Jeremy Ruckert Chooses to Stay in Columbus, Forgoes 2021 NFL Draft

The Buckeyes will keep one of their best offensive players next year with Ruckert staying for his senior season.

Ohio State's tight end room probably didn't get the credit nationally that it deserved. They were a terrific group and as deep as any unit on Ohio State's talent-rich team.

That makes it all that much sweeter that the Buckeyes found out today Jeremy Ruckert will return to Columbus for another season, after he announced that he's not quite ready to take his talents to the NFL.

Ruckert has lived up to the extremely high praise from Urban Meyer, when coach Meyer called him "the best tight end I've ever recruited" back when he was in high school.

Ruckert has told the media on several occasions that their group gets more fired up over making a big block than they do coming up with a touchdown catch. That said, the tight ends were used in the passing game an awful lot in the postseason.

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He will always be remembered for a couple of incredible one-handed grabs he made in big moments: the first was in the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game, as he snared a touchdown pass in the middle of the end zone against Wisconsin. Then he made another spectacular grab in last week's national championship game against Alabama that helped set up a Buckeye score.

Ruckert caught just 14 passes as a sophomore and 13 more during his junior year, but nine of his 27 catches the last two years resulted in touchdowns.

Ruckert was undoubtedly going to be selected in the NFL Draft in the spring, but he's decided to come back for a fourth year with the Buckeyes and try to increase his draft stock. With Luke Farrell and Jake Hausmann likely leaving the program, Ruckert will be the leader of that position group next year.

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