This is the second post of NFL Recap: A Regular Season In Review. To see this first recap, including coverage of the Falcons, Ravens, Panthers, Bears, Bengals, Browns, Cowboys and Broncos, click here.
Buckeye Sports Bulletin covered all 18 weeks of the 2021-22 NFL season. Former Ohio State players made their mark across the professional league, from Justin Fields’ debut to Nick Bosa’s monstrous defensive season. Below are the season stats for all the Buckeyes in the NFL:
Detroit Lions
CB Jeff Okudah: 1 game
Okudah’s second year in the NFL came to a frustrating end in the first regular-season game. He suffered a torn Achilles when the Lions hosted the 49ers in Week 1, which required season-ending surgery.
The former Buckeye and No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was hoping to bounce back after a disappointing rookie year in Detroit, which also was plagued with injuries. He will look for 2022-23 as his first breakout year in a Lions uniform.
OT Taylor Decker: 9 games
OG Jonah Jackson: 16 games
DE Jashon Cornell: 1 game
Green Bay Packers
OC/OG Josh Myers: 6 games
Houston Texans
P Cameron Johnston: 17 games; 88 punts, 46.7 avg, 37 inside 20-yard line
Indianapolis Colts
WR Parris Campbell: 6 games; 10 receptions, 162 yards, 1 TD
Another year and yet another injury for Campbell. The Colts thought Campbell could be a significant game-changer for their offense when they drafted him in 2019. Unfortunately, his career has been plagued by injuries that have kept him from playing consistently. The former Buckeye has competed in only 15 games during his three-year career.
DE Tyquan Lewis: 8 games; 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 INT
Lewis had a quality season with the Colts in 2021-22 despite playing limited games. The fourth-year defensive lineman broke out of his shell last year, playing in 16 games while collecting 21 tackles and four sacks. He followed up that performance with 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks this season in only eight games.
Jacksonville Jaguars
TE Luke Farrell: 15 games; 7 receptions, 56 yards
Farrell’s first season in the NFL was a success despite his lackluster statistics. According to PFF, Farrell was one of the most effective blockers at the position in 2021-22. He will look to develop his ability as a receiver in the offseason and become a more consistent passing-catching threat next year.
DT DaVon Hamilton: 16 games; 43 tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes defended
Hamilton was one of the few bright spots on the Jaguars’ defense this season. He played in all but one game for Jacksonville, contributing 43 tackles and one sack while defending two passes at the line of scrimmage. The second-year defensive tackle is a plug-and-play run stopper and will continue to dominate that area of the game throughout his career.
RB Carlos Hyde: 12 games, 72 carries, 253 yards, 1 TD
Hyde is a veteran running back that has played for five NFL franchises. His latest stop in Jacksonville is his second after the Browns traded him to the Jaguars in 2018. Hyde served as a backup to James Robinson, who is quietly becoming one of the league’s best at the position. It is unknown whether Hyde will return to the Jaguars in 2022-23.
OL Andrew Norwell: 17 games
Oakland Raiders
DT Johnathan Hankins: 14 games; 37 tackles, 1 pass defended
Hankins is a rotation player on the Raiders defensive tackle and serves as Oakland’s only nose tackle. The team’s defensive line is loaded with talent, including Maxx Crosby, Yannick Ngakoue, Carl Nassib and former Clemson star Clelin Ferrell. The 6-3, 340-pound Hankins made solid contributions in the run game, plugging up space over opposing teams guards and centers.
Los Angeles Chargers
DE Joey Bosa: 16 games; 45 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 7 FF
In his sixth season with the Chargers, Bosa continues to be a dominant force coming off the edge. He didn’t break his career-high in tackles or sacks in 2021-22, but he smashed his former career-high in forced fumbles, finishing the regular season with seven. His previous best was four in 2017-18.
C Corey Linsley: 16 games
WR K.J. Hill: 6 games; 3 receptions, 30 yards
Los Angeles Rams
S Jordan Fuller: 16 games; 108 tackles, 5 passes defended, 1 INT
Fuller was the diamond in the rough when the Rams selected him No. 199 overall in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He immediately took over Los Angeles’ strong safety position and locked down the backend of the secondary. In 2021-22, Fuller’s teammates and coaches voted him a team captain.
Unfortunately, his season came to an end in Week 18 after he suffered an ankle injury that will require surgery, causing him to miss the Rams’ playoff run in the NFC.
Miami Dolphins
LB Jerome Baker: 16 games; 84 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, 1 INT, 1 FF
Baker signed a three-year contract extension in the offseason and immediately rewarded the Dolphins for their correct decision-making. The 6-2, 225-pound linebacker was an AFC Defensive Player of the Month in December and continues to develop into one of the league’s best at the position.
New Orleans Saints
S Malcolm Jenkins: 16 games; 75 tackles, 1 sack, 5 passes defended, 1 INT, 1 TD, 1 FF
After starting his career with the Saints in 2009, Jenkins has made New Orleans home again for the last two seasons. The All-Pro safety is still making his mark in the league, too. While he isn’t the Malcolm Jenkins he used to be, his availability and statistical accumulation are near the top of the league at the positon.
CB Marshon Lattimore: 16 games; 66 tackles, 19 passes defended, 3 INT
When the NFL ranks its top cornerbacks, Lattimore is always near the top of the list. The former Buckeye inked a five-year, $97.6 million contract extension with $44 million fully guaranteed and $68.3 million in total guarantees in the offseason. He followed up that contract setting a career-high in tackles (66) passes defended (19) in 2021-22.
LB Pete Werner: 15 games; 56 tackles
Werner was a pleasant surprise for the Saints in 2021-22. His best game came against the Washington Football Team in Week 5 when he finished with 12 tackles, including seven solo and five assists. Werner serves as a hybrid defensive back and linebacker, utilizing his size while also keeping pace with opposing receivers.
TE Nick Vannett: 7 games; 9 receptions, 133 yards, 1 TD
WR: Michael Thomas: Inactive
Pittsburgh Steelers
DE Cameron Heyward: 17 games; 75 tackles, 10 sacks, 9 passes defended, 1 INT, 1 FF
After a decade in the NFL, Heyward is still one of the best defensive lineman in the league. His versatility to play both end and tackle keeps him on the field, allowing him to cause headaches for opposing coordinators and offensive line coaches. Heyward’s longevity is remarkable, and the former Buckeye doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
QB Dwayne Haskins: Inactive
