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3 DBs set to join Ohio State draft legacy
By MIKE McLAIN
Columbus is known as a hub for retail and service headquarters, and for its zoo and aquarium that was once directed by Jack Hanna.
Rock legend Eric Clapton maintains a home in the city’s suburbs, which elevates the cool factor of the area.
Columbus also is known for a product it produces better than any other area in the country — defensive backs. There’s not a better path to becoming a high NFL draft pick than playing three or four years for Ohio State, a point that will be proven again when the first round of this year’s selection takes place Thursday.
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore and safety Malik Hooker are certain first-round picks, with both perhaps going off the board as early as the Top 10. Cornerback Gareon Conley has a chance to be a late first-round pick.
“We’re great friends, everyone on the team really,” Lattimore said at the NFL combine. “It’s a tight group playing together and playing off each other’s energy.”
Lattimore is the best of a strong group of cornerbacks, which is music to the ears of the cornerback-needy Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s considered on par with ex-Buckeye Eli Apple, who’s coming off a strong rookie season after being picked 10th overall by the New York Giants last year.
Lattimore is almost too aggressive, although he committed just two penalties last season. He sticks with receivers and was rarely beaten on slant routes.
According to Pro Football Focus, Lattimore didn’t miss any of the 37 tackles he attempted last season.
Among the few drawbacks are a lack of experience — he played just 84 snaps in 2015 before starting all of last season. It’s doubtful the lack of time on the field will hurt his stock.
“They always talk about I only have one year of experience, so I had to make sure I know what I’m doing,” Lattimore said of his interviews at the combine. “I tell them specific things about our schemes and things like that. On the field, just show that I’m fluid in what I do.”
The duo of Lattimore and Conley combined for eight interceptions last season (four by both players). Lattimore cautioned teams to not sleep on Conley’s skill set.
“If anybody overlooks Gareon, they’re going to regret it,” Lattimore said. “He’s a great player. I learned from him. I don’t know why he’s being overlooked, but whoever gets him is going to get a great player.”
One of the top debates in this draft concerns whether Hooker or LSU’s Jamal Adams is the best safety. If for no reason other than experience, the edge has to go to Adams, who had 128 tackles in three seasons for the Tigers. Hooker’s only season as a starter was in 2016, when he registered 49 tackles.
Adams brings more versatility than Hooker in his ability to play deep or inside as a box defender. He had 33 tackles resulting in a defensive stop, seventh best among safeties in the nation. Adams lacks Hooker’s range as a single-high safety, but his man cover skills are strong nonetheless.
There’s a growing consensus that Adams could be a top-five pick.
“I feel like I’m the best guy in the draft,” Adams said. “I definitely feel like I should be a No. 1 pick, so Top 5, that’s definitely in the range.”
Hooker exhibited an awareness in coverage that led to seven interceptions, including three that were returned for touchdowns. On the flip side, his tackling efficiency was ranked 136th nationally by PFF.
Hooker will be a high risk-reward pick. If he can improve as a tackler, he could have a big impact on the next level.
Scouts have to like the fact he didn’t skip Ohio State’s loss to Clemson in the national semifinals because of a hamstring injury.
“Before even looking into my future, there’s just so much that you put into a program like that,” Hooker said. “So for me to automatically say I’m not playing because I’m a Top 10 pick or whatever the scenario may be, I feel like it’s not fair to Ohio State and the guys I worked with because I was there in the offseason working hard with them.”
Tre’Davious White of LSU, another university with a solid reputation of producing talented defensive backs, could be the second cornerback picked.
Safety Jabrill Peppers of Michigan is among the biggest question marks in the draft. He’s an outstanding athlete capable of turning a game as a punt returner, but he doesn’t have a clear home on defense. He’s more of an inside defender at safety, but he lacks the size needed to be a strong run-stopper, and his coverage skills are poor.
It will be interesting to see if he falls during the draft, and how far.