Ezekiel Elliot’s Impact for the Ohio State Buckeyes

By Scott Peceny
Photo courtesy of buckeyeempire.com

Signing a top tier running back was high on head coach Urban Meyer’s offseason to-do list.  When Ezekiel Elliott committed to Ohio State, Meyer confidently checked that off.

The Buckeyes have had great success running the football for as long as I can remember, and Elliott may be the next great back to play home games in Columbus.  Elliott has tremendous speed to go with a powerful stiff arm that he loves to throw.

His elusiveness, however, may be his best attribute.  Elliott runs with Barry Sanders-like agility and can leave defenders dazed on the turf as he sprints to the end zone.  My only concern with this style is that like Barry, he is prone to run backwards.  In high school, he was able to get away with this more often than not, but in the Big 10, Elliott will have to know when to lose two yards instead of eight.

Carlos Hyde will be a senior this year, and will be the starter for Meyer and the Buckeyes.  At 6-foot-0, 242 pounds, Hyde is a tank of a man.  Elliott will complement Hyde’s thunder with his own brand of lightning.

This speed and size combo could be lethal for the Buckeyes in 2013.  Bring Hyde out to wear the defense down and then hit them with the speed and elusiveness of Elliott.

The Buckeyes’ offensive line is young (no seniors) and this will further help Elliott’s stock.  He’ll be running behind the same guys for years to come, developing rapport along the way.

Elliott won’t jump into the program and start right away, but his impact will be felt in his freshman season.

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