Ohio State Buckeyes Villains: WFNY Mock Draft Strategy

When Urban Meyer was named the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team prior to the 2012 season, everyone expected the scarlet and gray to be successful, but not this successful. Under Meyer, the Buckeyes are 61-6 in five seasons, including a perfect 12-0 in the first season with their new head coach. With so few losses, it’s hard to dislike an opposing player or team completely due to the fact that not many have beaten Ohio State.

A few weeks ago, Michael Bode gave me the keys to the week’s WFNY Mock Draft Strategy. That week, I decided that the Cleveland Browns should draft all Buckeyes, especially considering the fact that they rarely ever draft any at all. This time around, the Browns will use their first four picks to select the villains of the Bucks.

The Rules

• No trades unless the strategy is specifically geared around trades.
• Demonstrate multiple options at each pick within the confines of the strategy.
• Use a MSM Big Board to demonstrate feasibility of picks.
• Select picks at the Browns four picks in Round 1 and Round 2.

Using the CBS Sports Big Board for this week.

The Draft Strategy

Although there may be a reach or two in the four picks in first two rounds of this mock draft, the point of the mock is to pick the scarlet and gray’s nemeses, whether they should in fact be taken by the Browns or not. Then again, at this point, many of the players taken with the team’s first four picks (in the first two rounds) will be upgrades to the current team, so why not have a little fun.

The Picks

No. 1 Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

Myles Garrett is the consensus pick to hear his name called first, but considering the fact that his Aggies never went up against the Buckeyes, picking him here wouldn’t make sense and wouldn’t fit the narrative this mock strategy.

Watson may be a bit of a reach here, but if head coach Hue Jackson, the front office, and the rest of the coaching staff believe he can be the team’s franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, no pick is considered “too high” to get that player at the most important position in all of sports.

He made plenty of mistakes, but he showed that he could learn and improve following those mistakes. Whether it was staying in the pocket too long or throwing an interception, Watson always made sure to answer back and play his best when it mattered most.

The gunslinger may be inconsistent, but Watson proved that he played his best on the biggest stage. In his only game against Ohio State, the dual-threat quarterback completed 23-of-36 passes for 259 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions and ran for 57 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in the College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2016.

No. 12 Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

If you’re going grab the Clemson quarterback, you might as well get his top wide receiver and arguably the best wide out in the draft too, right? Wide receiver might not be the top need for the Browns, especially this early, but the team badly needs a playmaker on the outside unless anyone thinks they can trust Josh Gordon to get reinstated and stay clean. He has the height to be a major threat in the red zone and the speed to be both a deep threat downfield and stretch the field for his teammates when he needs to be. But, the part of his game that many like most is the fact that he knows how to use his big body to his advantage, especially against smaller defensive backs.

In his lone game against the Buckeyes in 2016, Williams used his 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame to grab six receptions for 96 yards. He may not have scored, but Williams was one of the main reasons why Clemson dominated the Buckeyes. Whether it was his blocking downfield or opening up the field for his teammates, the Silver Bullets had a hard time stopping Clemson’s offense, including Williams.

No. 33 Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan

I mean, his name’s Taco, what else could you want?

But seriously, if the Browns can find a legitimate (and good) defensive end in the second round, that would be perfect.

In his three games against Ohio State, Charlton racked up 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. Although he may not have filled up the stat sheet, the defensive end did enough to forever be remembered as a villain, even if he finished a perfect 0-3 against his biggest rival.

Whether it’s his speed and quickness around the edge, body size (277 pounds), or height (6-foot-5), Charlton is ready for the NFL. Is he as good as Garrett? No. Can he be a Pro Bowler? Absolutely. Given the right coaching, he can turn into a star.

While most Buckeyes may not remember him, Ohio State right tackle Isaiah Prince has to still be having flashbacks and nightmares about that November day he went up against Charlton.

No. 52 T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin

J.J.’s brother has to be considered a villain, right? He may not have done that much in his only game against the Buckeyes, finishing with five tackles, and 0.5 tackles for loss, but family ties guarantee his spot here.

If he is anything like his brother, having a guy like him at linebacker to put alongside Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey would be a perfect fit and they would be set at that group for the foreseeable future.

Before 2016, he was a tight end. With just one season under his belt at linebacker, he is still very raw and has plenty of potential. If he has the work ethic his brother has, you can’t put anything passed him. He will improve, get stronger, and ultimately become a good player.

Last Word

• No. 1 Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
• No. 12 Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
• No. 33 Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
• No. 52 T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin

Why didn’t we pick Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers or Penn State’s Garrett Sickels, you ask? Charlton was a much bigger villain to the Buckeyes than Peppers was. With them listed by each other on the Big Board, I had to choose one or the other at No. 33, so I chose Taco. While Sickels was one of the main reasons why Penn State upset Ohio State to give the Buckeyes their only regular season loss in 2016, selecting him in the first two rounds would be way too big of a reach. I would be fine (and would be quite happy) if the Browns nabbed him later in the draft though.

Comparing this best Buckeye villains draft to the All-Buckeyes draft though… I’d take the All-Buckeye one every, single time. Amazing the amount of talent coming out of Columbus.

Other mock draft strategy sessions from WFNY

• Fixing the defense
• Fixing the line of scrimmage
• How the Browns will blow it
• Playmakers all over the field
• All Buckeyes
• Talkin’ Quarterbacks
• Freak Show
• Takin’ Texans
• Drafting for Need
• What is BPA?