Now that the combine is over, what will your NFL hopeful Buckeyes be doing? They will be busy preparing for their pro day next Friday. They will also have the opportunity to schedule workouts with individual coaches from teams throughout the rest of the month.

NFL teams are allowed to bring in as many as 30 college players in April before the 14^th - one week prior to the first day of the draft. Teams are allowed to bring in these players to have another medical check-up and to visit with the coaches one more time.

Generally, NFL teams will have their draft board set by position and round at least one week prior to the beginning of the draft. The decision-makers will then spend the seven days prior running through different scenarios on who might be available for every pick, often performing mock drafts to see how the players at certain positions come off the board.

Here are some brief, general observations about your Buckeyes from the Indianapolis Scouting Combine:

• Thaddeus Gibson: Best suited as an OLB for a 3/4 team. He was really explosive coming out of his stance for his 40-yard dash. His 10- and 20-yard times had to be really good, although his 40-time was nothing exceptional. He confirmed his explosive athleticism and will not be on the board very long in the second round.
• Doug Worthington: Did not run or workout. I am unsure as to why? He did bench press, so it must be a lower body injury.
• Kurt Coleman: Back-up FS and special teams prospect. My initial high fifth round draft grade looks more and more appropriate for him. In the best case scenario, I could see him going in the third round, but that is highly unlikely. He was invisible at the Senior Bowl and injured at the combine. At this point, I just don’t see the exceptional physical qualities needed to develop into a starter at the next level.

Now, on to your comments from my last posting:

Davebucknut: I still disagree with you on Ballard; the guy has made a career at OSU by making ballerinaesqu catches, from T Smith, to Beockman, to Pryor.

I've met him twice and he is a very big, but lean body and the guy has a rediculous vertical leap- or did you not watch the Rose Bowl- besides the TE class is weak this year too IMHO.

I still say Ballard has a great Pro Day and he gets picked 4th to 6th round.

igo4osu: I agree with Davebucknut about Ballard. Kid is a TREMENDOUS athlete — for his size. It's not like we're comparing him to Terrelle Pryor but the kid should have a decent NFL career. We could have done a lot more with him at OSU and better prepared him for a position in the NFL.

osuwells: Ballard not athletic? What?!!?! Turn on this year's Rose Bowl and watch that catch. Turn on last year's Fiesta Bowl and watch that catch. Two obvious displays of freakish athleticism for a guy his size, and great hands. I don't know if he'll be drafted, but that last comment is stupid and not well informed.

Littlefield’s take: Last year, 19 tight ends were drafted but only two from the Big Ten. Beckum was invited to the combine, but Myers from Iowa was not. Beckum was drafted with the last pick of the third round, while Myers was drafted in the late sixth round.

This year, the Big Ten had four TEs attend the combine: Quarless, Moeaki, Graham, Hoomanawanui. Ballard is close to Hoomanawanui in terms of talent and pro potential. He is not even close to being as good as the other three players. I firmly believe he will be a free agent. But he could certainly be a sixth or seventh round pick if a NFL position coach falls in love with his potential to develop as an in-line blocker.

I went back to watch the catch in the fourth quarter against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl. He got about three inches off the ground to make that catch; not exactly a great example of premier athleticism for the position. He would have still caught the ball had he not jumped and just continued to run up the field with his out-stretched arms.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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Greetings, Bucknutters. I’ve been “on assignment” for a while but am back to spread the goodwill and cheer you have been accustomed to in this space.

My focus this time around is to shed some light on what NFL hopefuls are up to right now with the draft combine and NFL Draft looming in the weeks and months ahead.

Your senior and junior prospects who declared early for the draft are busy getting ready for the Indianapolis Scouting Combine, which runs from Feb. 24 - March 2.

By this time, all the players have selected agents and are busy training for the big job interview coming-up. They need to be in the best possible physical shape when they work out in front of every key NFL decision maker. They will also be preparing for interviews in different settings; they need to be ready for one-on-one interviews with position coaches, as well as group meetings in front of as many as 10-12 people in a small room. To make it even more difficult, players have little time to rest throughout the whole time in Indy, largely in order for teams to see how they respond when they're tired and under stressful conditions.

Most players really don't change how teams think about them much. Every year there are some players who show they are extremely knowledgeable about the game, their college offense/defense, and have an honest, realistic assessment of their own strengths and weaknesses moving forward. As a result of their strong performance on and off the field, they cement their draft status and may even move up the draft board a bit. Some players who fit in this category are former Wolverine Jake Long and former Badger Joe Thomas, to name two.

Unfortunately, there are also players who show up out-of-shape, ill-prepared, and borderline delusional about their ability and value to an NFL team. Some are simply naive, yet overconfident. Others are truly ignorant because they have surrounded themselves with cheerleaders who only tell them how great they are. This time also can reveal how poor a job their high school and college has done educating them and providing strong communication skills. It is truly a shame to see how some great athletes are moved along through our education system while wholly unprepared for life in the real world if football does not work out. I thought about naming a few players who really hurt themselves in recent years, but in the interest of not being sued, I will keep those names to myself.

The single most important reason and benefit of and for the combine is every team’s doctors and trainers do a thorough evaluation of every single prospect. Every year, players find out about conditions they didn't know they had, sometimes even possibly saving their lives. It also determines if players have problems that make them too great an injury risk until a certain round in the draft - or makes them completely undraftable. This is always a sour subject in April, when scouts find out a player they love has too much risk medically to draft high enough to be able to get him.

Every year there are players who have legitimate injuries who are simply unable to participate in the workouts. However, there are some players who get very bad advice from their agents and other close family/friends, who fake an injury so as to not workout in front of the entire league. It is really ironic to me; here we have players who have spent most of their lives competing to show how tough and talented they are yet when it comes to competing in shorts among a group of the best of the best in the entire country, some of them shut it down. Make no mistake: Every team notes those players who are afraid to compete with all eyes on them.

Some players and agents make a calculation that if they skip the workout in Indy, they will have more time to prepare for their on-campus pro day workout in March. This is a very dumb decision, especially if the player attends a lower-profile school. The reason is every school has a pro day in March or early April. There are only so many days in the month or five weeks to workout. There are obvious problems with great players at different schools in different parts of the country working out on the same day. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there is no place in the country where all the key decision-makers with every NFL team will be in the same place at the same time to watch a player workout. The best plan, in my opinion, is to workout in Indy, and then, if the player is not happy with his performance, he can workout at his pro day and hopefully perform better. Some schools even set-up two days in the month to give their guys another opportunity to do their best.

In order to be a successful NFL player with a long career, one has to be very mentally and physically tough. It is a very long season. No longer are players competing against college kids without a care in the world. Now, players are competing against grown men, many of whom have families, and will do whatever it takes to keep their roster spot. No matter how talented a college player is coming into an NFL locker room, if he is immature, naive, and ill-prepared to work hard to fight for a position on the team, he will fail. Simply look at how many first round draft picks fail. My opinion is it is not often due to a question of talent; more often it is due to poor intelligence, work habits, maturity, and competitiveness. Sometimes teams make mistakes and overvalue a player's talent, especially when they take a player high and then change his position (This is why it is so illogical and ignorant, in my opinion, when people talk about drafting QB Tim Tebow from Florida to play a position he has never player before in his life).

Critiquing Coleman

Safety Kurt Coleman should focus on improving his hip flexibility, change of direction ability, and transition skills as a coverage player. He appears to have a maxed-up, tight body, so he really needs to concentrate on his agility and flexibility. He does not need to simply life weights.

When I write critical things about the pro potential of a Buckeye, I am doing so based on what I see in evaluating the player. I have studied players in all professional leagues (CFL, XFL, AFL, NFL Europe), as well as many colleges across the country, but mainly in the Midwest. I have no bias for or against the Buckeyes. I respect and admire the coaches, players, and support staff who spend countless hours working hard to produce the best product on game days every fall.

Kurt Coleman in action at the Senior Bowl.

As I understand it, this graduating Buckeye class was one of the most successful classes in recent memory. That cannot be taken away from them, nor should it. In order to accurately evaluate a player, one has to be honest about a player's strengths and weaknesses when projecting him as an NFL prospect. By and large, NFL players are the best of the best. There are always exceptions with some players who may lack ideal height, weight, speed, or any other physical or athletic quality, but they generally have enough other dominant traits and compensating factors that allow them to be successful. Every year there are productive college players who simply lack too many necessary physical or athletic skills in order to make and/or be successful playing at the NFL level.

Given this, I did not allow myself to watch Kurt Coleman practice at the Senior Bowl last month. I asked the opinions of other former scouting counterparts currently with NFL teams and several inexperienced scouts affiliated with another media syndicate. The following is a loose compilation what they saw of Coleman in practice:

Safety Kurt Coleman [5-foot-10; 187 lbs.; 29 3/8 inch. Arm; 9 1/8 inch. Hand; clearly a maxed-out frame]

Practice Observations: He's small for an NFL CB, much less when considered as a SS. He did nothing to stand out in any way. He is an overrated player in the media and does not deserve to be considered any higher than the 4th or 5th round. Some guys even thought that he was more likely a 6th or 7th round prospect only.

My Senior Bowl evaluation of Coleman:

He looked small for the SS position, where he aligned during the game. He is a tight athlete who really struggles with his pursuit angles and change-of-direction ability on the move in space and in coverage.

In fairness to him, he really didn't have an opportunity to make a play. It wasn't like he missed a few tackles or blew coverages; he just didn't have any impact at all on defense. When compared to all the other top senior athletes from different schools around the country, he looked to be above average at best in terms of speed, quickness, and range. He showed me a choppy pedal, tight transition, and flat pursuit angles in space. He did play on some special teams units, but again, did not look special in any way.

To me, he clearly has some value as a backup safety and special teams player at the NFL level, but he is definitely not a can't-miss starting prospect. It's possible a team might take him in the late 3rd round but it is more likely that he will be a late 4th through early 6th round draft consideration this April.

Now, on to your comments:

Jimmy77: Jimmy Cordle was a 3=year starter, valuable player for the Bucks, and a good college lineman. The fact that he may not have a pro career does not diminish his contributions at OSU. Go Jimmy. Go Bucks.

Williab22: JC was a team player and bleads Scarlet and Grey… that's good enough for me and I wish him the best toward accomplishing a pro career.

kvs66: I really like Cordle as a person, but I always thought he lacked ability. I am surprised that Doug was rate much higher. Anderson Russell is a bigger joke yet, blowing the texas game and holding the record for dropped "pick sixes". Regardless, I appreciate the effort they all put forth to make the Buckeyes the best they could be with what they had to work with. There is a lot of talent coming up and the NFL will benefit in future seasons with quality OSU talent.

Harry Doyle 2010-01-24 10:02However Cordle has played on the the most successful class in Buckeye history and made his contributions with dignity and effort. Littlefield cleary has stated in the past he does not like Cordle's game or what he brings to the table. 'We've heard it already". 

Harry Doyle: A good article on Cordle - posted by SunsetBeachBuck eye in the front row … about him getting invited to the game - etc. 

"I know I'm not the greatest player in the world, but the center draft class this year is down from other years, and I feel I can be right there with everyone else," he said. "And when you're a three-year starter at Ohio State, you at least get a look."

Littlefield: I couldn't agree more. Cordle had a wonderful college career, and hopefully for his sake, he will have an opportunity to compete for a job at center with an NFL team. In an era with so many prima-donna players in all sports, he is a great example of a team player, for being selfless enough to play out at LT [not his natural position] most of the season, especially after coming back from a severe ankle injury. It's too bad he isn't Canadian, or else he could play for 15 years up in the CFL.

Ohioboy1: I hope Thad gets drafted that high because it makes us look better but Ive been looking at mock drafts and best players per position list and hes listed at like #16 as a rush DE/OLB because of his numbers and the fact that he hasnt really had a break out year…I hope those sites were wrong and he makes a ton of money and and surprises everyone and shows the nation what buckeyes can do

Littlefield: I would truly be shocked if he is still on the board when the 3rd round begins. It doesn't mean I am right, but I sure have a great deal of conviction about my opinion after watching nearly every game over the past two seasons. He has some rare athletic qualities to develop as a pass-rushing OLB for a 3/4 defense at the NFL level. He isn't as strong, but is definitely a more explosive athlete with better speed and quickness than former Wolverine Lamarr Woodley in my opinion.

Davebucknut: I think OSU will have 4 to 5 players drafted.
Gibson
Coleman
Worthington
Ballard- he had low stats, but the kid has awesome size and is more athletic than he was given credit for and everyone knows OSU doesn't throw to the TE so it's not his fault he had low stats.
Wilson- I know he was hurt a lot, but I think he'll get a shot as a 6th or 7th rounder.
Russell (maybe)
Cordle (maybe)
For OSU that is not a high number, but thankfully for us most of our best players are coming back.

Littlefield: I agree with you that most of your best players, excluding Gibson and Coleman, are coming back for the 2010 season. The season looks very, very promising, especially with the development of the most important player at the most important position, QB Terrelle Pryor.

We'll have to agree to disagree on Ballard and Cordle. I believe Ballard has an equal chance of being signed as a free agent TE as he does of some team trying to project and develop him as a RT with a year on the practice squad. And my eyes see a stiff, slow-footed TE in the games I saw. Forgive me, but I couldn't ever call him athletic from what I have seen over the course of his career.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Greetings, Bucknutters, I’m back again. You thought a little negative feedback would scare me away?

After patrolling the sideline for three days in Orlando during East-West Shrine Game practices, I have some observations and updates for you on the two Buckeyes on the team.

Here is what I saw:

Center/guard Jim Cordle:

He was able to work at both center and guard during the practices. He looked much more comfortable playing inside. The fact that he had to play left tackle for the last half of the season is a real indictment of the lack of talent and depth at the position for the Buckeyes.

Jim Cordle snaps the ball to Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka

Here in Orlando, Cordle was clearly overmatched athletically and in terms of strength during practice. After speaking with several of my former counterparts across the league, my evaluation of his ability and pro potential to develop has been confirmed. He may have a chance to be a free agent for a team this April, but he certainly has little chance of being drafted. He is simply too limited athletically to ever show enough improvement and be able to compete at the highest level of the sport.

Defensive tackle/defensive end Doug Worthington:

He had a dominant practice on Tuesday. Despite being a longer-legged guy with marginal lower body flexibility, he showed tremendous strength and power with his bull rush. He has such an advantage with his long arms that he can lock on and then rag doll the guard within a short area along the line of scrimmage.

Worthington has had a solid week at the Shrine Game.

He has some definite value as either a defensive tackle in a 4/3 scheme or as a defensive end in a 3/4 defense. He has the size, strength, instincts, and toughness to serve as a productive 20-25 play role player for an NFL team this fall.

In my mind, Worthington deserves strong draft consideration in rounds 5-7. He definitely helped himself this week.

That's it for now. I will be heading down to Mobile, Ala., on Sunday for three days of Senior Bowl practices. As of right now, I do not see any Buckeyes on the roster. I will report back next week with an evaluation from the sideline if Kurt Coleman gets added to the roster.

Response to some of your comments:

buck_i79: Sounds like there's a lot of people beating you up on here, so I want you to know that I've enjoyed your evaluations this season. Hopefully they continue next year.

Quick question though, not that I'm looking for myself, but how do you even get into the business of being a college scout?

Littlefield: There are many ways. Some are born into it. Many are former players or coaches. Some are just lucky enough to earn an opportunity as an intern, like me. I began as an intern in public relations right out of college back in 1995. Once in the building, I began to volunteer myself in scouting and coaching, mostly making photocopies, etc. I was fortunate to be around successful people, and I was willing to work hard for very little money for basically five full years. Then, I was able to work full-time for three years in pro scouting, followed by six years as a college scout. It is extremely competitive and can be highly satisfying, but is not a way to make money or to have a stable family life.

3296woody: Matt, I'm curious as to how much time is spent by scouts in the lower division's, like DII and DIII. With a guy like Piere Garcon in Indy are there more "looks" there than in the past. I played DIII and although I wouldn't have made the Xmas card list for the janitor of a pro team there is some skilled talent at that level. I realize Garcon might be a "one in a long time" so do they LOOK there or do they only go there based on a player showing up at a free agent camp.

Littlefield: Non-Division I major college athletes are evaluated. However, with roughly 92-93-percent of all NFL players coming from major Division I programs, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of time or money beating the bushes for one Pierre Garcon. For the thousand or more college senior football players who play at the lower levels, maybe five-10 get signed as free agents or are drafted late by a team yearly. A lot of times, players from the major conferences who get into trouble transfer down to lower levels. In that case, you have a player with character or personal problems playing against players with very little talent; it's not exactly cause for celebration or an indication of future success at the highest level of the sport. In general, any player with strong height, weight, speed measurables at the lower levels gets flagged heading into their senior seasons. The very best and most productive get a thorough evaluation by most every NFL team.

tolliver_542: Well Mr. Littlefield. I'm not ticked off as some of these people who want to hang you out to dry with a litter below to catch your last movement. I really didn't take offense to your prediction of a Buckeye Blow-out in the Rose Bowl, but I'm sure you knew what was coming after the way you constructed your Rose Bowl prediction. I still feel like you brought a lot of the animosity on yourself with the 'what the Buckeyes need to do to win' approach followed by a prediction that flew in the face of all that you had said.

All of THAT being said (by me), I am looking forward to your revised draft evaluation of Thad and the rest of the Seniors. Personally, I think this will be the first year in a long time that no Buckeyes will be taken in the 1st round. As good as Kurt is, I suspect his measurables will hurt him. And Thad never had a game that left me feeling like he'd be a 1st round pick WHEN he finally declared (I never had a doubt that he would declare).

I'll read you next time.

Littlefield: Thaddeus Gibson will be either a late first or second round pick this April. With nearly half of all NFL teams now playing a 3/4 defense at least part of the time, he fits as an OLB in that scheme. He has explosive athletic qualities with strong edge pass rush ability. He does not have the sack numbers of former Buckeye Vernon Gholston, but he is a much better pass rusher in my opinion. He gets constant pressure off the edge. He is athletic enough to drop into the flat in zone coverage without stumbling and falling down like some other OLB projections out there. Don't be too hard in your evaluation of this player. He has some rare qualities at a position that is now in more demand than ever in the NFL.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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OK, Bucknutters, for those of us still on speaking terms, here is a look at what NFL teams are doing between now and the NFL Draft to get ready for the annual talent show. I also have some answers to some questions I didn’t get to last time around.

The deadline for junior prospects to declare early is today (1/15) and then all players who do have three days to back out and return to school. The junior list should be complete by the middle of next week. NFL teams will likely have some, but not all, juniors evaluated off game tape by the end of the week. Scouts will have to work hard to gather background information over the next two months so they have been fully evaluated to the extent of the senior prospects.

Last month, early every NFL team met with their college area scouts to put up their initial draft board and player target lists by position. As a staff, they determined who needed additional evaluation in the upcoming all-star games. Next week is the East-West All-Star game and the following week is the Senior Bowl.

Most teams will then meet again for approximately two weeks in order to go over all the college seniors another time before the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The advantage of this process is scouts cannot allow the workouts in Indianapolis to influence their grades. Grades based on football played in pads should not be trumped by workouts in shorts after two or three months off to train. There will also be an initial review of all juniors who declared early. As mentioned above, there will be much more work to be done with the junior prospects through the end of March.

Some teams will bring in their entire college scouting staff for the entire month of April to go over every draft prospect with the coaching staff in great detail. Other teams will bring in their scouts for just a week or so for a quick review to make sure the draft board is set-up appropriately. And then, the draft begins. . .

Response to some of your comments:

Klmbball: I really don't want to read anything more about what Matt Littlefield has to say about predictions or player evaluating.

I spent 7 years playing professional baseball after college. What Matt won't get into with evaluating is the most important thing-you have to be close to the programs and players to determine it.

Once you get to the professional ranks, it's not about speed, size, etc.-except in rare circumstances. It comes down to determination, work ethic and heart. When a player doesn't pan out-it's usually one of these. He is not close enough to the players to write something about them that I will read.

Littlefield: I'm disappointed that you will no longer be reading this blog. I agree with you about the intangibles that determine success or failure in competitive sports. Unless you know someone on the team or directly involved in the program, I guess you will not find the information you are looking for. Good luck.

Grccoins: I still dont get the "blowout" reference to the LSU game I keep hearing. Losing by 2 TDs and outgaining your opponent does not qualify as a blowout. Florida and USC were blowouts (though some horrible refereeing helped USC). LSU and Texas were "losses."

Littlefield: The Buckeyes were down 31-10 mid-third quarter and 38-17 late in the fourth quarter against LSU. That constitutes a blowout in my view. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this. The Texas game was a close loss and obviously the USC loss at home last year was close.

Buckeast: Jimmy the Greek said; it's too unpredictable. But I say that if you do your homework instead of copying what some other knucklehead says you might look like you know what you're talking about. Everyone that said the Bucks would lose big were just wishful thinking … and you, Mr. Littlefield?

Littlefield: My prediction was a result of my own research and opinion. I don't copy anyone else. I am neither a "homer" nor a "hater" of the Buckeyes. I admire and respect their program but try to be completely objective with my analysis every time.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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Let me first say - clearly, emphatically, and unequivocally - that my bowl game prediction was really bad. Secondly, I did not lay out any reasons why I thought the game would finish with that final score. And lastly, I inexcusably put the wrong punter and kicker into the story. That last error will never ever occur again in this space.

I have chosen some of your comments to respond to while at the same time, breaking down the game from my perspective:

Reservemickey: The Bucks are not giving up 48 points and still be able to score 27. We don't give up that many plays. If the Ducks are scoring 48, they have either OWNED the time of possession or we have turned the ball over 5 times. Either way, I'm not sure how one of those two happen and then we still score 27 points.

Every aspect you spoke of seemed to play right into how the Buckeyes play football, yet you give a lopsided score like that. It just doesn't make sense.

Everyone has their opinion though. Mine is just always right :)

Littlefield: I truly believed after watching the Ducks against Arizona and Oregon State this year that they would be too explosive for the Buckeyes secondary.

I did NOT think that the Buckeye CBs or SS (Anderson Russell) would be able to tackle very well on the perimeter and in space downfield, giving the Ducks multiple big-play, quick TDs. They put up 47 points in dismantling the Trojans (I know the Buckeyes have a better defense). Looking back, the Buckeyes should have beaten the Trojans in Columbus – USC was NOT a great team this year...

buckeyefan3: I live in California and see a lot of Pac 10 football. Let's look at the bowls so far… Cal Loses big: Kind of predictable, with their up and down season. Arizona loses big… A team Oregon beat in double OT. Oregon State loses big… A team Oregon barely beat. All 3 teams gave up a lot of points to Oregon. All 3 teams gave up a lot of points in there bowl games.

They were not playing top 10 teams either. We will play our typical run-oriented offense against a very mediocre defense that could not stop Oregon State or Arizona. But the real key is the defense. I really think everyone is underestimating our defense. And I really think we will crush Masoli and the Duck offense… I am seeing something like 23 - 14… Just look at the Pac 10 Bowl scores so far. They tell the real story.

Littlefield: Nice prediction. You made a very detailed and rational case. Maybe you can make the bowl prediction next year.

Nlmoorefield: I am confused by your prediction. The line of scrimmage is where games are won and by your statements above it seems like we have the superior line on both sides. For us to lose by 21 points in your prediction, is it scheme, coaching, or something else?

Littlefield: Both teams I saw against the Ducks played with a 3-man front. I believed that the key to stopping the Ducks was to spread out with them and then tackle very well in space. I was dead wrong ... By the Buckeyes playing a four-man front all game, I believe they disrupted the true core of that Duck offense. They had a few explosive plays on the edge, but not enough, obviously.

Coachjenks: I agree that OSU has a chance to dominate the LOS defensively. In my estimation, it could be similar to the way Nebraska ate Arizona alive last night. What I don't understand is how you can make that observation and then say they should take one of the 4 DLmen off the field by staying in a 3 man front. Why would they do that? I understand making sure you have the personnel groupings on the field that match up with the O, but OSU doesn't need to take a DL of the field to accomplish that. At least not most of the night. 48? I'll believe that when I see it.

Littlefield: You were very astute in your analysis. I should have spoken with you before considering making a prediction.


Buckpak: Matt, you need to do a better job as a scout than what you have done for this piece. Justin Kahut and Johnny Hekker both play for Oregon State, not Oregon. Now fans can and will even question your prediction more. OSU's defense is too good to give that many points. GO BUCKS.

Littlefield: Thank you very much for catching this egregious error … There is no excuse for it. I did not do a good job of proofing my blog before sending it in. I was writing reports on the senior prospects for the Beavers, before switching to the Oregon bowl preview. I know that I am going to make mistakes again in the future, but they won't be due to a lack of proofing, I assure you.

buckuno4511: Can't believe this guy thinks we will get blown even though he writes, "the buckeyes should be able to dominate the line of scrimmage all game." I can't wait to hear all the pundits ADMIT THEY WERE WRONG after our defense controls the game and we win by 10.

Littlefield: The Ducks offense plays fastbreak ball on the perimeter and hits creases fast inside. The Buckeyes defense disrupted everything the Ducks did well in the past by playing four big, strong players up front. In general, most of the Pac-10 plays with undersized, fast defenses and no one has a defensive line like Ohio State. You were right on with your prediction.

I was wrong... Well done.

tolliver_542: Matt, I'm not like some of the other posters on this site who will want to filet you alive for predicting another blow-out with Ohio State on the losing end, here. But, your entire post points to what Ohio State must do to win, and then you pick a 21 point victory for Oregon without explanation. You're opening yourself-up for a massive amount of criticism here.

Littlefield: I thought that the Bucks would be ultra-conservative on offense, like usual, especially when I heard about the Pryor knee injury. I thought they would grind it out, but not score very much early. On defense, I thought they would play tough on early downs, but give up a couple big-play TDs.

Then I thought the "here we go again" feeling would come back, remembering the blowout losses to Florida and LSU in recent years. I thought the Ducks would get to the perimeter and into the secondary for big chunks of yards due to my lack of confidence in the tackling of the DBs in space. I thought the Bucks would score 27 points because I thought the Ducks defense was really not very talented. I also thought there might be some crazy INT, fumble, or kick return TD against the Bucks (almost happened on first pass of night - just like USC game).

The offensive game plan was brilliant because it went against so many strong tendencies. The last time I thought Tressel went in with a plan to be aggressive, Pryor couldn't handle the responsibility and turned it over so many times that they lost to the Boilermakers. As I recall, didn't the defense play with a 3-man front most of that game, too? The defensive linemen were cut down a lot and it allowed for too many cracks for the very mobile Joey Elliott to scramble through, extending drives. Masoli is a much more explosive athlete and a better runner than Elliott.

Just as honest criticism is made when things go wrong, the opposite must be true. The Buckeyes were extremely focused, disciplined, and well prepared for that game. The really scary thing for the rest of the country is just how good this team will be over the next two years. They will really only miss Thaddeus Gibson and Kurt Coleman as players. It looks like three tough games next season: Miami (Fla.) at home and Wisconsin and Iowa on the road.

I think that a 21 point win for the Ducks is possible, but not likely. Granted, I am looking at it through scarlet-colored glasses, but I just don't see this veteran Ohio State defense giving-up 48 points. I definitely see that Ohio State could easily score 21 or fewer points, but I don't see where you get Oregon scoring 48. Could you expound on your score prediction a little bit?

Littlefield: See above.

Seafus26: Mr. Littlefield, can I ask you to provide us with something? Will you go through the rosters and show who has more NFL talent consideration at positions for the next 3 drafts? In doing so I think the ducks take the TE position (because we have nothing after Ballard, Stoneburner looks scared) and maybe running back (but if you consider depth down to Berry we take but those guys won't be playing). That being said is everyone projecting oregon to be so much better in this game due to their scheme, system or let's just say it…coaching ?

Littlefield: I think recent bowl history plays too great a role. I know that I was rooting for the Buckeyes against Florida and LSU, but they didn't fare well. The style of that Duck offense is tough to prepare for and defend against when you're not used to seeing it. It sure helped the Bucks and the Hawkeyes to have a month to prepare for their bowl games this season. If there were only a week to prepare in-season, the outcomes may have been different, who knows?

I believe, in my limited study of the Ducks, that their RBs are much better college players and better pro prospects than the current Buckeye runners. Otherwise, the Buckeyes probably have better prospects at nearly every position, or at least of similar value.

DetroitJim: I'm really dissapointed that you wrote this article… I've been a big fan of your player analyses but this rose bowl preview is going to be a huge hit to your credibility. I do hope you can recover because I like to reference your analysis when debating.

Littlefield: I hope to earn back your credibility and I truly appreciate your feedback. I am really impressed by the passion of Buckeye Nation...

Columbuck: In accordance with your player draft predictions and results of the game, can we expect OSU to have like 8 first rounders come April?

Littlefield: Gibson has a chance to slip into the end of the 1st round in April. He has a rare combination of explosiveness and speed as an OLB projection for a 3/4 defensive scheme like Pittsburgh. The Patriots typically want taller, bigger players for their scheme, but they have to be more flexible if they want to rush the passer better. They haven't drafted or developed an outside pass rusher since Willie McGinest back in 1994.

Whew! That's it for this week. Next week, I will take you all through what happens within a college scouting department over the next three months up until the draft.

As always, feel free to offer a suggested topic that interests you.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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O.K. Bucknutters, let’s remember what a scout’s job is: provide an honest (and hopefully accurate) evaluation of what is seen. Why do I bring that up? Just re-read this opening after you get to the end.

That being said, here is my preview of the Rose Bowl:

Ohio State Offense:

The Buckeyes will be facing an undersized, aggressive defense in Oregon. The Ducks dog, blitz, and penetrate on nearly every play. That also means if you can block them, there are big plays to be made down field via the ground or the air.

Their front four will be difficult for the Bucks OL to handle due to their speed and quickness. The Buckeyes will have to pound them right up the middle to eventually wear them down late. They may want to shorten down the splits by the offensive lineman in order to lessen the gaps for the Ducks to shoot through.

Pryor will have to get rid of the ball quickly, which opens up the underneath passing games to the TE, RBs, and shallow WR drag/crossing routes. No matter what happens, they have to stick with the running game in order to have a chance. They cannot simply play spread offense and throw every down. They cannot keep up with the Ducks offense. The Ducks defense lacks any great individual talents or collective position group strength, which is why they have to slant, stunt, and blitz a lot to disrupt opposing offenses.

Possible Game Plan?

Switch between having a FB or a slot WR and then run the ball with a combination of Pryor, Herron, and Saine to control the clock. They must take a chance for a big-play down the field to Posey off play-action at least once a quarter. They will need to keep Ballard in to help and whoever the RB is will have to be very quick to pick-up the right man in pass protection.

Ohio State Defense:

The Buckeyes defense will be tested like at no other time during the 2009 season. The Ducks are similar to what Michigan hopes to be someday on offense. They have the most dynamic, multi-threat QB in the entire country in Jeremiah Masoli. He isn't as big as Pryor, but is much more elusive in space.

Masoli is an accurate passer to all fields, which makes him very difficult to defend against. However, he has the bad habit of putting the ball on the ground, so there may be an opportunity for the Bucks to rip the ball/knock the ball out.

To make matters worse they have one of the best RB tandems in the country with LaMichael James and LeGarrette Blount. James has a great combination of speed, quickness, and elusiveness for a man of his size. Blount is a physical and aggressive runner with more speed than you would think possible for such a large man.

Their receivers are good, but not dominant as a group in my opinion. Their offensive line is not very good; the Buckeyes should be able to dominate the line of scrimmage all game. The Ducks will probably try to keep the DL spread-out all game so that they don't get dominated up front.

Possible Game Plan?

Play a lot of three man fronts with Rolle and Homan at linebacker and six DBs in the game. They will have to be able to tackle in space very well to have any chance to win this game. The Ducks will be able to gain yards, but the key is to make the tackle immediately after the catch. They will have to bend, but not break, in order to frustrate the Ducks and hopefully force some turnovers. If the Buckeyes get too aggressive with blitzes, they will open up big-play possibilities for the Ducks.

Ohio State Special Teams:

If Aaron Pettrey returns, that will bring some confidence back to the field goal unit. The punt team will have to punt directionally and force fair catches. Small would have had a big impact on either punt or kick returns but with him gone they are in trouble. The Ducks did allow a 77-yard kickoff return this season.

The Ducks lost their explosive return man in the third game of the season. His replacement, Kenjon Barner, has been nearly as good and he has a 100-yard kickoff return TD this season. Their field goal kicker, Morgan Flint, is very accurate under 50 yards. But their punter, Jackson Rice, has had a punt blocked this season. The Buckeyes may want to go for the block, rather than set up a return in this game.

Prediction:

Oregon 48, Ohio State 27

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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College juniors are allowed to petition a committee with the NFL to get their approximate draft value before deciding to leave college early. If Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson were to apply to this committee, and I was on it, here is the feedback I would provide for them:

Name: Cameron Heyward

Position: DE

Height/Weight/Speed (40 time): 6-foot-6 /287 lbs./4.90e

Career thus far: To date, Heyward has played in 38 games with 33 consecutive starts at either DE or DT. He has playing experience in both a 4/3 and a 3/4 defense in his career. He has 111 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 4 pass break-ups, and 2 forced fumbles thus far in his career.

Strengths: Size; arm length; lower body strength and flexibility; strong hands to hold point of attack against double teams; athletic ability; initial quickness and lateral quickness/change of direction ability; power/bull rusher from either inside/outside; instincts; effort/toughness/competes to finish to the ball; durability

Weaknesses: Edge rush speed/quickness/burst as 4/3 DE prospect; needs to stay on his feet and stop jumping in his play; needs more upper body physical development; long range to make plays on the opposite sideline and well down field

Summation: Heyward has a tall, athletic frame with very good arm length and some definite room to add to his upper body for the DE position for a 3/4 scheme at the NFL level. He is an outstanding overall athlete for his size with rare lower body flexibility and leverage for a man of his size. He has outstanding initial quickness, lateral quickness, and explosion/hip roll along the line of scrimmage as a run defender. He plays strong and physical with his hands to press the single blocker and to fight against the pressure of the double team, while holding his ground. He plays with a strong motor to chase down the line of scrimmage, despite not having great long range speed. He is a consistent and physical tackler in his play.

As a pass rusher, he has experience playing on the edge as well as inside. He has outstanding quickness and power to knock-back the single blocker to collapse pocket into the face of the QB. He has a strong rip/pull, club, and bull rush moves in his play. He lacks the speed, burst, and closing ability to be a strong pro prospect to consider as a 4/3 DE. He has the size and length to disrupt passing lanes and to knock down passes on the line of scrimmage. However, he has the bad habit of leaving his feet too often in his play, which leads to his losing contain and leverage. He is very effective on stunts/twists and other games as a pass rusher.

Overall, he will be a first-year starter at DE for a team that employs a 3/4 defensive scheme. He can get a little bigger and stronger, particularly in his upper body, but already has the instincts, lower body strength/flexibility, and toughness to be a 3-down starter at the NFL level next season.

NFL Comparison: He is a better pro prospect than former Wolverine Alan Branch, who was the first pick of the second round by the Cardinals back in 2007. The Cardinals also selected former Hurricane Calais Campbell in the second round, who has similar physical measurables.

Draft projection: Heyward should be a mid-first round draft pick by a team that runs a 3/4 defensive scheme. He does NOT have as high draft value for a team that runs a 4/3 defense. He can line up and play well at the NFL level next season. He has the natural size, strength, and instincts to tie-up blockers on the line of scrimmage, making the linebackers behind him and the defense as a whole very productive. He will likely not have overly impressive individual stats given the position/role he plays in a 3/4 scheme.

Name: Thaddeus Gibson

Position: OLB for a 3/4 defense

Height/Weight/Speed (40 time): 6-foot-2 /240 lbs./4.50e

Career thus far: To date, Gibson has played in 34 games with 22 consecutive starts at DE/OLB for the Buckeyes. He began his career as an OLB and special teams player before moving to DE in early 2008. He has 78 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 4 pass break-ups, and 1 INT thus far in his career.

Strengths: Size (OLB); thick, developed upper/lower physique; athletic ability; play speed; initial quickness/explosion/burst to close; lateral quickness/range in pursuit; quick/strong hands as rusher; zone drop athleticism; lower body flexibility/leg protect; motor to chase/finish to ball; edge pass rush ability/moves

Weaknesses: Size (DE); strength/bulk against double team as run defender at the point of attack; run read/recognition quickness/block shed ability; loses his focus/gets sloppy some in his play

Summation: Gibson is a two-year starter as the hybrid DE/OLB. He began his career as an OLB and special teams player, before moving to DE position in 2008. He has a strong, thick build with good arm length for the OLB position at the NFL level for a team that runs a 3/4 defensive scheme. He is an explosive, quick-twitch athlete with exceptional play speed, range, and burst to close in his play. He has outstanding lower body flexibility, lateral quickness, and change of direction ability on the move in space. He is most instinctive and productive as a pass rusher off the edge.

He has the strength and toughness to hold-up against a single blocker along the line of scrimmage as a run defender. However, he gets consistently over-powered against double-teams at the point of attack due to his lack of size. He shows inconsistent shed ability along the line of scrimmage once engaged with the blocker. He is very quick to flatten and close from the backside when unblocked. He has outstanding lateral quickness and lower-body flexibility to avoid the cut block in his pursuit. He is an aggressive and physical tackler, who often goes for the strip as well.

He is an explosive edge pass rusher from a 2-point stance. He can win consistently with his speed, quickness, flexibility, and agility off the edge. He has developed strong club/swim, rip/dip, rip/pull, and inside counter rush moves. He is also very effective on stunts/twists and other games. He is not as strong as a bull rusher, though. He shows the ability to drop into the flat or a short zone with good awareness and athleticism in space in limited opportunities.

Overall, he is a first-year starter at OLB for a team that runs a 3/4 scheme next fall. He has the size, strength, toughness, and athletic skills to be a very productive player in a scheme like Pittsburgh or Arizona employs. He does need to improve his fundamental techniques as a run defender, though.

NFL Comparison: He is a more explosive athlete and a better pass rusher than both San Diego’s Larry English and Green Bay’s Clay Matthews, who were mid-to-late first round draft picks last year.

Draft projection: Gibson should be a mid-to-late first round draft pick by a team that runs a 3/4 defensive scheme. He may slip into the second or third round if there are any underlying learning deficiencies or off-the-field character issues which come to light before the draft.

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Let’s be clear and objective: Iowa lost last weekend’s game - Ohio State didn't win it.

Allow me to state my case. First, a Hawkeye WR drops a TD pass on their second drive of the game and then they miss a 22-yard FG in the third quarter. College kickers probably make 98-percent of their field goals under 30 yards. The Hawkeyes went into The ‘Shoe with a QB making his first start and could have won if it weren't for a couple of unforced errors.

Now there is no doubt that the Hawkeyes got lucky on two plays during their tying TD drive in the fourth quarter. They were lucky that DE Nathan Williams was offsides after OLB Thaddeus Gibson returned an off-target screen pass for a TD. And they also benefitted by two Buckeye defenders knocking an easy INT into the air for Iowa TE Tony Moeaki to come down with for a 16-yard gain. K Devin Barclay did miss a 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but that would not have been a gimme kick even for the injured Aaron Pettrey.

For some reason, the Buckeyes really didn't blitz the young Hawkeye QB until that final TD drive in the fourth quarter. They really did not get any pressure with just their four DL, except for one play in the late second quarter DT Doug Worthington destroyed the Hawkeye center, forcing a high throw for an INT off a deflection. Uncharacteristically, they gave up two runs over 14 yards and two long pass plays (55 yds and 33 yds) - both in the second quarter. However, the Buckeyes red zone defense was dominant in this game. And OLB Ross Homan played a great game. He is really becoming an excellent all-around player.

When was the last time the Buckeyes completed seven passes among their RBs and TE in a game? The Hawkeyes played their safeties deep, thus denying the long pass play opportunities. QB Terrelle Pryor really made good decisions with the football in this game. He made accurate throws in the underneath-to-intermediate areas without trying to force balls into bad situations. He really showed great maturity and good judgment. He also made some very accurate throws from the pocket with good passing mechanics. Maybe the way he has played in the past four games is evidence that the young Buckeye QB has finally matured and understands how to play the position effectively.

And finally, I must beat the dead horse once again. It is true LT Jim Cordle battled on every play against a superior player in Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn. His effort and unselfishness to play out of his natural position is to be applauded. But please don't say that he played well. That is simply not being honest or accurate. Clayborn had 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, and tossed Cordle aside on nearly every play. Cordle did hook him inside on RB Brandon Saine's 49-yard TD run in the fourth quarter, though.

Scouting the Wolverines:

This is the biggest game of the year for the Wolverines. They have had a disappointing season both on and off the field. The best way for them to finish their season is to beat the Buckeyes in the Big House for a chance to go to a bowl game. The Bucks are going to get the best effort from the Wolverines this Saturday. They had better not be overconfident.

If Clayborn had a great game last week, as detailed above, then prepare yourselves for a dominant performance by DE Brandon Graham of the Wolverines. If he is left to be single blocked by Cordle, RT J.B. Shugarts, or RT Marcus Hall, the Bucks will be in big trouble. Graham is a better all-around player than Clayborn. He is more free to shoot the gap within their scheme and is more explosive off the edge as a pass rusher.

If Pryor can get some time, then he should be able to find open receivers downfield. The Wolverines have blown coverages and have had personnel problems in their secondary all season. I really like their match-ups, if they go with a three WR set with Saine in the backfield and Ballard on the line of scrimmage to help block the edge in pass protection.

The Buckeyes defense needs to prepare for the hurry-up, high-tempo, spread offense of the Wolverines. They will likely try to duplicate the success that Purdue had five weeks ago against the Buckeyes, and they have the QB and skill players to perhaps pull it off. If the Buckeyes rush three and drop eight back into coverage, QB Tate Forcier will be able to pick apart the soft spots of their zone defense underneath or else pull it down and run for positive yards. If the Buckeyes blitz five or six rushers, watch out for Forcier running or else completing a short pass, allowing his receiver to make yards after the catch. They are a dangerous offense when in-synch.

And a week after giving up a kickoff return for a TD, the Buckeyes face WR Darryl Stonum, who already has a 94-yard kickoff return TD this season. The Wolverines also have the best punter in the Big Ten, so there will be few chances for returns for WR Ray Small this week. They might be better off in trying to go all-out to block Michigan's punts, rather than in trying to set-up returns.

OK, that is behind us ... back to the countdown.

Last week, I gave you my top-rated draft eligible Buckeye: Kurt Coleman. But since we began the countdown, there is one Buckeye I did not include who I now believe has an NFL future. Here is a report on him and next week we will re-issue the rankings based on the entire regular season of film.

Name: Austin Spitler

Position: SLB/MLB

Height/Weight/Speed (40 time): 6-foot-2 /234 lbs./4.75e

Career thus far: To date, Spitler has played in 46 games nine starts at strong-side LB - all coming this season. He missed three games due to a knee sprain back in 2008. He has 78 tackles, 8 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 INT, and 1 PD thus far in his career.

Strengths: Size; arm length; positional versatility (SLB/MB); instincts vs. the run; strength at the point of attack competitiveness/effort/toughness in his play; underneath zone anticipation skills; special teams coverage value

Weaknesses: Athletic ability; play speed; lateral range; m/m cover skills; tight hips/transition/cod ability in space; tackling on the move in space; production mostly due to not being blocked; pass rush ability; limited career production

Summation: Spitler is a first-year starter at strong-side LB. He served as the back-up MB the previous three seasons, while playing on every special teams unit. He has a good frame with above average arm length, good overall upper/lower body thickness and definition, and little growth potential for the position at the next level. He has only average overall athletic ability, lateral range, and play speed to develop for the position at the NFL level. He has above average foot quickness with tight hips, which really limits his ability to quickly change direction on the move.

He has decent strength to hold the point of attack against the TE on the line of scrimmage. However, he is inconsistent in using his hands to shed quickly once engaged with the blocker. He is a strong, wrap-up tackler within the box, but struggles to secure the tackle on the move in space. He aligned at MLB some against New Mexico State and looked very instinctive, comfortable, and productive. He is a competitive, physical, and tough run defender.

He comes off-the-field for their sub packages. He is not a better coverage player then the other two linebackers, so he goes to the bench. He does show some underneath zone anticipation ability and awareness off play-action. However, he struggles to get depth quickly in his zone drop outside a short area. He lacks the ability to cover a RB/TE/slot WR in m/m coverage effectively. He gives a strong effort to rush the QB, but lacks the speed, burst, and cod ability to be real effective at it. He is also a solid and productive special teams player.

NFL Comparison: He reminds me of a combination of former Buckeye Robert Reynolds, who was a fifth round pick by the Titans back in 2004 and former Hawkeye Mike Humpal, who was a sixth round pick by the Steelers in 2008.

Draft projection: Spitler should be a solid seventh round draft choice due to his ability to serve as a back-up at both MLB and SLB on defense, while being a core member of the special teams as a rookie. His natural position is MLB in my opinion. He would best fit as a MLB for a team that employs a 3-4 base defensive scheme. He lacks the athletic upside to ever develop into a starting player at the NFL level, but could serve as a productive back-up for several seasons.

Response to your comments:

From cpistol: Bucknatty: I agree that statement was a little too far…I agree with all of Matt's evaluation except for the fact that Coleman can’t develop into a quality starter. He may never be an NFL star…but a quality starter is certainly within his grasp I belive. Anyone who doesn't believe so should check the NFL rosters and see some of the guys starting at safety. My team (Cowboys) for one has two guys starting at safety that I know Coleman could be just as good as.

My take: The safety position at the NFL level has changed over the past five years. With NFL offenses going to so many shotgun and multiple WR formations, safeties have to be better coverage players now. The big, strong, intimidating strong safety, who can't run or cover very well is simply too great of a liability to play anymore. While I know Coleman is a good college player and pro prospect, I cannot see him being a quality NFL starter. He might start at some point, until they can find someone better. That's just my opinion. I can certainly be wrong.

From Bucksfan2008: I’m going to have to disagree with a few things.. but one of the big ones for me is that you think Iowa has the most talented and best coached O-line… one could argue that USC's was just as talented and well coached. And we dominated them for 98.3-percent of the game.

My take: You have helped me make my point with your argument. USC gets much more-heralded recruits than Iowa. You would have to agree with me on that one. Just look at the two games between USC and Iowa. The Buckeyes played much better and had more success against the USC offensive line than they did this past week against Iowa. Iowa does a great job of teaching fundamentals and developing players all along the line. The Hawkeyes prove it every season and every NFL draft. Head coach Kirk Ferentz used to coach the position in the NFL. They may not have great WRs, QBs, or RBs every year but they will have an effective OL as long as Ferentz is there. I promise you that.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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Ray Small had more yards on punt returns than Penn State had rushing (130-125). He set up two of the Buckeye TDs, one in the first quarter and one in the fourth, with his 40-plus yard returns. He was a big factor in this game.

What a difference three weeks makes

It was just three games ago the Buckeyes traveled to West Lafayette to play the Boilermakers. Just look at the difference in the individual stats for Terrelle Pryor in these games:

Against Purdue: Pryor - passing: 17 of 31 (54.8-percent) for 221 yards, TD, 2 INTs, 2 fumbles lost, and sacked five times; also 21 rushes for 84 yards, a 4.0 average, TD, and a 35-yd long run.

Against Penn State: Pryor - passing: 8 of 17 (47.1-percent) for 125 yards, 2 TDs, ZERO turnovers or sacks allowed; also 5 rushes for 54 yards, a 10.8 average, TD, and a 24-yard long run.

Notice he passed and ran fewer times but was more effective, except for his completion percentage. He still needs to be more diligent with his accuracy on the easy throws. His mechanics are still too erratic in order to be an effective passer at this point. However, he is clearly getting better with his decision-making and ball security.

Who is this freshman?

Freshman FB Zach Boren had almost as big an impact against the Nittany Lions as Small did. He did a great job as a lead blocker for the run game, even making a pancake out of All-America candidate Sean Lee a few times. Boren will only get better over the course of his career.

Serious pressure with only four

The Buckeyes defense created such tremendous pressure they didn't need to blitz. DE Cameron Heyward was as dominant as he's ever been, while DE Thaddeus Gibson pressured QB Daryll Clark into making many throws well before he wanted to. Buckeye defensive linemen won each individual battle and the collective war against the Nittany Lion offensive line.

Is Ohio State the real Linebacker U.?

WLB Ross Homan and MLB Brian Rolle were all over the field last Saturday. Homan nearly had a second INT but couldn't hold on. Rolle closed ground like a CB and hit like a DT all day. They played a much better game than their counterparts from Happy Valley.

What to look for from the Hawkeyes this Saturday

The Hawkeyes will keep their base 4/3 defensive personnel on the field against 3/4/5 WR sets from spread formations. This should provide the Buckeyes a great match-up with RB Brandon Saine against the Hawkeye LBs. Whoever aligns at the OT spots for the Buckeyes are going to need some help in pass protection against the strong and physical DEs for Iowa. They will struggle to single block them in the run game as well. Pryor should be able to find several running lanes, but will have to be very careful in throwing the ball down the middle of the field. The Hawkeyes defense leads the conference with 19 INTs, with 10 being swiped by their safeties.

Obviously, the big news will be about the Hawkeyes young QB starting his first game on Saturday. Apart from that key fact, the Hawkeyes will present the most talented and best coached OL that the strong Buckeye defensive front has seen all season. There will be some great individual match-ups in the trenches this week.

The greatest threats to the Buckeye pass defense are the two TEs for the Hawkeyes. They are often the primary receiving option in the Iowa passing game. The Bucks may want to bring in S Jermale Hines to cover TE Tony Moeaki rather than leaving SLB Austin Spitler on the field to be exposed in coverage. Or they could simply switch Rolle and Spitler in obvious passing downs.

OK, that is behind us ... back to the countdown.

Last week, I gave you my second-rated draft eligible Buckeye: Ray Small (who then went out and made me look smart. Thanks, Ray!).

Here is No. 1:

Name: Kurt Coleman

Position: SS/FS

Height/Weight/Speed (40 time): 5-foot-10 /190 lbs./4.55e

Career thus far: To date, Coleman has played in 46 games with 33 starts at Safety for the Buckeyes. He has also missed two games due to injury and one this season (10/3 @ Indiana) due to a suspension for a late hit in the fourth quarter against the Fighting Illini. The Buckeyes play their safeties to the left/right sides, so he can be found playing to the field and to the boundary in every game. He has 207 tackles, 10 TFL, 3 sacks, 7 INTs, 11 pbus, 5 PDs, 5 FFs, and a blocked field goal thus far in his career.

Strengths: Instincts; zone anticipation/route-recognition; career production vs. run/pass; physical/aggressive player in run support; goes for the strip on tackles; strong blitz timing and ability; definite special teams value for the next level

Weaknesses: Size;  man-to-man coverage ability vs. TE/slot WR; struggles to find ball over his shoulder deep; gets out-of-control at full speed and misses tackles; very tight hips/transition/change of direction ability; lacks real burst to close, acceleration, and recovery speed down field; inconsistent pursuit angles in space

Summation: Coleman starts at left defensive safety. He has the size to play FS in space and the skills to play SS near the line of scrimmage. He has a ripped, proportionate build with very good arm length and minimal growth potential to develop for the position at the NFL level. He is a good overall athlete with very tight hips, which affects his ability to change direction, play under control, and break-down on the move in space. He has excellent overall playing instincts and is most effective in zone coverage and as a run support player.

He has quick feet in his pedal with above average overall playing speed and range in coverage. He lacks that special burst to close, acceleration, and recovery speed down field. He is most effective when playing the ball in front of him and reading the eyes of the QB. He shows very good anticipation of throws and recognizes route combinations quickly as a zone defender. However, he lacks the size to match-up very well against big TEs and WRs in space. He makes his plays on the ball in front of him; he struggles to find the ball, once his shoulders are turned.

He is a very physical and aggressive run support player. He generally tackles low, but will go for the strip when possible. He takes inconsistent pursuit angles to the ball and misses his share of tackles due to his very tight hips. He is capable of making the big hit in his play. He shows very good timing and finish as a blitzer, either off the edge or up the middle. He is a contributor on special teams and shows the ability to be a core guy at the next level.

Overall, he is an instinctive and productive prospect with some size and athletic limitations to consider for the NFL level. He has the ability to serve as a quality back-up at both safety spots, while making an impact as a core special teams player in his first season. He has limited size and ability to ever be a quality starting player, though.

NFL Comparison: He reminds me of a combination of former Irish Tom Zbikowski (third round pick by Baltimore) and former Buckeye Will Allen (fourth round pick by Tampa Bay), but is smaller than both of them. Most drafted safeties are close to 210 pounds or more, unless they are explosive athletes like former Buckeye Donte Whitner.

Draft projection: Coleman should be a solid fourth round draft choice due to his ability to serve as a quality back-up at both safety spots while being a core member of the special teams as a rookie. However, he lacks the ability to ever develop into a quality starter at the NFL level.

Check back next week for a report on Austin Spitler, along with a revised list of all seniors and their draft grades.

Response to your comments:

From cuttyrock: High school kids have more freedom. I played and coached so this is upsetting. Find someone you know who coaches or has coached football and watch the games with them on early downs the closest person to the slot is the other wr. Oregon beat usc with two basic plays lb lines up over slot read option. Lb lines up in the box wr screen. That play is built for Ray Small and Lamarr Thomas. We don't have a stud at rb and we run and have no creativity. A screen isn't hard especially when your not asking your line to do anything differently. I can call plays better than that. Even when we throw on early downs we send one of the two wr right into the middle where the lb is to give up the advantage. Wr screen work against cover three. Why convert a wr to te when you don't plan on using him to stretch the field. Another blocker. I'm not saying we will always score alot of points but we can do alot better then whats happening right now. We routinely leave 17 points off the board.

My take: Lots of great observations here. I wonder if they don't screen much, because their offensive line is not very athletic. They have a really hard time in blocking moving targets in space from what I have seen. You may see a defensive weakness to exploit, but if you don't have the players to execute, than your chances at consistent success are limited. Pryor missed a wide-open Dane Sanzenbacher right before the half against the Nittany Lions, but I think it is a stretch to get to 17 points. Just think of how potent an offense this will be when Pryor starts connecting on more of the easy throws.

From les: Matt, I know that you weren't being mean spirited in your analysis of Jim cordle, sometimes the truth is not taken well. He is certainly not the first and won't be the last Buckeye lineman who is going to be famous for his "lookout" block. My goodness, just step in front of the man to your inside. You can't be a Big Ten lineman and wiff on blocks. I sometimes don't watch anything but the line play and it's embarassing to see them miss a guy completely.

My take: I have been severe in my criticism of the Buckeye offensive line, which has not been real healthy or played very well all season in my opinion. However, I must give them credit for playing their BEST game this past weekend in their biggest test of the year. They knocked some very good defenders well off the LOS all game. They appeared physical and nasty, unlike in much of their play up to this point. They also benefitted from the blocking of 86-TE-Jake Ballard and 44-FB-Zach Boren as well.

Again, thank you all for your comments. Please keep them coming and don't hesitate to bring up any subject you wish.

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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Hey there, Bucknutters …

I will be the first to admit my ignorance as to how college games are scheduled. But I cannot see how playing New Mexico State makes the Buckeyes any better prepared to play the final three games on their schedule.

If every Big Ten team is slated to play eight conference games each season, that leaves the freedom to schedule whomever they want in the remaining four games. I can certainly understand playing a couple of warm up games against inferior opponents to start a season - similar to NFL preseason games - but why schedule lesser opponents in the middle of the season?

Credit should certainly be given to the Buckeyes for playing opponents such as Texas, USC, and now Miami in 2010-11. A win against a quality opponent like any of these three would certainly go a long way to improving their BCS ranking at the end of the season. Why not play two teams from among the Big East, Big 12, ACC, SEC, and Pac 10 every year? I don't understand.

And please don't get me wrong, I am not simply picking on Ohio State; I know that all of the top teams do it.

Pryor rules?

I have to say I agree with former Minnesota Gophers coach and current Big Ten Network analyst Glen Mason with what he said about Terrelle Pryor being on the sidelines in sweats for the second half of the game last weekend. It was announced he was not injured and it was a coach's decision for him not to play in the second half.

Why couldn't he wear his uniform like every other player?

Would any other player be able to do the same thing? Any time a coach doesn't want a player to sneak back into a game, they simply take his helmet away. This is yet another thing I do not understand.

Unbalanced Buckeyes?

The Bucks utilized an unbalanced offensive line quite a bit against the Aggies last weekend. They moved the LT to the right side of the line and replaced him with the TE. They seemed to me to run to the weak side nearly every time in this formation.

They may have broken this formation out simply to make the Nittany Lions prepare for it or else this is a sign of their new way to try to run the football. Would it have been better to have gone to this formation in their first series this weekend in State College, rather than giving them time to prepare for it? Certainly they could have beaten the Aggies while running all the same basic plays they have already run so far this season.

Boren back?

The Buckeyes need to have LG Justin Boren return this week against the Nittany Lions. They will have their best chance to run and pass against the No. 1 scoring defense in college football if LT Andrew Miller and Boren start on the left side of the line. The Bucks are starting to develop some much-needed continuity with OC Mike Brewster, RG Bryant Browning, and RT J.B. Shugarts. LT Jim Cordle and LG Andrew Moses are much better suited as back-ups who play only in the event that there are injuries to the starters.

Turf monster got another one!

DT John Simon was simply chasing down the Aggie QB on a first half scramble, when he was tripped-up by the dreaded turf monster. This had to produce some laughs from his defensive teammates during film review!

Matchups NFL scouts will be watching this weekend in Happy Valley:

FS Kurt Coleman vs. QB Daryll Clark: Clark will stare down his primary receiver and force throws into coverage downfield at times. Will Coleman be able to take advantage of this weakness? Clark loves to throw to his TEs, especially on third down. An INT return for a TD by Coleman might be the difference in a game of evenly matched opponents.

PR/KOR Ray Small vs. Nittany Lions special teams coverage units: Small already has a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD (vs. Wisconsin) this season, but he also has muffed three punts, losing one vs. Illinois and one at Purdue, while fumbling one kickoff return as well. Which Small is going to play this Saturday? He just may be the difference in winning or losing the game.

What the Buckeyes MUST do to win this Saturday:

The Buckeye defense must pressure Clark into some turnovers. The Nittany Lions have a rebuilt and re-shuffled offensive line that will be vulnerable to the strong Buckeye front seven. Unlike Pryor, Clark is not likely to quickly turn the corner and become a runner on the perimeter. He keeps his eyes downfield, looking for an open receiver. He only runs when he has to. Their offensive scheme does put him on the move with roll-outs and boot-action, but that's in order to get him away from the pressure, not to turn him into a runner.

I believe the Buckeyes should blitz up the middle and off the left side in order to force Clark to his left. That will make him a half-field passer, trying to throw against his body. If the Buckeyes try to keep him in the pocket, I believe Clark will simply step up and find an open receiver or else run underneath the outside rusher. The Buckeyes should be able to get great pressure on Clark with the combination of LDE Nathan Williams, DT Doug Worthington, DT Cameron Heyward, and RDE Thaddeus Gibson. They may not need to blitz very often if these guys are successful.

The Buckeyes offense will have to control the clock with their running attack now that they have their two top RBs plus Pryor to use in a variety of ways. The teams that have tried to spread out the Lions defense with 4/5 WRs have largely failed due to the great Penn State DL and linebackers. It is better to run the ball from traditional formations, and then pass off play-action against the Lions. And before you get excited about the Northwestern game, just remember this: the Wildcats had success moving the ball in the middle of the field, but had trouble scoring points.

And finally, they will have a real opportunity to block a punt or at least to force some bad punts against the Nittany Lions. Penn State has already have allowed two blocked punts this season [Iowa and Michigan] -  both coming over the LW in their punt protection.

OK, that is behind us ... back to the countdown.

Last week, I gave you my third-rated draft eligible Buckeye: Aaron Pettrey (who then went out and hurt his knee … whoops).

Here is No. 2:

Name: Ray Small

Position: WR/PR/KOR

Height/Weight/Speed (40 time): 5-foot-11 /185 lbs./4.45e

Career thus far: To date, Small has played in 40 games with eight starts at WR for the Buckeyes. He has also missed five games in his career with at least two of them attributed to a team suspension for "repeated violation of team rules" back in 2008. He did not play in the season opener against Navy this season, apparently because he missed all of fall camp due to an academic problem.

In his four seasons, he has 58 receptions for 637 yards, an 11.0 average per catch, three TDs, and a long catch of 60 yards. He also has eight rushes for 74 yards, a 9.3 average per carry, and  37-yard long run. As a punt returner, he has 68 career returns for 642 yards, a 9.4 average, 1-69 yard TD vs. Ohio in 2008, and a long of 80 yards against Michigan last season. As a kickoff returner, he has 28 career returns for 600 yards, a 21.4-average, and 1-96 yard TD this season vs. Wisconsin.

Strengths: Athletic ability; vertical speed; release and separation quickness from man-to-man coverage; elusive/slippery run after catch ability; hands with track/adjust ability; return vision and production

Weaknesses: Size and growth potential; intelligence to read coverage for sight adjustment/sit down vs. zone/learn multiple positions in scheme; strength and competitiveness as a blocker; courage to make the tough catch in a crowd; ball security as returner (four muffs this year); maturity/work habits/common sense

Summation: Small is the third receiver for the Buckeyes in 2009. He also serves as their primary punt returner and part-time kickoff returner. He has an average-sized frame with above average arm length, very good upper/lower body thickness and definition, and limited growth potential to add for the position at the next level. He is a very good overall athlete with vertical speed and separation quickness from man-to-man coverage in his play. He appears to know only one WR position within their scheme and missed several sight adjustments in my view.

He has very good initial quickness in his release against press man-to-man coverage. He has smooth hips with a definite burst on his breaks in his routes. He is a hand-catcher, who can extend to catch the ball away from his body consistently. He has the ability to track/adjust to the ball in the air on deep routes. He does not appear to possess the size or the toughness to make the difficult catch across the middle in traffic. He does not appear to enjoy contact much, as evidenced by his marginal blocking ability for the run game.

He does show good vision and elusiveness running reverses in limited opportunities. He can accelerate fast to gain the perimeter. As a return specialist, he shows good aggressiveness to attack the short punt, but has made a habit of muffing too many this season. He shows slippery run after catch ability in space once he secures the ball. He needs to take care of the football in this area if he is going to have a chance at playing in the NFL.

Overall, he is a talented player with limited career production due primarily to his lack of maturity, a strong work ethic, and a team-first attitude. He has enough ability to be a late-round draft pick by a team with the need of a third/fourth WR and return specialist.

NFL Comparison: He is similar in both talent and maturity to former Boilermaker Dorian Bryant, who was a free agent signing by Pittsburgh a few years ago. He is not nearly as productive or talented as former Wolverine Steve Breaston (fifth round choice by Arizona).

Draft projection: Small should be an early sixth round draft choice due to his athletic ability, vertical speed and return value. How long he lasts in the NFL will be determined by how hard he works, how quickly he learns the offense, and how he handles himself off-the-field.

It will be a real shame for him if he fails to realize the necessary changes he needs to make in order to be a professional in every sense of the word.

Response to your comments:

From runyan: I have no problem saying a player isn't that great, but it seems a little over the top to compare him to a traffic barrel.
From:Harry Doyle: There is a difference of being critical and mean spirited. Anyone edit your crap when you reference a player as a construction barrel? How about some more professionalism and less insults on a college player.
From rjpfish2: I don't think Cordle is quite the burden you make him out to be. I'd rather have him in there over a converted tight end any day. How can a "road barrel" fill in capably at three positions on the line in as many years? Give the guy a break, he's no Alex Boone…

My take: I respect and admire Jim Cordle. He is a very smart, tough, and physical player who happens to be severely limited as an athlete, especially coming off of a leg injury.
In my very first blog posting, I said the following:  "My goal is to share the direct, honest – and sometimes blunt - perspective of a former NFL college scout on the Buckeyes and their opponents."
For those of you who were offended by my description of Cordle's athleticism, I sincerely apologize. Thank you for sharing your concerns and please continue to do so in the future. I am certainly aware of my ability to get carried away and cross-the-line at times.

From ochiro: Matt, don't get me started, but you're way off on this post…first time. You've been on the money till now except for about 25% of last week. Let's just leave it at that. Looking forward to next week.

My take: ohchiro - Please tell me where I am wrong. That is half the fun of doing this blog every week. I will be sure to respond back to you next week.

From buckeyebballforever: [Pryor] also appears to have solid composure out on the field, even when things are not going well." I guess you haven't seen him on the sidelines and on the field that much with his temper tantrums towards his receivers. Pryor needs a naughty chair for those moments. You are experiencing Pryor Denial Syndrome.

Frankly, Pryor should play basketball for Matta. He is a tweener who could rebound the ball. Pryor would be a better receiver or getting more bulked up to play a tight end. The problem is the Vest did not recruit a good prospect for this year's class. Pryor is a poor man's Vince Young.

My take: You are right. I have NOT seen him throw temper-tantrums on the field. Good observation! He must walk a fine line as the leader of the offense. He has to be strong enough to call-out his WR when he runs the wrong route, but NOT do it in such a way as to lose the respect of his teammates in the process. It had to be difficult to become the team's QB as a true freshman when every starter on the entire team was more experienced and older than him. And then, he takes over as a true sophomore without too many older players around to lean on for support and advice. Don't get me wrong: I am not trying to make excuses for him, only to clarify the difficulty of his challenge.

Please keep your comments coming! Talk to you next week!

Matt Littlefield spent the past six years as the Midwest area college scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to that, he worked three years in the pro personnel department of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the previous three seasons assisting the coaching staff in St. Louis. Post your questions for Matt in the comments section of this blog!

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