Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg was taken by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fifth round with the 148th pick of the NFL draft on Saturday.
Here's what Eichenberg, the Big Ten's linebacker of the year last fall, brings to Las Vegas.
Eichenberg is the quintessential run-stuffing inside linebacker who was among the Buckeyes' top tacklers over the last two seasons.
After rotating with Cody Simon in 2021, he emerged as the starting middle linebacker the following year as Ohio State transitioned to a new scheme under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
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Knowles and others within the program likened Eichenberg's role to the quarterback of the defense, praising his knowledge of the system.
Eichenberg figures to fit in with the Raiders for his instinctive ability to swarm to the ball and pick up the playbook. His toughness, having played through a dislocated elbow late last year , should not be overlooked, either.
It was in Ohio State's comeback win over Utah in the 2022 Rose Bowl when Eichenberg broke out and delivered a career performance with 17 tackles, helping to bottle up the Utes as the Buckeyes rallied in the second half.
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But for as much as he can shoot gaps to get after ball carriers, he was at times a liability in pass coverage. While being targeted 24 times last season, he gave up 18 completions, according to Pro Football Focus.
Here are the stats piled up by Eichenberg over his five seasons at Ohio State:
268 tackles
21 tackles for loss
3.5 sacks
2 interceptions
1 forced fumble
1 touchdown
Eichenberg could be a productive two-down linebacker, but his coverage should improve if XXX is looking to feature him in a larger role.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2024 NFL Draft: Las Vegas Raiders select Tommy Eichenberg in 5th round
