The Viking Age
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Vikings Draft 2020: Playoff prospects to watch – Ohio State

By Luke Parrish

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 07: Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Damon Arnette (3) signals for more crowd noise during the Big 10 Championship game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes on December 7, 2019, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 07: Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Damon Arnette (3) signals for more crowd noise during the Big 10 Championship game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes on December 7, 2019, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) K.J. Hill
(Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) K.J. Hill /

Offensive Prospects

The Ohio State offense is led by redshirt-freshman quarterback Justin Fields. After transferring from Georgia, Fields and has carried the Buckeyes to an unbelievable season this year.

While he is not eligible to be drafted in 2020, fans will still hear his name a lot between now and next April. This season, He threw for 40 touchdowns with just one interception and added 10 rushing touchdowns.

Fields’ dual-threat ability in the backfield is what makes him a candidate for the first overall pick in 2021. While I want to dive deeper into Fields, let’s save it for later and worry about the guys who actually are on the table for 2020.

Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins is one of the most productive rushers in the nation. This season, he carried the ball 283 times for 1,829 yards. He also racked up 20 touchdowns on the ground and two through the air.

Dobbins has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in each of his three seasons with Ohio State. He has excellent vision in the open field and he can make defenders look foolish. His ability to lower the shoulder and absorb contact helps him pick up a few extra yards.

He has a career average of 6.1 yards per carry and the only real concern for Dobbins is his workload. In three seasons, Dobbins has 707 carries and 772 total touches.

The Buckeyes’ passing attack is aided by a bevy of talented receivers. K.J. Hill led the team with 51 receptions this season as he tallied 569 yards and 10 scores as the primary target.

Hill has excellent footwork and thrives out of the slot. I really enjoy watching him find the soft spot in zones and sitting in the open lane. He is a friendly target for his freshman quarterback and if the Vikings want to add a slot weapon, Hill may be the answer.

If not Hill, then perhaps Minnesota will look at other Ohio State receivers, Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack, who will both be eligible for the draft in 2020 and have the talent to make an NFL roster.

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