There have been so many great defensive linemen at Ohio State, we made the decision to break out this position group and judge the defensive linemen on their own merits in our G.O.A.T. series here Buckeyes Wire.
A good edge rusher can make the opposing quarterback’s socks yellow, and OSU has caused more than one team manager to reach for a little extra bleach to get the stains out.
Here are our best four defensive linemen that have donned the Scarlet and Gray. If your list differs, feel free to tell us by getting in on the action on Twitter or Facebook.
Next … A pro’s pro
Mike Vrabel (1993-1996)
Vrabel’s 36 sacks and 66 tackles for loss still rank as tops all-time at Ohio State. He was a high-motor guy that came off the edge and simply outworked the man in front of him. He was part of a book-end tandem with Matt Finkes on the other side that provided immense pressure to opposing backfields during the 1995 and 1996 seasons.
Vrabel was named All Big-Ten from 1994-1996, named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the year in both 1995 and 1996, and was a consensus first team All-American as well in 1996.
He went on to have a distinguished NFL career with the New England Patriots, and has gone on to be an outstanding coach with the Tennessee Titans.
Next … A distinguished college and pro career
Will Smith (2000-2003)
Smith was one of the key ingredients to 2002 national championship season. He was a four-year letterman and had a career that accumulated 21 total sacks.
His senior year of 2003 was by far his best. That year the Utica, NY native racked up 10.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss total. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman and Defensive Player of the Year, and was also recognized as a First Team All Big Ten and First Team All American.
Tragically, Smith was shot and killed in a traffic incident on April 9, 2016 in New Orleans where he had made his home as a key member of the New Orleans Saints.
Next … One of two brothers
Joey Bosa (2013-2015)
Bosa had an immediate impact when he arrive on campus. He was so dominant and physically gifted as a freshman that he was almost immediately inserted as a starter on the line.
He didn’t disappoint.
Through his three-year career at OSU, Bosa tallied 148 total tackles, with 26 sacks included in a total of 50.5 tackles for loss.
He was named a freshman All-american, two-time Big Ten Lineman of the Year, once a Big Ten Defender of the Year, and a two-time consensus All-American.
Next … The next great one?
Nick Bosa (2016-2018)
Truth be known, Nick Bosa’s Ohio State career could have been much, much better if not for injuries. He got his feet wet his freshman season but wasn’t at full strength because of recovering from an injury sustained during his last year of high school.
He began to be a bit part of things his sophomore and showed plenty of explosiveness and tenacity to be a force to gameplan against. He was poised to have a fantastic junior campaign before suffering a core muscle injury that took him out of action after his third game.
Bosa made All Big-Ten first team in 2017 and won the league’s defensive lineman of the year. His stats don’t measure up quite with his brothers, but when you put the game film on, there’s not many more out there that can measure up. Oh, what could have been though even more so.
