NFL Draft: Joey Bosa to San Diego Chargers with No. 3 pick

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Joey Bosa showed up at the NFL Draft in Chicago with a new haircut — the long locks of his days as an All-American defensive end with the Ohio State Buckeyes long gone.

“The nerves are finally starting to set in,” Bosa told the NFL Network as he walked the red carpet. “I just can’t wait to hear my name called in three hours. With all I’ve worked for in the last seven years at St. Thomas (in Fort Lauderdale) and Ohio State, I’m just so happy it’s finally here.”

Bosa didn’t have to wait long Thursday night. The San Diego Chargers selected him with the No. 3 pick in the first round.

“You can line him up at any position,” ESPN’s Jon Gruden said on the draft broadcast. “He’s proven that at a high level at Ohio State.

Bosa followed two quarterbacks. The Los Angeles Rams took Jared Goff, of California, with the first pick. The Philadelphia Eagles followed with the selection of Carson Wentz, of North Dakota State.

PHOTOS: Best Joey Bosa shots of last two seasons

Bosa is the first Ohio State defensive lineman to be drafted in the first round since Cameron Heyward in 2006. He’s the second member of the starting defensive line for the 2014 national championship to be drafted. Centerville grad Michael Bennett was a sixth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015.

Bosa, 20, is from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Miami Dolphins drafted his dad John in the first round in 1987. His mom, Cheryl, graduated from Ohio State, and his uncle Eric Kumerow played linebacker for the Buckeyes from 1984-87. Another Bosa will play for the Buckeyes in the fall, as Joey’s younger brother Nick, also a defensive end, joins the program.

Bosa earned freshman All-America honors in 2013 but had his breakout season in 2014 when he recorded 13½ sacks and was named a first-team All-American for the first time. He won All-America honors again in 2015 and repeated as Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.

About the Author