Ohio State has 44 players on opening day rosters and 52 that are still in the NFL to some extent. Second only to Alabama, Ohio State boasts a strong resume of success at the game’s highest level.
After all, this past offseason, the Buckeyes had the highest-paid wide receiver and running back. Both Michael Thomas and Ezekiel Elliott inked contracts near nine figures.
With a myriad of players across many of the team’s in the league, the New Orleans Saints boast the highest amount of Buckeyes, five. Coincidentally, they also won their home opener, a game that may go down as the most thrilling of 2019.
That said, let’s dive into three Buckeyes that thrived in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Next … A rookie wide-receiver
Terry McLaurin — Washington Redskins
The only Buckeye rookie to really make a notable impact, Terry McLaurin went off in his debut. With a 69-yard touchdown, McLaurin notched his first 100-yard game.
McLaurin’s top-notch speed make him a favorite target of Redskins’ quarterback Case Keenum. Hopefully, it’ll be the Buckeyes former duo, Dwayne Haskins and McLaurin, taking over in Washington soon.
In the meantime, it’s Keenum and the former Ohio State wide-out. After being up 20-6, McLaurin’s Redkins allowed the Eagles to score 25 unanswered points, eventually losing 32-27.
As for McLaurin, he ended with the game’s second-most yards, 125. He was only outdone by Desean Jackson who posted two touchdowns and over 150 yards. However, with just five receptions, McLaurin did have the game’s highest average yards per game.
This should start to the norm from McLaurin as he continues to be a favorite target moving forward.
Next … An edge rusher
Sam Hubbard — Cincinnati Bengals
After a relatively impressive rookie season, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard thrived against a stout Seattle front on Sunday. Although the Bengals lost 21-20, Hubbard seemed to secure a pivotal role on the team’s defensive line, a much-improved unit from last season.
Hubbard racked up two sacks and ten combined tackles, six of which were unassisted. He also notched two tackles for loss and four quarterback hits. On a mobile Russell Wilson, Hubbard showed versatility and a dynamic first step off the line.
Drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Hubbard has spent his entire career in Ohio. From high school in Cincinnati to Ohio State for college and back to the Bengals, Hubbard is a fan favorite in the Queen City.
Hubbard’s 88.1 rating earned him a spot on the Pro Football Focus Defensive Team of the Week.
“Hubbard moved around the defensive front like he usually does and consistently brought pressure. From 19 pass-rushing snaps, he racked up two sacks and two hits and added a further five tackles resulting in a defensive stop on the day,” PFF’s Gordon McGuinness wrote.
That’s a huge honor and just displays how dominant Hubbard was against the Seahawks.
Next … One of the best wide-outs in the game
Michael Thomas — New Orleans Saints
The Saints finally got around to paying Michael Thomas, giving him an extension this past offseason. The 26-year-old is arguably the best wide receiver in the league and is now being paid like it. On Sunday, he showed why he’s worthy of the money.
He totaled ten receptions on 13 targets. Ending the game with 123 yards, the only blemish on Thomas’ performance was that he couldn’t find the end zone. Also, most of Thomas’ yards were without a happy ending.
Thomas racked up 90 yards in the first half, a two-quarter period where New Orleans uncharacteristically only scored three points. However, he did finish with a game-high in receptions and yardage.
This was a good outing for Thomas, but it could’ve been a career night if he would’ve been able to continue his production in the second half.
