NFL Scouting Combine: It All Begins Here #NFLCombine

By Alex Hale, @DaSportsGenius7

As we always anticipate in late February, yes it is time for teams to head to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for everyone's "favorite" event, the NFL Scouting Combine.  Fans will be tuning in to see who runs the fastest 40 time, while scouts will take that information in with other drills players will run.  At the end of all of this, teams will have a fair physical outlook of every prospect in this draft.  Now some players may choose to not participate and rely on their Pro Days, some may participate anyways.  Plus, we all are anticipating the annual winner of the now infamous, "Idiot Test".  The 40 yard dash now has a, "bounty" for the person who can best Chris Johnson's record time of 4.24, which will take up most of the TV time and will ignore other intriguing drills like "The Gauntlet" which is run by WRs.  The combine is one big circus, but out of all of this, I've managed to scrape up 5 names you know already to watch, and 5 sleepers to watch out for at the NFL Scouting Combine.


Top Prospects to Watch:

Jared Goff QB California- We all know about Jared Goff, the technically sound QB with a lightening quick release and ball placement that is undeniably the best in this class.  One of the things people question about Goff is how athletic is Goff?  Goff is deceptively quick and shows on film he can escape sacks and make plays on the run.  But can Goff run plays designed for a QB to run the football?  While most people will tell you to ignore the 40 time, what I will suggest is to not just look at Goff's 40 time, but his Agility Drills too.  Understanding how Goff ranks in both areas will show you not just how fast Goff can run, but more importantly how quick he is on his feet, which can turn Goff from POSSIBLY the #1 QB to the sure fire #1 QB in this draft.  All Goff needs to do is continue to show his passing ability and show he can run a little bit and he'll solidify his spot as the #1 QB.  One note to add: Watch Goff's hand size, one of the most underrated QB traits is hand size and if Goff has a smaller hand size that might translate into struggling in bad weather conditions.

Braxton Miller WR Ohio State- After an extremely strong Senior Bowl week, Braxton has found himself potentially as a 1st Round WR and rightfully so.  He showed the ability to get by defenders and make the plays downfield in the practices.  Now Miller has a golden opportunity to quite possibly do the unthinkable...become the 1st WR taken in the draft.  With recent reports saying LaQuon Treadwell has decided to not run at the Combine, this leaves the door open to another WR to take the spotlight from him.  Miller has enough size to go with his pure athletic ability to actually make the jump towards the middle of the 1st Round.  I fully expect Braxton to blow scouts away with his speed and ability in the drills.  I'll be looking at his High Jump to see how high Braxton can go up to get the ball.  That could really help him jump up in the draft.

Jack Conklin (Michigan State)/Taylor Decker (Ohio State)- I had to classify the two of them together because they're both in the same boat. Both men were standout LTs for their respective colleges, but both men are viewed by scouts as better RT prospects than LT prospects because they don't have the athletic ability to play over on the blind side.  On top of that, it's arguable these players are the #3 and #4 ranked OT in this draft.  With Laremy Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley clearly atop of the OT rankings, there's a major gap after those two.

 Someone needs to take advantage of the opportunity and I expect one of these two to fully do that.  The combine is a great opportunity for Offensive Linemen to show they have enough athleticism to potentially play on the blind side, and the ability to play the blind side can mean the difference from 1st Round pick to a 3rd Round pick.  This should be entertaining to watch between these two.

Noah Spence EDGE Eastern Kentucky- Spence, like his former OSU teammate Braxton Miller, dominated the Senior Bowl week and was by far the best player there.  Although Spence comes with his baggage, this is a great test for Spence to see where he's at.  Normally during the Combine there's always one top prospect who fails the so-called, "Idiot" Test.  Last year it was Shane Ray and it would be a damn shame for Spence to do it as well.  But if Spence has his act together, Spence has a chance to jump into the Top 10.  Seeing the talents of Von Miller and what he and the Denver pass rush brought, the NFL is in an era where a talent like Spence is extremely valuable.  While I expect him to show off his speed, I'm curious to see how he benches.  At only 6'2'' 254, he's going to have to show to go with his explosiveness the pure strength that he needs that will help him  handle bigger blockers he will face.  If he does that...watch out Oakman and Bosa, you got company.


The Land of The Unknowns:

Rashard Robinson CB LSU- The man already calling his shot saying he'll run the fastest 40 time, it really could benefit him being a big CB to begin with.  According to Dane Brugler, Robinson stands at 6'3'' 185, while NFL.com has him at 6'1'' 163.  I'm very curious to see what his height and weight are.  If Robinson is what Brugler has him at AND he runs the fastest 40 time, regardless of his skills and off field baggage, Robinson will make a major jump on draft boards by pure athletic skill.  Look at Justin Gilbert folks.  For Cornerbacks right now, people want to find the next Richard Sherman, the big athletic CB that teams can hopefully mold into a total shutdown cornerback.

Devontae Booker RB Utah- Ok we talk about Derrick Henry and Ezekiel Elliott, but we forget Booker was considered to be with Elliott the top RB in this class.  He showed the ability to run the ball effectively and also has the ability to receive out of the backfield.  I would look more towards his agility drills to see how he stacks up against the other RBs in this class.  At 5'11'' 219 lbs, he has the size to play the position, while I would like to see him add more muscle to his frame to potentially be a 3 down back prospect.  I have a 3rd Round grade on Booker and if the Browns look at add another RB in this class, Booker might be on their radar.

Kenny Lawler WR California- A lot of people like to talk about Jared Goff and how successful he was, but most people forget Kenny Lawler was Goff's red-zone target.  Over the past 2 seasons he caught 22 TDs.  While he never caught for over 1000 yards, Lawler has shown the ability to score when he needs to and that is a trait you need to find in big physical receivers.  At 6'3'' 195, Lawler has the size to play big at the position.  One thing to consider, California has produced some good receivers in recent years in Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones.  That always is a good sign knowing the school has a solid recent track record with WRs.

Jeff Driskel QB Louisiana Tech- Yeah, remember this guy at Florida?  The QB who took one of the best offenses in the country and destroyed it.  The question I think that remains after his outstanding turnaround at Louisiana Tech, was it the coaching or was it level of competition?  Driskel without a doubt has the size, arm strength, and athleticism to succeed in the NFL.  But those things have been said before, so it comes down to the interviews and workouts for Driskel.  Driskel needs to impress in team interviews and solidify his skills at the combine and I can see him moving up into the 4-5th Rounds.

William Henry DT/DE Michigan- Michigan fans can cheer all they want about getting Rashan Gary, this Michigan fan asks what could've been had Henry stayed in Ann Arbor.  Henry showed this past year he can play any of the D-Line positions and can cause havoc in the backfield.  Quite possibly Henry was the key to the whole Michigan defense last year (outside of the secondary).  Henry needs to impress at the agility drills because right now at his size (6'4'' 311 lbs), he's viewed as a potential 3-4 NT, but a good showing at the combine might have teams evaluate him more as a 3-4 DE or a 4-3 DT.  That right there might send his draft stock soaring.

While the Combine is hyped up to be this big time event that tells us everything we need to know on scouts, here's a friendly reminder...watch game film and see their Pro Days.  As helpful as the NFL Scouting Combine is, it's merely a tool for scouts.  The Combine doesn't define everything so if anyone stands out, take it with a grain of salt until you get all the information.  

But hey folks, it's NFL Draft season... LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

On The Mark 10.26.15: #Buckeyes v. #Rutgers Recap

J.T. Barrett solidifies the Buckeyes starting QB spot with 49-7 destruction of Rutgers
By @MarkW2112

J.T. Barrett came in to Saturday nights game against Rutgers Scarlet Knights as the starter for the first time this season.  He proved that he belongs there for the rest of the season as the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes destroyed Rutgers 49-7 in a game that wasn't even close.  From the moment Barrett stepped on to the field, you could sense that the offense was different with him in the game.  Barrett threw for 223 yards and 3 touchdown while running for 101 yards and 2 scores.

Ezekiel Elliot ran for 142 yards and 2 touchdown for his 13th consecutive 100 yard rushing game while Michael Thomas lead all receivers with 103 yards and a touchdown.  Braxton Miller, while not scoring a TD, made another impressive catch that bounced off his body but had enough concentration to make the highlight reel catch.

The Buckeyes defense, meanwhile,  Rutgers offense.  Starting QB Chris Laviano had no chance against Joey Bosa and the front line of the Buckeyes.  While the Buckeyes only had 2 sacks, they were in the face of Laviano for most of the game before being replaced by Hayden Rettig who helped give the Scarlet Knights a touchdown before the end of the game to wipe out the shutout.

My take:  The Buckeyes were firing on all cylinders with J.T. Barrett behind center.  He appeared to be confident and comfortable running the offense.  It appeared to inspire the whole team as the defense played its best game all year.  Rutgers had no chance against this mighty Buckeyes team.

Player of the game:  The entire Buckeyes team and coaching staff played and coached their best game of 2015.

Next for the Buckeyes:  a bye week for Halloween, then back at the Horseshoe to play Minnesota on November 7.

On The Mark 10.19.15 #Buckeyes v #PennState Recap

Buckeyes "Black Out" Penn State, 38-10
By @MarkW2112

In its first ever "Black Out The Shoe" night in Columbus, the Ohio State Buckeyes took the theme and (literally) ran with it as they defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 38-10 in front of a crowd wearing almost all black.  It truly was a site to behold, the complete opposite of the Lions now famous "white outs" in Happy Valley. 

While Cardale Jones (9-of-15 for 84 yards passing) was once again the starter, the night belonged to "red zone specialist" J.T. Barrett, who scored 3 touchdowns and threw one to Braxton Miller on the "Tebow leap" pass at the 2 yard line.  Barrett went 4-of-4 for 30 yards passing with another touchdown to Michael Thomas but it was his 102 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns in the red zone made him the better choice over Jones.  Ezekiel Elliot once again was amazingly solid, with 153 yards rushing and a touchdown.

The defense, led by Joey Bosa, dominated Penn State more often then not.  While there were some solid runs by Saquon Barkley, who ran for 194 yards, they were able to keep Christian Hackenberg in check, with him going 7-of-13 for 120 yards.  He was sacked 5 times, with one of them seeming to injure his leg. 

My take: Another dominating performance by the Buckeyes during a very cool "black out" at the Horseshoe.  That said, J.T. Barrett needs to be the starter from here on out.  The offense seems to run better with him behind center.  Nothing against Cardale Jones and his arm but Barrett's legs and quick thinking seem to be what the Buckeyes need.

Players of the game: J.T. Barrett, Ezekiel Elliot both get this honor for their hard work on offense.

Turning point: Every time J.T. Barrett got in to the game, the Buckeyes scored.

Next game: Another 8 PM game against Rutgers on ABC

On The Mark 10.11.15: #Buckeyes v. #Maryland Recap

Offense finally clicks for the Buckeyes in 49-28 victory against Maryland
By @MarkW2112

The Ohio State Buckeyes finally seemed to be click on offense, let by both Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett, in a 49-28 victory against the beleaguered Maryland Terrapins today at The Horseshoe in Columbus.  Jones threw for 291 yards and 2 touchdowns while J.T. Barrett only went 2-2 for 26 yards but ran for 3 touchdowns on 62 yards.  The Terps offense, however, also played well, led by Perry Hills.  While not very that spectacular throwing the ball, he did run for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns while passing for 1 touchdown. 

Ezekiel Elliot ran for 106 yards and a 2 touchdowns.  The highlight of the game for the Buckeyes was a spectacular catch by Braxton Miller, leaping high in to the air to catch a bullet thrown by Jones.  He then scored on a passing touchdown on the next play.  Michael Thomas also caught 7 passes for 107 yards.

The defense did have 4 sacks but, once again, was susceptible to the big plays, with Hills running free for huge gains.  It wasn't pretty but they were able to contain the Terps offense just enough to allow the offense to get going after the Terps tied it at 21 to start the third quarter.

My take:  Urban Meyer is trying everything he can to keep his team focused during a supposed "cupcake" schedule.  The Terps are not a good team but were still able to get 28 points on the board.  It was a good sign, however, how the offense finally seemed to come together.  With Cardale Jones doing more passing and J.T. Barrett more running, there is a balance to both of them playing on different occasions during the game.  After the success they had today, the Buckeyes, it appears, will use the 2 quarterbacks in the same fashion moving forward.

Player of the game:  J.T. Barrett, who ran for 3 touchdowns and seemed to spark the offense when they needed it.

Play of the game:  Braxton Miller's phenomenal open field catch.  Coming from a former quarterback makes it that much more impressive.

Next game:  against Penn State at Ohio Stadium next Saturday night at 8 PM

On The Mark 9.8.15: Ohio State #Buckeyes vs. Virginia Tech Recap

Cardale Jones, Braxton Miller shine for the Buckeyes in 42-24 revenge win against Virginia Tech
By @MarkW2112

Hello and welcome to another season of Buckeyes football!  It's been 8 long months since the Buckeyes won the first ever National Championship trophy and their first game of the 2015 season was a rematch against the Virginia Tech Hokies, who beat the Buckeyes in the second game of the year in Columbus. This year, it was the number 1 ranked Buckeyes who pulled out the big win, 42-24 in Blacksburg, VA.

Urban Meyer kept his starting quarterback a secret until the very first play of the Buckeyes offense.  But it really came as no surprise to see Cardale Jones, who had 3 of the greatest games in college history to end last season, as the starting quarterback.  And he started off this season where he left off, throwing amazing passes and running with power.  He finished the game 9/18 for 186 yards, 2 touchdowns and interception while carrying the ball 13 times for 99 yards and 1 touchdown.  While Jones was mostly solid, with an excellent pass and touchdown catch to Curtis Samuel, it was Braxton Miller who stole the show with 2 show stopping touchdowns.  The converted wide receiver caught 2 catches for 78 yards, including a fantastic 54 yard where he kept his balance while staying inbounds.  His second touchdown was on a spectacular 53 yard run which included an amazing spin move.  J.T. Barrett did come in during "garbage" time to throw a touchdown to Michael Thomas, making it 42-17. 

The defense struggled some after the Buckeyes went up 14-0 early in the first half, especially the secondary.  The Hokies, led by Michael Brewer at quarterback, scored 17 unanswered points before halftime.  While taking some big hits, Brewer was in control throwing some big time throws including a 51 yard touchdown to fullback Sam Rogers and another 1 yard TD before halftime to Ryan Malleck.  However, to start the second half, after saying during halftime that it would "take a hell of a lot more than that to take me out", Brewer was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury on a big hit by Adolphus Washington.  Junior quarterback Brenden Motley came in to the game and the Buckeyes defense were able to easily shut him down.  Motley finished 4 of 9 for 36 yards passing, a touchdown and an interception.

Thoughts:  The Buckeyes started out quickly on offense, lagged a little bit after being up 14-0 and showed in the second half  how powerful the  offense can be with 28 unanswered points until the very last few minutes where the Hokies scored a garbage time touchdown to make it 42-24 final.  Braxton Miller proved that he is still a dynamic player with his 2 show stopping touchdown plays.  Ezekiel Elliot was able to break away for an 80 yard touchdown run himself and finished with 122 rushing yards on 11 carries.  The possibilities are endless once Jalen Marshall and Cory Smith return next week.  As far as the defense, they were able to hold their own without Joey Bosa.  But with him coming back, look for a more disruptive defense to appear.  That said, there is work to be done in the secondary which got burned multiple times in the first half.

Player Of The Game:  Braxton Miller, who's conversion to receiver/h-back proved to be fluid with his big day both catching and running the ball for touchdowns.

Biggest Factor: The Hokies losing Michael Brewer was deflating for their offense, especially after getting them up 17-14 before the end of the first half.  

Up Next For The Buckeyes: the home opener at "The Shoe" in Columbus against Hawaii

#Buckeyes Preview 9.6.15: Ohio State @ Virginia Tech #Hokies

By @jddisantis

This Labor Day get the family time out of the way early because Monday night the National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes will try to avenge their only loss of last year by traveling to Blacksburg for a showdown with the Virginia Tech Hokies.   There is no shortage of storylines attached to the Buckeyes and their first test of the 2015 season.  Here is a breakdown of four areas of this game that I will be watching closely as the Buckeyes will attempt to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 14.

1.   Who’s under center?:   Everyone has heard the age-old-adage, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.”   Well, that’s not the case for the Buckeyes.  In the 2014 season we saw something that movies are made of as Ohio State had TWO quarterbacks go down to injury yet their third string QB, Cardale Jones, stepped up and won the Big Ten Championship, National Semifinal and National Championship with a combination of size and arm strength reminiscent of JaMarcus Russell.   With 2-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Braxton Miller moving to WR, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones have been battling it out this summer for the starting job.   After watching Cardale in the final three games of last year many fans forget that J.T. Barrett was himself a Heisman contender before getting injured late in the season. 

Urban Meyer said that both quarterbacks will play in this game and reports have said that he will notify Barrett and Jones on Saturday who will start, although he will not tell the team until Monday night before the game.   Both men have been very humble during this process and have shown 100% support for the other so whatever the outcome I don’t anticipate any animosity towards the other.  Personally I would go with Barrett (who was recently named a team captain) but how could you argue with either player. 

2.  How badly will the recent suspensions hurt Ohio State?:   This offseason four Ohio State players received one game suspensions for “violating Department of Athletics policy.”  It is believed that the violations involve marijuana and academics.  The biggest impact the Buckeyes will be missing is potential #1 overall pick in next year’s NFL draft, junior defensive end Joey Bosa.  Sophomore H-back Jalin Marshall, senior WR Corey Smith and junior H-back Dontre Wilson will also be missing in action against the Hokies.  With WR Noah Brown down for the year with a broken leg the suspensions of Marshall, Smith and Wilson hurt even more.  We can expect to see a healthy dose of newly transitioned Braxton Miller to make up for the loss along with the emergence and continued growth of WR Michael Thomas. 

Redshirt sophomore Sam Hubbard will be starting in place of Joey Bosa, with Jalyn Holmes getting time as well.  Despite not playing all last year Hubbard was compared to J.J. Watt by former assistant coach Kerry Coombs and coach Meyer has mentioned that he thought about burning Hubbard’s redshirt year because he knew Hubbard was an NFL caliber player who won’t end up staying for four years.  Hubbard had two sacks in the spring game and exhibited the type of talent that has coaches excited to see what he can do on the main stage.  The Buckeyes may not have Joey Bosa out there Monday night, but they just might have the next best thing.   

3.  Braxton Miller’s switch to WR/H-back:  This offseason was filled with rumors and questions about the two-time Big Ten Offensive POY.  Will Braxton compete for the starting QB at Ohio State?  Will he transfer to Oregon or FSU to play QB there?  All of those questions were answered when Braxton Miller said he would be staying at Ohio State and make a transition to WR.  This was a great business decision for Miller as his potential at QB in the NFL was minimal but as one of the best athletes in college football he will have an opportunity to showcase that athleticism and playmaking ability at a different position.  Due to his recent injuries I think many fans have forgotten just how dynamic a playmaker Braxton Miller is and he should get ample opportunities to remind the nation Monday night against the Hokies. 

4.  Michael Thomas vs. Kendall Fuller:  One of the best battles you will see this opening weekend and maybe all year will be between Ohio State’s top wide-out Michael Thomas and Virginia Tech’s All-ACC cornerback Kendall Fuller.  We’ll have to wait and see if Fuller is going to follow Thomas throughout this game but they will definitely see a lot of each other.  Fuller is a fluid athlete who has football in his DNA as all three of his brothers have played (two are currently playing) in the NFL.  Michael Thomas also has NFL DNA as he is the nephew of former NFL wide-out Keyshawn Johnson.  Thomas is a technician at the position and will try and use his 6-3, 210 pound frame to his advantage against the smaller, faster Fuller.  Kendall Fuller is being touted as a sure fire first rounder while ESPN’s Todd McShay has Michael Thomas ranked as his #1 WR on his big board.  Keep your eyes on these two players as this battle will surely have game, and draft implications. 

Leadoff with Lee 8.11.15

By @cleeverizon

- The good news for the Cleveland Cavaliers is Tristan Thompson will not play basketball for his native country Canada in the Olympics.

That bad news is he may not play for the Cavs beyond the 2015-2016 season, as it appears contract negotiations have stalled between the Cavs and Thompson.

Reports have surfaced Thompson is seeking a 5-year $94M contract. The Cavs have offered $80-$85M over 5 years. Thompson and agent Rich Paul is forcing the hand of the Cavaliers for them to offer him his $94M max. Unless he gets an offer he likes from the Cavs this summer, Thompson will likely have the incentive to use one of his available weapons and accept a one-year qualifying offer of $6.8M to get himself to unrestricted free agency next year.

"All I know is TT on Qualifying Offer will be his last year with the Cavs" said Rich Paul, Thompson’s agent.

So what do the Cavs do? Tristan can become a unrestricted free agent in 2016-2017 and go to a team like Orlando or Toronto.

Option B is to work out a long term deal with the Cavs and stay with a winner for years to come. I wonder how much say LeBron has in this situation.

- Former Carolina Panther and current Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith will retire at the end of the 2015 season.

He currently ranks 18th in NFL history in receptions (915), 14th in receiving yards (13,262) and 33rd in touchdown catches (73). Other career highlights include Smith being a 5x Pro Bowler, 2x First-team All-Pro and the 2005 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

- This is the Los Angeles stadium mockup from the “Carson Project” that will be presented today to NFL owners

- Here are the NFL standings for most arrests in the last 5 years:

-For those who missed it, this is the first official depth chart for the Cleveland Browns.

- Braxton Miller changed his number from 5 to 1, stating "It's a new era”. This comes after his position change from quarterback to H-back for his senior season.

Leadoff with Lee 4.1.15 #Buckeyes #Mariota #TigerWoods #AstonVilla

By @cleeverizon

- The NCAA has Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller on their radar. Last month Miller posted a picture on his Instagram account with a trainer and a table full of Advocare supplements. The NCAA allows athletes to be self employed, but they cannot use their status as an athlete for promotional use. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer did stated yesterday that he has been told that Miller will not lose any eligibility over the secondary infraction. It had also been reported that the NCAA may require a apology either in person or letter.

- Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant underwent successful bone graft surgery on his 5th metatarsal of his right foot yesterday. Now that the surgery has taken place his timetable to return is 4-6 months,which brings him returning in October at the latest.

- I'm not sure if Tiger is eyeing a return, but Tiger Woods played a 18 hole practice round at Augusta his agent confirmed yesterday. Woods has not committed to playing in the Master's Tournament next week, but he is an invited guest who requires no commitment to play. Tiger Woods has won the Masters tournament 4 times, with his last Masters championship in 2005.

- Former Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt Schaub has signed a 1-year, $3M contract to backup Joe Flacco in Baltimore.

- The NFL moved the free agent deadline from June 1st to May 12th. After June 1st, unrestricted free agents signed by other teams don't count toward the compensatory draft pick formula. By moving the date to May 12th, it allows teams to sign free agents without helping their old team and hurting their new one.

- Marcus Mariota announced that he will not attend the NFL draft in Chicago and will be home in Hawaii with his friends and family. Jameis Winston will also no be in attendance.

- Former Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner is set to sell Aston Villa for $223M. The deal is contingent that Villa remain in the Premier League. Lerner Purchased Villa in 2007 for $94M. He also sold the Browns to Jimmy Haslam in 2012 for $1B.

Leadoff with Lee 1.15.15 #Browns #OhioState #49ers

By @cleeverizon

- Greg Roman is officially off the table for the Browns. He will serve as offensive coordinator for Rex Ryan in Buffalo.

What's the next step for the Browns in hiring a new offensive coordinator? The Browns interviewed former Bears head coach Marc Trestman yesterday (a hire/interview I don't like) and Raiders QB coach John DeFilippo will interview Friday(a hire/interview I do like).

Other candidates that have been discussed are Anthony Lynn of the New York Jets, who had the Jets finishing third in the NFL in rushing with 142.5 yards per game in 2014, Cowboys assistants Bill Callahan and Scott Linehan, Raiders senior offensive assistant Al Saunders, and former Bills head coach Chan Gailey. Gailey has been highly recruited and is expected to be hired by new Jets coach Todd Bowles. The Browns will also interview their tight end coach Brian Angelichio.

- The 49ers promoted defensive line coach Jim Tomsula as their next head coach. Jack Del Rio was hired by the Raiders to become head coach. Todd Bowles was hired as head coach of the N.Y Jets.

- The 49ers parted ways with all of their assistant coaches except running back coach Tom Rathman. So that means former Browns head coach Eric Mangini is unemployed once again.

- Oregon QB Marcus Mariota announced he will forego his senior season and enter the 2015 NFL draft.

- The future of Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones is something everyone wants to know. Reports have surfaced that Jones is seeking a extension from the NFL to decide if he wants to declare for the draft. Obviously he wants to workout in front of some scouts and agents just to gauge where he is projected to be drafted.  

- Marc Bindel, who was J.T Barrett's offensive coordinator in high school, has been quoted as saying "Obviously it's nothing official, but right now J.T. told me that he expects both of them (Jones and Braxton Miller) to be back with him". That's the best problem a coach can have, a plug and play quarterback. If I were Cardale I would declare for the draft, If he feels that he's ready. If he wants another year of college under his belt, I would transfer to a D1-AA  school and light it up there. Remember Steve McNair from Alcorn State?

- Ohio State officially hired Tim Beck who will serve as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator. Ed Warinner was promoted from offensive line coach to co-offensive coordinator.      

- Nick Foligno of the Columbus Blue Jackets has been named team captain for All-Start weekend in Columbus. Team Foligno is going to be the home team and wear the black Reebok All-Star jersey.

On The Mark: 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes Preview

Ohio State Football 2014 Preview
By @MarkW2112

Hey all! Along with my Browns React articles, I will also be writing about the Buckeyes during their 2014 season on TripleThreatPodcast!

Well, I pretty much had to throw out my original draft of the Buckeyes season after the devastating season ending shoulder injury to Braxton Miller. In his place for this season (and perhaps the next 2-3) is J.T. Barrett, a freshman from Wichita Falls, Texas. J.T. red shirted last year for the Buckeyes and did not play a down. During his senior year at Rider High School in 2012, J.T. passed for 784 yards and 5 touchdowns while rushing for 569 yards and 7 touchdowns before going down with an injury in the fifth game. In other words, J.T. has not taken a snap in a game for nearly 2 years. However, he has received glowing reviews from the Buckeyes staff and worked with the first team during spring games as well as training camp.

J.T. will have some weapons to throw to on offense, including Devon Smith and Jeff Heurman. Returning running back Ezekiel Elliot will provide some explosion in the backfield should help J.T. as well. That said, he will also have an offensive line that only has 1 returning starter from last year. With Barrett and so many new starters on the o-line, it’s going to be a very bumpy start to the Buckeyes season offensively.

Last year, the Buckeyes defense looked very shaky at times, especially during the Big 10 Championship and Orange Bowl, where Sammy Watkins had a field day against a very inexperienced secondary that did not have Bradley Roby. Returning defensive ends Joey Bosa (after his 2 game suspension) and Noah Spence should lead a very nasty front 4 but new starters abound throughout the defense. Middle linebacker Curtis Grant could be pushed out of playing time by the nations number 1 linebacker prospect Raekwon McMillian. Cornerback Doran Grant will lead the secondary, starting opposite new starter Gareon Conley, who was a red shirt freshman last year.

Biggest season question: How long will it take for Barrett and the offense to click starting? The Navy game next weekend in Baltimore may be a bigger challenge than originally thought.

Biggest season question, Part 2: Can the defense, with its own question marks, be good enough to carry some of the weight left by an offense that could have issues to start the season?

Prediction: The Ohio State Buckeyes, with all of the uncertainty, still have a chance of going 10-2 this year. The good news is that by the Michigan game in November, the offense might be on all cylinders to perhaps win the Big 10 East title. However, it won’t be easy for them to win the Big 10 Championship in Indianapolis. Urban Meyer gets the best out of players, especially on offense. Let’s see if he can work some magic with J.T. Barrett.

No matter what happens, it’s great to have Buckeyes football back!

Leadoff with Lee 8.20.14

-Who is JT? Not the one who sings on Jay-Z's song "Holy Grail", in Justin Timberlake. But Ohio State might sip from the cup till it runneth over in JT Barrett. This redshirt freshman from Texas was the number one dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2013. This 4 start quarterback will be the head signal caller for the Bucks this season. Before his season ending injury in high school, he racked up 569 yards rushing, 784 yards passing and scored 13 touchdowns in 5 1/2 games for Rider high school. The consensus has been that Barrett is a cross between Kenny Guiton and Braxton Miller. Barrett's 40 time is in mid 4.6 second range. While he may not have a rocket arm like Miller, he can pick up the leadership role needed on this young team. Most fans are scared of his inexpirence at the college level, but remember, since he is a redshirt he already has one year of practice under his belt. It's going to be on the upperclassmen to help build his confidence up and rally behind someone who hasn't seen live game action literally since high school. Stay calm Buckeye fans, Urban Meyer knows what he is doing.

-Browns head coach Mike Pettine was not ready to announce who would be his starting quarterback at home versus the St. Louis Rams. Pettine simply stated, "I am not prepared to name a starter at this time". If I had to take a wild guess, Hoyer will start game 3 of the preseason this coming Saturday. But today and Thursdays practices will determine who the starter will be on this short week. Also I will predict if Hoyer gets the start Saturday, Manziel will start the last preseason game.

-Josh Gordon's appeal judgement should come down by Friday. Isn't this the end of the 1-3 week timeframe?

-Monday night's preseason game for the Browns against the Redskins was the second highest rated preseason game in ESPN history.

-ESPN and the Mid-American conference (MAC) agreed to a exclusive 13 year rights agreement that will end following the 2026-2027 season. The deal will include football, men's college basketball, Olympic sporting events and multiple mid-week college football games during the month of November.

-Over the weekend Tiger Woods pulled out of the Ryder cup and will shut it down until December to rehab his back. Tiger isn't expected to return to play until the first week of December when he'll play in his own tournament, the World Challenge at Isleworth, in Orlando Florida.

-After being down 5-0 at the end of the first, the Tribe rallied to a 7-5 win over the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. Indians starter Trevor Bauer got off to a rough start, pitching 4.2 innings and giving up 4 hits, 5 runs and earning 4 strikeouts. The Indians then used 7 different pitchers to close the deal with Kyle Crockett getting the win for the good guys, and Cody Allen getting his 16th save of the season. The series continues today at 8:05 in Minnesota.