HOUSTON -- This modern pipeline of Ohio State football cornerbacks to the NFL arguably began when the Denver Broncos selected Bradley Roby with the penultimate pick of the first round in 2014.
He was the first Buckeye defensive back taken above the fourth round since Malcolm Jenkins, a first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2009. After Roby broke the ice, OSU flooded the first round with corners. Eli Apple (2016), Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley (2017) and Denzel Ward (2018) are already in the NFL. Jeff Okudah will join them after the April draft.
A year ago, Roby signed a one-year, $10 million deal to join the Houston Texans. On Sunday he reached a new standard for this recent Buckeye cornerback run, agreeing to a three-year extension with the Texans worth up to $36 million. The Houston Chronicle cited league sources who said $18-19 million is guaranteed.
Off-field issues likely cost Roby a higher draft position, and an even more lucrative contract, early in his career. Roby spent most of his first four seasons in a reserve role before starting 15 games for the Broncos in 2018. He started all 10 games in which he played for the Texans last season, losing six to a hamstring injury.
In those 10 games — including 38 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions and a sack — the Texans saw enough to make a long-term investment.
Now it’s Apple’s turn to cash in. The Saints turned down his fifth-year option last May, and he became a free agent when the league season officially opened at noon Monday. Apple started strong last season, struggled a bit when he had to fill in for Lattimore, than experienced his own injury issues.
Still, cornerbacks are sought-after commodities. Perhaps someone will step up allow Apple to again follow Roby’s lead.
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