OSU finishes with dozen draft picks

Published: Saturday, 4/30/2016 – Updated: 3 hours ago LB Joshua Perry picked by San Diego, QB Cardale Jones to Buffalo on final day BY DAVID BRIGGSBLADE SPORTS WRITER Across the many levels of college football, the NCAA estimates 16,175 players were eligible for this year’s NFL draft. Any given dreamer had about the same next-to-nothing odds of being among the 253 selections — 1.56 percent — as the Browns do of winning the Super Bowl. Just try telling that to Ohio State. Though their early deluge of selections gave way to a late drought, the Buckeyes today wrapped up a banner weekend. Ohio State finished with a dozen picks — two shy of its own draft-record total from 2004 — as two more players got the call. Linebacker Joshua Perry and quarterback Cardale Jones went in the fourth round to San Diego and Buffalo, respectively. Most anticipated receiver Jalin Marshall and safety Tyvis Powell would also be picked, but the pair instead joined a group of 30 undrafted early entries as cautionary tales. Marshall, who passed on the chance to be the Buckeyes’ top wideout next season to leave school with two seasons of eligibility remaining, signed a free-agent deal with the New York Jets. Powell, who graduated but could have played another year, remains a free agent. He tweeted, ”It wouldn’t be fun if it was easy. #UseTheStairsNotTheElevator.” Otherwise, perhaps no school has ever enjoyed a better draft. There had been a more prolific first round — Miami had a record six first rounders in 2004 to Ohio State’s five this year — and a more fertile overall crop. …

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