Former OSU defensive end Joey Bosa (97) pressures Indiana quarterback Zander Diamont on Oct. 3 at Indiana. Credit: Samantha Hollingshead | Photo Editor.
Former Ohio State defensive lineman Joey Bosa was selected in the first round of the NFL draft at No. 3 overall by the San Diego Chargers. Bosa is the first OSU player taken in the 2016 NFL draft.
Ranked as the No. 1 edge rusher by NFL.com’s Mike Mayock, Bosa is the first Buckeye selected in the top 10 since Vernon Gholston in 2008, and the first Buckeye selected in the top 5 since A.J. Hawk in 2006.
Making an immediate impact his first year with the Scarlet and Gray, Bosa registered 7.5 and 13.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman in 2013.
Bosa carried all of that first-year momentum into his sophomore season where he became a nationally recognized, dominant player. The 6-foot-5, 278-pound defensive end became an All-American in 2013 when he recorded 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss on the way to a national championship.
One of Bosa’s signature moments as a Buckeye came in State College, Pennsylvania, against Penn State in 2014, where the Nittany Lions forced overtime after surmounting a 17-point deficit in the second half.
OSU scored first in the second overtime and was one play away from escaping Happy Valley with a victory. On fourth-and-6, Bosa was unblocked on the edge and barreled over running back Akeel Lynch into the left knee of Nittany Lion quarterback Christian Hackenberg, bringing him to the ground on a walk-off sack. Bosa then celebrated appropriately with a shrug that quickly became his signature celebration. Without that moment, OSU might not have won that game and made the College Football Playoff.
In his senior season, Bosa constantly faced double- and triple-teams, playing on both the outside and interior of the defensive line. Suspended for the first game of 2015 and being ejected on a targeting call in the Fiesta Bowl, Bosa only collected 16 tackles for loss and five sacks in his junior season. Although his stats were much lower than 2014, his impact on the stout Buckeye defense was unquestionably significant.
The Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, native built an impressive résumé over his three years with the Buckeyes. Bosa was twice named an Associated Press All-American (unanimous first-team in 2014 and second-team in 2015), two-time first-team All-Big Ten in 2014 and 2015 and the 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Bosa was the face of the OSU defense for the better part of two years and will likely receive substantial playing time in the NFL.
The San Diego Chargers are scheduled to open up the 2016 NFL season versus the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
