Getting drafted first, 255th or not all doesn't matter for players who are now trying to make 53-man rosters in the NFL. Nobody expected KJ Hill to slide to the 7th round and while the path may have been a little longer for Branden Bowen, now is the time to focus on the ultimate goal of making the roster.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Many people look at the NFL Draft and see that as the end of the rainbow, but it really is only just another step in the goal of making a career out of the game of football. Being drafted guarantees nothing when it comes down to making a 53-man roster, seeing playing time in the NFL and keeping employed as the competition to hold onto one of those spots is fierce.
Sure, a higher draft position generally means something when it comes down to seeing where you stack up against other rookies going into that first camp. Bigger contracts and huge signing bonuses are there for guys who went on Thursday in the first round while undrafted free agents will see much smaller bonuses and will have a lot of work ahead of them to try and make a team.
One player that everyone associated with Ohio State expected to see go sooner, rather than later, was wide receiver KJ Hill. Nobody was quite prepared to see him slide all the way to pick No. 220 in the 7th round. The Los Angeles Chargers may have found one of the biggest steals of the draft in landing Ohio State’s all-time career receptions leader at that point of the draft.
Head coach Ryan Day watched along with everyone else and couldn’t believe that receiver after receiver came off the board before Hill and that he had to wait as long as he did to have his name called.
“(I was) probably the same way that everyone else was, just a little confused and I would say a little frustrated,” Day admitted.
Being a seventh rounder does not keep anyone from making a team however and if Hill does what he has done throughout his Ohio State career, he should be a favorite of the coaches.
“There are a lot of guys who have been in the same boat and have gone on to have great careers,” Day added. “All these guys need are opportunities and they all kind of have the same opportunity.”
It was a tough draft for Ohio State pass-catchers with both Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack both going undrafted (both ended up signing UDFA deals with the New York Giants) and former tight end Rashod Berry going the UDFA route with the New England Patriots.
But Hill was supposed to be a “sure thing” and many people expected to see Hill go off the board in the third or fourth round, rather than being 35 picks away from being undrafted.
“I am not telling anybody how to do their business, but I just know that some great coaches said that the best receivers get open and they catch the ball,” Day said. “So, it does not really matter at the end of the day what you run or anything like that. Do you get open? Do you catch the ball?”
Hill had 201 receptions during his Ohio State career. Hill had 2,332 receiving yards. Hill had 20 touchdowns as well. It certainly seems as if he checked off all the boxes.
“If you are not fast enough to get open, or you can’t catch the ball, then that is a problem,” Day said. “I have never seen anyone cover KJ Hill on a consistent basis. I think it will be the same way once he gets into the NFL.”
Bowen find an opportunity
It was surprising when Ohio State offensive lineman Branden Bowen did not get an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine in March. While his career certainly had some ups-and-downs, when it came to dealing with injuries, there is no denying that he got it done during his time with the Buckeyes, two different starting stints at difference positions, both guard and tackle.
The loss of Ohio State’s Pro Day certainly did not help his cause and maybe some teams were scared off by his run of injuries.
Those injuries really could not be listed as any sort of chronic condition however and it did not slow down Bowen last season as he held down the right tackle position for 14 games.
Bowen will get his shot with the Carolina Panthers via the UDFA route. It is not always the most ideal situation, to have to try and navigate this path, but it is far from overwhelming as others have done the same and gone on to NFL careers including Andrew Norwell, who also went undrafted, was signed by the Panthers and found his way into the starting lineup mid-way through his rookie season.
Norwell would go on to sign a five-year deal with Jacksonville in 2018 for $66.5-million dollars with $30-million guaranteed.
“There are a lot of offensive linemen that make good career out of the NFL who are undrafted,” Day said. “It is hard, I thought that Branden Bowen played very well this season, certainly had his injuries along the way but he was healthy this season and played really, really well for us.”
Ohio State’s head coach knows a thing or two about the NFL and the process there, having spent time coaching at that level.
“He is an NFL-caliber talent, now he gets his opportunity and it is just about making the best of that opportunity,” Day added. “A lot of people vying for those spots and at the end of the day… I think when Branden gets his opportunity, he is going to make it count.”
Carolina went into the NFL Draft needing help at offensive tackle and offensive guard, both positions that Bowen has played. The Panthers did not draft a single player on the offensive side of the ball. It certainly shows that there is an opportunity there.
Bowen will be ready to do his best to seize the opportunity in front of him.