Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Sports Geek about which NFL draft eligible college football player that decided to stay in school is the best player?
I cannot believe it – someone actually agrees with Loyal Homer!
In a previous TSD debate about whether or not college football players should enter the NFL draft early if they are ready, Loyal Homer took some ribbing from me because of comments made about “enjoying the experience of being a senior in college.”
It appears that at least one college football star agrees with Loyal Homer’s sentiment.
Cameron Heyward, who would have almost CERTAINLY been a first-round draft pick as a defensive tackle in the 2010 NFL Draft, pleasantly surprised Ohio State fans when he announced that he would be returning for his senior year at The Ohio State University. When asked why he made the decision to return to Columbus for another year of college ball, he responded, “I’ve been blessed to this point. I am just having fun being a college student.”
He went on to talk about the respect he has for previous seniors he has followed on the team, and his excitement for what the 2010 season could potentially bring, both for him and for the Buckeye tradition.
While that might be good news along the Olentangy River, it is bad news for just about EVERYONE else in the Big Ten, AND in the entire NCAA.
Heyward was THE KEY to the Buckeye’s defensive dominance in 2009. In a conference where many young quarterbacks have started to develop into big-time playmakers (such as Scott Tolzien, Ricky Stanzi, Tate Forcier, and Terrelle Pryor to name a few), it was Heyward’s impact in the Buckeye’s defensive front that allowed them to tear through the Big Ten en route to their FIFTH consecutive conference championship.
If the development of players like Stanzi and Forcier continues at the pace they moved through 2009, the Buckeyes are going to need that dominance once again on the defensive side of the ball.
At 6 feet 6 inches and pounds Heyward has the right combination of size and agility to make him a threat to be in the backfield on nearly every play. As proof of his ability to penetrate offensive lines and disrupt plays before they even begin, Heyward racked up a team-high 6.5 sacks for 43 yards, and another 10 tackles-for-loss for 53 yards. That equals an AVERAGE loss of more than five yards every time Heyward makes a play in the backfield (and he manages to do so at least once in every game he plays).
Heyward was undoubtedly the leader of one of the most dominant defenses in the country last season. The Buckeye defense allowed an average of only 12.5 points-per-game, never gave up more than 27 points in a single game, and shutout THREE opponents during the 2009 season. They were most impressive, though, in a Rose Bowl victory when they allowed only 17 points to the Oregon Ducks – one of the highest scoring teams in the nation – who was averaging 38 points-per-game. For his part, Heyward was good for his usual backfield penetration, sacking Oregon Ducks’ quarterback Jeremiah Masoli once and adding three more tackles to his total of 46 for the year.
Heyward’s play on the field will surely earn him All-Big Ten and All-American consideration for the 2010 season, and may even make him a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year honors if he continues to make his presence felt in the upcoming season. More importantly, his role as the leader and anchor for the Buckeyes’ smothering defense will surely make Ohio State the favorites to win another Big Ten Championship in 2010, and will have them among the contenders yet again for a shot at the National Championship.
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