Image via Complex Original
On Monday, Oregon and Ohio State will square off in the inaugural final of the NCAA's new College Football Playoff system. During the game, we'll see two of college football's best coaches in Urban Meyer and Mark Helfrich, as well as some of its best players, such as Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Joey Bosa.
They won't be the only guys on the gridiron, though, and the National Championship won't be the only thing at stake. Every Buckeye and Duck on the field will be playing their hearts out to hoist the trophy, but the juniors and seniors hitting the turf will also be out there for the sake of boosting their personal stock for the 2015 NFL Draft.
On April 30, Roger Goodell will announce the first pick, a selection that, as of now, is reserved for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After that, we can only guess where it will go. Based on the talent present in this upcoming National Championship Game, we feel confident in saying that the players on this list will be 12 of the 254 who hear their names called in the spring, should they decide to enter the draft. Scroll through to see how stacked both Oregon and Ohio State are going into the biggest game of the year.
Jeff Heuerman
Position: TE
Projected round: 5th
Potential teams: Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets
The NFL prizes tight ends now more than ever, as players like Rob Gronkowski, Julius Thomas, and Jimmy Graham have proven the effectiveness of a fast, pass-catching tight end. Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman is none of those players, but he's no scrub, either. Heuerman is the type of guy who you'll hear about a lot in terms of "character" and "leadership"—code words meant to mask the fact that he isn't terribly explosive or dynamic as an athlete. It's true that Heuerman won't blow you away with his raw talent, but the Buckeyes tight end could certainly contribute to any team as a solid blocker and occasional red zone threat.
Adolphus Washington
Position: DT
Projected round: 3rd
Potential teams: Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers
Having racked up just 45 tackles and 3.5 sacks during the 2014-15 season, Buckeyes junior defensive tackle Adolphus Washington could likely stand to benefit from another year in the collegiate ranks. At 6'4", 288 pounds, Washington has the size to compete in the NFL, but needs to refine his game and become a larger, every-down presence like his younger teammate, Joey Bosa. There is interest from NFL teams, but if he wants to boost his pay grade, Washington would be wise to stick it out another year in Columbus, Ohio.
Tony Washington
Position: OLB
Projected round: 4th
Potential teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos
Coming into the season, Oregon linebacker Tony Washington needed to become a stronger pass-rusher and a more confident overall player. His season didn't quite mitigate those concerns, as he sacked the quarterback just five times throughout the 2014-15 season, but Washington's versatility in rushing the quarterback and defending receivers makes him a valuable asset in the NFL's increasingly pass-heavy game. At 6'3", 250 pounds, Washington has the body to play up a level. Although his so-so senior year costs him draft position, he's far from finished in terms of reaching his ceiling.
Devin Smith
Position: WR
Projected round: 4th
Potential teams: Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs
Devin Smith is regarded as one of the best down-field threats in college football, a perception reflected in his game-by-game numbers. Smith doesn't catch the ball often (he averages about 3 receptions per game), but when he does, it's always for a big play. Smith's per-catch averages regularly hovered in the 25-yard range, and with 12 TDs on the year, he's proven his ability to put points on the scoreboard. In the combine, Smith will need to prove that he can do more than run straight toward the end zone, though. His performance in pass-catching and route-running drills will be key.
Doran Grant
Position: CB
Projected round: 3rd
Potential teams: Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins
With 59 tackles and 5 INTs on the season, Buckeyes senior Doran Grant had about as good of a farewell campaign as one could hope for going into their final year. Starting alongside Bradley Roby last season, Grant was overshadowed in the Buckeyes secondary. However, during his senior year, he's been a leader for Ohio State, and his draft stock has taken a proportional boost. Matched up against Amari Cooper during the College Football Playoff semifinal, Grant forced Cooper into one of his weakest efforts of the season, yardage-wise (though, Cooper did catch two TDs). Ohio State's chances against Marcus Mariota will, in part, hinge on Grant's leadership and play.
Jake Fisher
Position: OT
Projected round: 3rd
Potential teams: Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets
Before this season, Oregon lineman Jake Fisher played at the "other" tackle position, but has since proven himself to be a powerful and shifty lineman on the left side as well, after teammate Tyler Johnstone went down with an offseason injury. He's barely below 300 pounds, which isn't quite ideal for an offensive lineman, but probably has something to do with the fact that he transitioned from the tight end position years ago. It's likely that he'll bulk up at the next level, play back at the right tackle spot, and make some team pretty happy about their early-to-mid round selection of him.
Hroniss Grasu
Position: C
Projected round: 2nd
Potential teams: San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens
Plenty of teams would love to have Hroniss Grasu anchoring the middle of their offensive line. The 6'3", 297-pound center is NFL-ready, having shown quickness, agility, and good balance throughout his time with the Oregon Ducks. There are certain technical aspects of Grasu's game that could stand to be improved, but there's nothing about the rest of his skill set to suggest that they can't be ironed out.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
Position: CB
Projected round: 2nd
Potential teams: Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans
Alas, due to a late-season knee injury, Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu will not be playing in the National Championship Game; it's likely that his injury will cost the All-American defensive back his draft position, too, as he'll be unable to participate in any pre-draft workouts. However, if prospective teams watch the tape, they'll see a polished cover cornerback who opponents went out of their to way to avoid during the 2014-15 season. Having racked up 63 tackles, two INTs, and 6 pass break-ups, Ekpre-Olomu has demonstrated his ability to wrap up and defend his man on a regular basis.
Arik Armstead
Position: DE
Projected round: 2nd
Potential teams: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers
Arik Armstead could end up being the 2015 NFL Draft's Ziggy Ansah: the type of player whose collegiate production doesn't overwhelm you, but whose physical gifts are intriguing enough to warrant a first or second-round selection. Just less than 300 pounds, and standing at 6'8", Armstead is the type of player who can terrorize a quarterback all game long if he's properly molded. We can imagine that there are more than a few line coaches who believe they're the ones who can do just that.
DeForest Buckner
Position: DE
Projected round: 2nd
Potential teams: Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks
DeForest Buckner's teammate Arik Armstead might be a greater prospect based on potential, but in terms of pure production, Buckner is the better of the two. Look for him early in the second round, after more vaunted names like Nebraska's Randy Gregory or USC's Leonard Williams have been taken off the board.
Michael Bennett
Position: DT
Projected round: 2nd
Potential teams: Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans
Buckeyes senior defensive tackle Michael Bennett is a powerful presence on the interior line. Standing at 6'2", 288 pounds, Bennett has tallied seven sacks for Ohio State throughout the season, and is poised to earn an early-round selection thanks to his stellar, four-year career in Columbus, Ohio. He isn't Ndamukong Suh, and Bennett might need to put on more weight to remain competitive at the next level, but based on his collegiate production, he has the talent to be a disrupter for any team in need of an improved pass-rush next season.
Marcus Mariota
Position: QB
Projected round: 1st
Potential teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, New York jets
Marcus Mariota is the yin to Jameis Winston's yang; the award-winning QB has dazzled as a hyper-efficient cog in Oregon's offensive machine, putting up regular season numbers that have become synonymous with his name: 38 TDs, two INTs, and a completion percentage of 68.6. Thanks to his Heisman-winning campaign, Mariota is regarded as the draft's front-runner, especially in light of Winston's increasing off-the-field issues. If the Ducks manage to win the National Championship Game, write Mariota down as a lock to be wearing the pewter and red down in Tampa, Fla. next season.
