reid’s mock draft, I hadn’t considered Egbuka as a potential Cooper Kupp replacement for the Los Angeles Rams. However, the comparisons between them are evident. Neither is known for being a deep threat but both are fluid route runners who can create separation against man, find the open field against zone and use their dependable hands to make catches, collect yards and score touchdowns. That’s not to mention that both are built like tanks – Kupp is 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, and Egbuka is 6-foot-1, 202 pounds – which allows them to be hard-nosed run blockers on the perimeter.
If Egbuka lands with the Rams, he will thrive with offensive mastermind Sean McVay as his head coach, future Pro Football Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford as his quarterback and All-Pro Puka Nacua as his running mate at wide receiver…
… but I also wouldn’t mind an Egbuka and JSN reunion in Seattle (the Seahawks have the No. 18 overall pick) or an Egbuka and C.J. Stroud reunion in Houston (the Texans have the No. 25 overall pick)!
REMEMBER WHEN…? Former Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard retired Wednesday after seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. In his retirement announcement, Hubbard said he “gave this game, this team and this city everything I had,” and that he plans to explore other business opportunities, further the mission of The Sam Hubbard Foundation and more in the future.
— Sam Hubbard (@Sam_Hubbard_) March 5, 2025
When I think of Hubbard, I don’t think about his 55 tackles for loss and 38.5 sacks in the league or the “Hubbard-Yard Dash” in Cincinnati’s 24-17 win over Baltimore in the 2023 NFL Wild Card Round.
Instead, I think of a moment Ohio State’s come-from-behind win over Penn State in 2017: When Hubbard tackled both quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley for loss, throwing the Nittany Lions off schedule and providing the Buckeyes with a chance to win the game on their next drive.
Spoiler: They did.
Thanks for the memories, Mr. Hubbard.
WHERE RUBBERDUCK MEETS HEISMAN. This September, former Ohio State quarterback and 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith will be at Canal Park for a special meet-and-greet with fans of the Cleveland Guardians’ Double-A affiliate, the Akron RubberDucks.
OH!
Troy Smith is coming to Canal Park to meet with the best fans in baseball! Purchase the Scarlet & Gray VIP package presented by @StateandFederal today!
: https://t.co/heavSZmKCq pic.twitter.com/teUS2PnCK0 — Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) March 3, 2025
“We are excited to welcome Troy Smith to Akron,” RubberDucks president and general manager Jim Pfander said in a statement. “It will be a real treat for our fans to meet a Heisman trophy winner at Canal Park. After Ohio State’s amazing run to the national championship, it will be awesome to bring Buckeye fans together to celebrate all things scarlet and gray on September 6.”
How can fans meet Smith?
The Scarlet and Gray VIP Package, available on the RubberDucks website.
What comes in the Scarlet and Gray VIP Package?
- A ticket located in Fowl Territory
- A guaranteed Troy Smith bobblehead
- A meet-and-greet with Troy Smith
- An autograph from Troy Smith
- A RubberDucks hat
- An all-you-can-eat picnic (hamburgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese, applesauce, barbecue pulled chicken, cookies, water and Coca-Cola products)
Sounds like a great deal to me!
SONG OF THE DAY. “Another Sad Love Song” – Toni Braxton.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Steve Carell surprises Southern California high school students with free prom tickets… The Mets have spent more in Steve Cohen’s four years than Marlins, Pirates and Rays over the past 21… Pokémon-shaped Cheeto, “Cheetozard,” sells at auction for $87,840…Ex-NFL player Pacman Jones reveals he never used his own urine in NFL drug tests.
