Ohio State’s Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott declare for 2016 NFL Draft

Ohio State stars Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott are leaving the Buckeyes early and declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft.

As expected, Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa and running back Ezekiel Elliott are bypassing their senior years and declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft. The announcement comes on the eve of their final college game in the Fiesta Bowl against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

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Bosa is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick, according to ESPN’s Todd McShay who has the 6-6, 275-pound defensive lineman as his top rated player. He could stay in the state of Ohio if the Cleveland Browns take him with their first round pick, which could be the second pick. The Tennessee Titans will get the No. 1 pick with a loss in their season finale on Sunday.

He didn’t have the same box score production in 2015 as he did in previous seasons, but that can be largely attributed to his getting double and sometimes triple-teamed during games. The extra attention he received allowed his teammates to win one-on-one matchups and get to the quarterback or ball carrier.

Bosa had five sacks and 16 tackles for loss after having 21.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks last year en route to All-American honors. As a freshman, Bosa had 7.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. His younger brother Nick is a Buckeye commitment for the 2016 class and the No. 6 recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking and likely will replace his big brother at Ohio State in the starting lineup.

Elliott won’t be drafted before Bosa, but he is the top ranked running back, according to McShay and could be drafted in the middle of the first round. He has 1,672 yards entering the Fiesta Bowl and 19 touchdowns after rushing for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was named the MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game after rushing for 246 yards and four touchdowns in the win against the Oregon Ducks.

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Running backs typically don’t get drafted very high anymore, but Elliott should go in the first 20 picks and should make an immediate impact for his team as a rookie. Depending on where he lands, he could be the front-runner to be the NFL offensive rookie of the year.