Published Sep 29, 2020
Pro Buckeyes standout performances: 2020 Week 3
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Jacob Benge  •  DottingTheEyes
Staff Writer
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@JacobBenge

The NFL is running full-steam ahead as time progresses toward the Big Ten and Ohio State football following suit.

There are seven undefeated teams left in the NFL; there is a Buckeye on four of those rosters.

A handful of pro Buckeyes are dealing with injuries at the moment, but there are still former Ohio State players continuing to play on the gridiron.

Here are five Buckeyes in the NFL who garnered some attention.

RELATED: Around the NCAA: Week 4

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Chase Young

The injury bug began last week’s list and leads off again.

Young and the Washington Football Team traveled to Cleveland to play the Browns in what was the rookie’s first pro football game in the state of Ohio.

He’ll have to wait until his second in order to record any sacks or stats, for that matter. Young exited the game in the second quarter and was ruled out soon after with a reported groin injury.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Young was seen in street clothes on the sidelines and walking with a limp.

The Ohio State’s single-season sacks record holder tweeted Sunday evening “nothing major tho… I’ll be back,” perhaps signifying the extent of his injury.

Following the Football Team’s loss to the Browns Sunday, Young remains the team’s sacks leader with 2.5.

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Jeff Okudah

This week’s standouts list began with last year’s No. 2 overall pick, so it’s only fitting we move on to No. 3.

Okudah was given a harsh dose of reality last week against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers as the Lions defense allowed 240 receiving yards. Despite being a part of the defense that allowed even more receiving yards (270), Okudah made his presence known.

Former Heisman winner Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals were Okudah’s opponents Sunday. On a third and long play with 7:12 left in the third quarter, Murray dropped back and fired toward midfield, missing his intended target of DeAndre Hopkins.

El jefe le hizo pagar.

Okudah took his first NFL interception 36 yards and into Cardinals territory to set up a Matt Prater 24-yard field goal to extend the Lions lead, 20-16.

Okudah finished the Lion’s first victory of the season with six tackles, all of which were solos and two went for losses. He also had one pass defended.

OHIO STATE NOTE: It took Okudah two full seasons and four games into his third collegiate season to record his first pick. It only required two games at the pro level.

Joey Bosa

While Nick is out for the season with a torn ACL, Joey is now the only Bosa brother suiting up on an NFL defensive line.

Bosa inked a five-year, $135 million contract extension in early August, and proved his worth against Carolina.

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The third-year defensive end recorded two solo tackles, both of which were for loss.

With 2:00 left in the fourth quarter, the Panthers had driven 42 yards from their own 25 and threatened to extend their five-point lead. Bosa sacked Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for a loss of eight yards.

The sack of Bridgewater came after two neutral-zone infractions earlier in the game, one in the second quarter and the other in the fourth, that each costed five yards.

Bosa helped contain the Carolina rushing attack - without injured running back Christian McCaffrey - to just 81 rush yards as the Panthers edged out the Los Angeles Chargers 21-16 Sunday

Bosa has now recorded a sack in each of the Chargers' three games, helping to keep Los Angeles' games each within a touchdown of flipping the result.

OHIO STATE NOTE: Joey Bosa recorded at least one sack in 16 of his 38 career games in scarlet and gray.

Sam Hubbard

Perhaps one of Ohio State's most underrated defensive ends is one that continues to play in the state of Ohio.

Hubbard, a former second team All-Big Ten selection, and the Cincinnati Bengals competed against a Philadelphia Eagles team that is two seasons removed from a Super Bowl victory.

The Cincinnati, Ohio, native recorded four solo tackles and two for loss, which ties his career high.

Hubbard also had two QB hits, and both came as the Bengals were pinned within their own 10-yard line.

With 1:37 left in the first, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz scrambled to his right and Hubbard stopped him at the six.

Two plays later, Hubbard sacked Wentz on third and goal for a loss of nine yards, forcing the Eagles to settle for a field goal. The game later ended in a 23-23 tie, and if not for Hubbard's goal-line defense, perhaps the outcome would have been different.

Joe Burrow, another former Buckeye, threw for over 300 yards for the second consecutive game, but it will be remembered that he recorded his first-career tie before his first NFL victory.

OHIO STATE NOTE: Sam Hubbard recorded four solo tackles on Sunday for the ninth time in his career; he had done so just three times in 39 games at Ohio State.

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Terry McLaurin

Following the Washington Football Team's 30-15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last week, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald gave high praise to a certain second-year receiver.

"The best is yet to come for this young man," Fitzgerald posted on Instagram. "Keep grinding & perfecting your craft @terry_25 - you're putting the league on notice."

RELATED: Ohio State reenters AP Poll at No. 6

McLaurin continued to play to high standards following another 60+ receiving-yards week.

The former Buckeye caught four passes for 81 yards against a Cleveland Browns secondary that features former Ohio State defensive back Denzel Ward. McLaurin helped set up one of the Football Team's three touchdowns.

With 4:12 left in the first quarter, Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins found McLaurin for 21 yards to move the offense to the Browns' 29-yard line. McLaurin later worked a three-yard end around that was followed with a Haskins touchdown pass to Dontrelle Inman.

McLaurin almost had a touchdown reception of his own later in the game. With Washington down 17-13 and 2:29 remaining in the third quarter, Haskins threw an incomplete pass to McLaurin as the offense was 11 yards from the end zone.

Nonetheless, McLaurin remains near the top of the NFL in receiving yards as his 269 yards sit seventh in the league.

OHIO STATE NOTE: Terry McLaurin now has 11-career games in which he's caught 61 or more yards; he had just six such games as a Buckeye.