Do They Deserve Such From The Team? Ohio State Buckeyes Have Revealed The Departure Of Two Stars, Though They Are In The Cutton Bowl…

With wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke participating in the Cotton Bowl this postseason, the Ohio State Buckeyes will have two of its best players in the lineup for at least one more game.

It is unknown if the two NFL-caliber athletes will play for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2024, even though they will be joining them for the Cotton Bowl. Along with Egbuka and Burke, defensive back Jordan Hancock, defensive lineman Tyleik Williams, defensive end Jack Sawyer, and left guard Donovan Jackson are also confirmed to play for the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl.

Burke gave his justification for participating in the bowl game with his fellow Ohio State Buckeyes, even though it would have an effect on his football career, in a Columbus Dispatch piece.

“It’s really important for us,” Burke said. “We want to finish this season and have something to show for it. Our job is to go out, have fun, compete and win the game.”

The Ohio State Buckeyes benefit greatly from the return of Egbuka and Burke for the Cotton Bowl, but many important players have yet to confirm their possible participation. Marvin Harrison Jr., a Heisman finalist and potential early first-round draft pick, was evasive about his future last week.

other juniors Defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and running back TreVeyon Henderson are still in the process of deciding their futures. There have been rumors of Henderson’s comeback, yet nothing has been verified and there are differing stories.

Other notable Ohio State Buckeyes that have not addressed their futures are senior tight end Cade Stover and senior linebacker and leading tackler Tommy Eichenberg.

Emeka Egbuka Played a Crucial Role in a Stacked Ohio State Buckeye Receiver Room

Egbuka has managed to make an impact even though he shares a receiver room with three five-star prospects and a Heisman finalist on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Despite playing in just nine games this season, the former five-star prospect collected 35 receptions for 452 yards in receiving yards.

With second-round pick C.J. Stroud at his disposal and playing in every game, Egbuka produced noticeably improved results in 2022. Pro Football Focus ranked Egbuka and Harrison Jr. as the top two receivers in the country heading into the 2023 campaign.

Despite being a regular on special teams and having almost 600 kick return yards in his first season, Egbuka was not a major contributor to the Ohio State Buckeye offense that included Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, and Garrett Wilson. The Washington native played as a primary offensive contributor for just two years, one of which was cut short due to injury. During that time, he accumulated 1,794 yards and 14 touchdowns on 118 receptions.

Ohio State Buckeyes’ Cornerback Denzel Burke is a Leader on One of the Best Defenses in the Nation

Burke, who participated in ten games this season, is thought to be the Ohio State Buckeyes’ greatest lockdown corner. Burke is among college football’s top lockdown corners, according to some arguments.

Burke ranks as high as 12th overall in mock drafts, like this one from Bleacher Report. Burke is seen by some mock drafts as a late first-round selection because cornerbacks like Cooper DeJean of Iowa and Kool-Aid Mckinstry of Alabama went undrafted before him.

Burke only had 19 tackles during the season, mostly as a result of the opposition quarterback’s infrequent passing attempts. He finished the season with one interception and a team-high eight pass deflections for the Ohio State Buckeyes finished third in the nation in total defense.

Burke oversaw a secondary that gave up the fewest throw yards per game nationwide compared to other teams. The Buckeyes gave up just eight touchdowns and 147.4 passing yards per game. On December 29, the Ohio State Buckeyes, led by Burke and Egbuka, will play the ninth-ranked Missouri Tigers in the Cotton Bowl.