NFL combine: Ohio State pass rusher Joey Bosa says he’s tops

“I haven’t been out in front of you guys in a while”. But the executive said Bosa has a chance to change that perception during their meeting here.

That answer was a hit with the media. It was a career that could see the defensive end be the first player taken in the 2016 NFL Draft.

It was quite the opposite for Nick Vigil, who said Zach was instrumental in his decision to declare for the 2016 draft as an underclassman after being a two-time first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection. Asked about his weight, Bosa deadpanned that he has tried like heck to gain weight, which hasn’t always been easy to do.

Bosa said. “That’s pretty much the only example I have to give”. “Training twice a day, six days a week”. I’m eating a ridiculous amount and I don’t know where the (heck) it’s going.

Another round of media laughs. That was before he was suspended for Ohio State’s season opener against Virginia Tech (for reasons Bosa said he will discuss with National Football League teams privately), and before he was ejected from the Buckeyes’ Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame for a questionable targeting penalty. While that may very well be true – you’ll hear no arguments here – that’s no guarantee that Bosa will be the first player off the board. Buckner, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year has the largest hands in the history of the NFL Combine. “I’ve been working standing up and dropping on linebacker drops, so I feel like I’m ready to play in a 3-4 or 4-3”. “I really can’t speak for it because, like I said, I’ve never played in a 3-4 before”.

Keep an eye on these two and see if one of them is able to jump ahead over the other with an impressive combine performance.

Bosa’s stature in the draft is such that he spoke at one of the three podiums inside Lucas Oil Stadium and he drew a large crowd of reporters.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had the Dolphins selecting Stanley in his latest mock draft, but the problem is the Dolphins need guards, not tackles.

As a player, Bosa has few weaknesses. “I gotta do what I gotta do”.

Every player would like to go number one overall but only one can and sometimes it may not be the top overall player that gets picked in that spot. But I really can’t speak for it because I have never played a 3-4.

“Got to marry a tall, athletic girl and breed football players, I guess”, Joey said Friday.

He added that he’ll stick with the name Joey in the pros – it just fits him best.

In a deep draft for defensive linemen, tackles included, Bosa is the consensus leader of the pass-rushing pack on a list highlighted by UCLA outside linebacker Myles Jack, Oregon end DeForest Buckner, Clemson end Shaq Lawson, Ohio State outside linebacker Darron Lee, Notre Dame outside linebacker Jaylon Smith, and Eastern Kentucky end Noah Spence. “Maybe once I’m 50 I’ll do Joe”. He waited his turn behind past stars like 2015 first-round pick Vic Beasley but said he made the most of his opportunity as a starter this year.