Who to watch when Ohio State plays Michigan … Hard to remember a time when Michigan-Ohio State didn’t really matter all that much; this year’s year’s edition (Saturday, Noon ET; FOX) though has all the makings of THE game of the year as the winner almost assuredly gets the Big Ten’s spot in this year’s CFP playoff literally no matter what happens in next week’s conference championship game against Iowa. On the other hand, the loser could face some very long odds to still make it to one of the two national semi-finals as they’ll need a lot of help from several other teams around the country.
And while Saturday’s game has the potential to be a great one for fans, its also a great one for pro scouts as both teams are loaded with prospects for the 2024 draft. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison (#18, 6-4, 205), for example, is arguably the best non-QB prospect in the entire draft class and isn’t likely to make it must past the 2nd or 3rd pick overall next April. In fact, the Buckeyes have prospects, if not multiple prospects, at just about every position. Along with Harrison, for example, the Buckeyes’ WR room, which also includes Emeka Egbuka (#2, 6-1, 210), who has some top 10-15 potential of his own, and veteran Julian Fleming (#4, 6-2, 210), may be the best in the country. Same story for the Buckeyes’ defensive line which features DEs J.T. Tuimoloau (#44, 6-4, 275) and Jack Sawyer (#33, 6-4, 265) and DTs Michael Hall (#51, 6-2, 290) and Tyleik Williams (#91, 6-2, 290). Tuimoloau and Hall, in particular, have later first-round potential. Meanwhile, CB Denzel Burke (#10, 6-1, 195), along with veteran safeties Luther Ranson (#8, 6-1, 210) and Josh Proctor (#41, 6-1, 205) head the secondary, while Tommie Eichenberg (#35, 6-2, 240) and Steele Chambers (#22, 6-1, 235) clean up MLB. Back on offence, RB Tre’Veyon Henderson (#32, 5-10, 215) should be one of the first RBs off the board next April if he is healthy after missing most of the 2022 campaign with a broken foot, while Cade Stover (#8, 6-4, 255) is a reliable TE. The Buckeyes did have had to replace both starting OTs, but return one of the best OG tandems in the country in Donovan Jackson (#74, 6-4, 320) and Matt Jones (#55, 6-4, 315).
Meanwhile, no one will be under the microscope Saturday in Ann Arbor than Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy (#9, 6-2, 205), who has the opportunity to show pro scouts that he is more than just a very efficient game manager as he appears to be still being thought of as a late first round prospect these days who lacks elite physical tools. In fact, Michigan doesn’t appear to have anyone who is necessarily a lock to be picked in this year’s first round, although both DT Kris Jenkins (#94, 6-2, 305) and rising WR Roman Wilson (#1, 6-0, 195) are also close along with McCarthy. At the same time, Michigan features one of the best RB tandems in the country in Blake Corum (#2, 5-8, 215), who has made a nice comeback from a knee injury last season, and Donovan Edwards (#7, 6-0, 210) who is arguably the better athlete, but whose carries are way down this fall with Corum back in uniform. The Wolverines also have one of the top OG combos around in veterans Zak Zinter (#65, 6-5, 325) and Trevor Keegan (#77, 6-5, 320) along with a solid veteran C in Drake Nugent (#60, 6-2, 305). And continuing the good players come in pairs theme, the Wolverines also have a solid pair of ILB’s in Junior Colson (#25, 6-2, 245) and Mike Barrett (#23, 6-0, 240) who are 1-2 on the team in tackles, although neither makes a lot of impact plays. Meanwhile, other Michigan players to watch include WR Cornelius Johnson (#6, 6-2, 210), OT LaDarius Henderson (#73, 6-4, 315), DT Karsen Barnhart (#52, 6-5, 315), DE Josaiah Stewart (#5, 6-1, 245), and DB Mike Sainistril (#0, 5-10, 180).
