London Merritt: The Next Big Thing for Ohio State?

London Merritt

The Ohio State University has a tradition of developing NFL defensive linemen and edge players. Names like Joey and Nick Bosa, Chase Young, and Zach Harrison are examples of Buckeyes wreaking havoc on quarterbacks. And they’re on the lookout for the next star to add to that legacy of prospects. London Merritt might just be their 2025 guy.

London Merritt

Merritt, an edge rusher rated four stars from IMG Academy, is regarded as one of the best players available in the 2025 class. More than 45 scholarship offers from universities including Alabama, Florida, USC, and Texas attest to his unquestionable potential. Ohio State stands out for Merritt, making them a contender in his recruitment over other programs.

“I’m really feeling Ohio State,” Merritt shared in a recent interview. “They’ve got a proven track record of developing defensive linemen into NFL players. Plus, the atmosphere there is awesome, and I really connect with the coaches.”

Coach Mike Peterson

Merritt has a particularly strong connection with Florida’s edge coach, Mike Peterson, who’s been recruiting him since Merritt was just a sophomore in Georgia. Peterson’s genuine personality and knowledge of the game have definitely won Merritt over.

“He is a very … Read more at FryingPanSports

Joey Bosa is off my draft board.

NOTE: On NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discussed the news of the day, injuries from the previous week, and previewed all of this week’s games including a detailed analysis of the Browns game.

Like most Ohio State fans, I was disappointed at the loss to the Spartans. But more than anything else I was shocked to see Joey Bosa fail to perform in the 1st big game of the season. For those of us that are draft-nicks, one thing that predicts failure in the NFL is failure in big games in college. A stiff can look good playing against the Sisters of the Perpetually Miserable. But how a player preforms against a big time opponent has always been an indicator of how that player would fair at the next level.

Bosa did nothing in the MSU game. That is all I needed to see to take him off my board. He might turn out to be a good or even great player. But I can not risk taking a player like that with a top 5 pick in the draft.

Samantha Bunten of NBC Sport and I wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.

That is Read more at FryingPanSports