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Ryan Day on Justin Fields: ‘Whoever drafts him will get the most competitively tough guy I’ve been around’
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Justin Fields is going to hear his name called on Thursday night.
Though the former Ohio State quarterback has dropped in some mock drafts since the end of the college football season, he’s still considered to be a Top 10 pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Where he lands is still a major question.
Before the NFL Draft kicked off on Thursday night, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day joined ESPN to talk about his former quarterback and explain what a team will get when they select Fields.
“He has every box checked. He’s athletic, he’s intelligent, he’s accurate, he’s a leader,” Day told ESPN. “I think whoever drafts Justin is going to get someone who shows up early, leave late. He’s gonna command respect in the locker room. But when things get tough, he’s gonna get back to work and get through those tough times.”
Fields was 20-2 as the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2019, a two-time B1G Offensive Player of the Year and led Ohio State to a pair of B1G titles and College Football Playoff appearances.
Still, Fields faced criticism over his ability during the draft process. Day says it’s done nothing but motivate the QB.
“It’s fueled his fire. It’s been a lightning-rod conversation here for the last month-and-a-half,” Day said. “But, it’s exciting because whoever gets Justin is going to get the most competitively tough guy I’ve ever been around.”
There’s little doubt that whoever takes Fields on Thursday night is getting a great quarterback.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB