Analyzing PFF stats that show value of each Buckeyes returning offensive starter

COLUMBUS — Who will be under center and who will be blocking for him have been the questions that have dominated Ohio State offseason discourse, and understandably so. The Buckeyes are replacing their highest-drafted quarterback in program history and have to fill holes left by three starting offensive linemen, all of whom are now on NFL rosters.

While pivotal, those questions can sometimes overshadow the breadth of the talent Ohio State has returned on offense. The Buckeyes have welcomed eight starters back on that side of the ball (if you count both Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson as running back starters).

That’s a great deal of firepower, even for a program that’s used to it — Ohio State has averaged north of 40 points per game each of the last six seasons.

So what makes each of those returning offensive starters special for the Buckeyes? Lettermen Row is answering that question by diving into specific Pro Football Focus grades and stats from last season.

Wide Receiver

MARVIN HARRISON JR.

PFF Stat: 18 contested catches

Analysis: Marvin Harrison Jr. has a catch radius NFL scouts dream of. He didn’t drop a pass the first 11 games of last season. Any ball within his reach, he’s likely going to reel in, even if the reception requires human contortion. Harrison’s 18 contested catches were tied for the fourth most by any player in 2022. And, of players with at least 18 contested catches last year, he posted the second-highest contested catch percentage (60%).

EMEKA EGBUKA

PFF Stat: 526 yards after the catch (YAC).

Analysis: Emeka Egbuka shined in the category Harrison is trying to improve upon this offseason: yards after the catch, or YAC. Egbuka’s 526 YAC were not only tops on the team but also tied for 12th among all players nationally. YAC accounted for 45.7% of his 1,151 receiving yards. Egbuka averaged 7.1 YAC per reception. The star slot wideout also forced seven missed tackles, the third most of any Buckeyes receiver last season, per PFF.

JULIAN FLEMING

PFF Stat: 22 first downs

Analysis: Julian Fleming recorded 34 receptions last season, and 22 of them went for first downs. Think about that: 64.7% of Fleming’s catches moved the chains. While it’s not a higher clip than Harrison (79.2%) or Egbuka (71.6%), it’s still pretty impressive for a WR3. Fleming was also on the receiving end of the longest passing touchdown (79 yards vs. Iowa) of C.J. Stroud’s career. The 6-foot-2 wideout has a nice blend of speed and size and hasn’t fully unlocked his potential yet.

Running Back

MIYAN WILLIAMS

PFF Stat: 4.37 yards after contact/attempt

Analysis: Miyan Williams is a bruiser. Williams piled up 559 yards after contact last year, the most on the team. He did that in just 142 snaps, too. His average of 4.37 yards after contact per attempt was ninth nationally among all FBS running backs with at least 100 attempts. Williams dealt with a handful of injuries in 2022 but still wound up leading the team in rushing, and his success after contact is a big reason why.

TREVEYON HENDERSON

PFF Stat: 24 designed runs of 15-plus yards (career, 2021-present)

Analysis: Yes, we’re pulling from a career stat here and not a 2022-specific stat, but it’s only fair, considering that TreVeyon Henderson was playing on a fractured sesamoid bone in his foot from Week 3 on last year and missed four of the final five games. When healthy, Henderson is elusive enough to go the distance at any time. Even during his injury-riddled sophomore season, he still registered a higher breakaway percentage (28.3%) than Dallan Hayden (23.9%) and Chip Trayanum (26.1%).

Tight End

CADE STOVER

PFF Stat: 211 YAC

Analysis: Ohio State got YAC from more than just its wide receivers last year. Cade Stover — the program’s first tight end to catch 30 or more passes since Ben Hartsock in 2003 — piled up 211 YAC, the fifth most of any tight end in the Big Ten. Of those five league tight ends, Stover was one of two to pass block for at least 15% of his pass snaps, per PFF. Stover added another dimension to the Buckeyes’ aerial attack last year and hopes to build on that track record in 2023.

Offensive Line

RG MATTHEW JONES

PFF Stat: Six games with pass blocking grade of at least 74.0

Analysis: Matthew Jones deserves credit for toughing out a lingering foot injury, which sidelined him versus Michigan in the regular season finale, and playing in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal. But it’s important to note that six of his 11 allowed quarterback pressures came in that game against Georgia’s vaunted interior pass rush. Jones had seven outings in 2022 where he didn’t concede a single pressure. When healthy, he can be quite reliable in pass protection.

LG DONOVAN JACKSON

PFF Stat: 80.1 run blocking grade

Analysis: Donovan Jackson logged a run blocking grade of 80.1 last season. He joined right tackle Dawand Jones, center Luke Wypler and left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. — all of whom are now in the NFL — as Buckeyes starting O-Linemen with 2022 grades north of 80 in that department. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Jackson is Ohio State’s top returning lineman. He’s staying at left guard, rather than moving to tackle, so he’ll try to help anchor a new-look Ohio State line from the inside.

The post Analyzing PFF stats that show value of each Buckeyes returning offensive starter appeared first on On3.