A total of eight now-former Ohio State players were selected in the two-day, seven-round spectacle known as the 2007 NFL Draft. And three Buckeyes were picked by the world champion Indianapolis Colts.

On the first day, the Miami Dolphins surprising chose wide receiver/returner Ted Ginn Jr. with the ninth overall pick, bypassing Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, even though Daunte Culpepper has been injury-plagued during his two seasons in south Florida.

While you can’t teach speed, Ginn’s selection so high in the first round is a bit puzzling. While I think he will eventually be a very good No. 2 receiver in the NFL, I don’t think that merits where the Dolphins picked him in the draft.

Ginn had 59 receptions for 781 yards and nine touchdowns last year, and added one kickoff return and one punt return for touchdown.

In three seasons for the Buckeyes, Ginn had six punt return touchdowns and two by kickoff.

With the final pick of the the first round, the Colts selected Ginn’s partner in crime, wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who hauled in 51 passes for 734 yards and eight touchdowns during Ohio State’s 2006 campaign.

Gonzalez is penciled in to take over the No. 3 slot receiver position that was once occupied by Brandon Stokley.

In the third round with the 98th overall pick, the Colts selected defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, who had 38 total tackles with eight sacks for the Buckeyes in 2006.

On the second day, the first former Buckeye to hear his name called was running back Antonio Pittman, who was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round with the 107th overall pick.

Clearly, Pittman would of benefited by staying in college for his senior year, and with Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush occupying the top two slots on the Saints’ depth chart, playing time for Pittman will be very limited during his rookie season, though his selection might foreshadow the departure of McAllister after the 2007 season.

Three former Buckeyes were drafted in the fifth round, as Oakland took defensive end Jay Richardson with the 138th overall pick, Indianapolis selected another Ohio State wide receiver using their 169th choice to nab Roy Hall, and finally Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens with the 174th overall pick.

Richardson was an excellent late-round gamble, who is best suited for the strong-side end position in a 4-3 defense.

Hall, who only had 13 receptions for 147 yards on two touchdowns during his senior year for the Buckeyes, stands 6-foot-2 and weight 229 pounds, has a NFL-type body and ran sub-4.4 times in the 40 during the NFL Combine.

Smith, who will likely be the third-string quarterback for the Ravens during the upcoming season, will have the perfect mentor in 34-year old Steve McNair as the starter in Baltimore.

McNair, who may have a season or two left in the tank, and Kyle Boller in the final year of his contract, Smith might have the opportunity down the road to compete for the starting job with the Ravens.

Smith was 199 of 297 for 2,507 yards with 30 touchdown passes and only five interceptions while completing 67 percent of his throws last season for Ohio State.

What may have hurt Smith’s chances of being drafted higher might have been due to the fact that he didn’t workout at the NFL Combine.

The last Buckeye selected in the draft was center Doug Datish, who went in the sixth round (198th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons.

Several other Buckeyes are awaiting to be signed as free agents following the draft, including defensive tackle David Patterson, and tight end/fullback Stan White Jr.

Tags: Buckeye Football //