Michael Hall Jr. standing out in Senior Bowl practices
The Senior Bowl is typically seen as the start of preparation for the NFL Draft, giving players a chance to make a name for themselves early in the draft process. That’s exactly what Ohio State defensive lineman Michael Hall Jr. Has been doing.
NFL Draft analysts Lance Zerlein and Eric Edholm came out with a list of players standing out amid the Senior Bowl practices, pointing to Hall as one of the top defensive linemen to this point.
“Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. built off a good first day of practice, where he stood out in one-on-one drills, putting in a more complete performance on Wednesday,” Zerlein and Edholm wrote. “He had some good battles with Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson on both days.”
While practicing in the full-contact portion of practice, Hall was able to use his speed to create havoc up the middle, primarily thanks to his speed. That included a would-be sack of Michael Penix and batting down a pass from Sam Hartman.
Afterward, Michael Hall Jr. spoke about his performance.
“I lost a few one-on-one reps today for sure,” Hall said, “but I felt like the team period I got way better for sure. I’m not the strongest guy in the world, but I feel like my speed and just how hard to try to come off the ball, I try to generate as much speed to power as I can and just harness that lower-body strength as best I can.”
If there’s one player who Hall is trying to emulate his game after, it’s Aaron Donald, a future Hall of Fame defensive lineman known for his speed and pass rushing ability up the middle.
“Guys like that, like Aaron Donald, of course, that’s where I think I can follow those guys,” Hall said.
What Michael Hall Jr. heading to NFL Draft means for Buckeyes
Losing Michael Hall Jr. to the NFL is going to be tough for Ohio State to deal with. It’s a problem that Spencer Holbrook of Lettermen Row broke down after he declared for the NFL Draft.
“It’s not just that Mike Hall could rush the passer when the Buckeyes needed him to do so. He also ate up blocks and freed up linebackers to make plays against the run, and he was a lightning rod at times for the defensive front. Hall had the rare combination of speed and power that allowed him to be a do-it-all defensive tackle, the kind of player who will thrive in the NFL if he lands in the right situation,” Holbrook wrote.
“But the Buckeyes will need to find a defensive lineman to replace Hall, one who can be good against both the pass and the run. And with the lack of depth on the defensive interior, that might be tough to find. It starts, of course, with Ty Hamilton, who is expected to stick around and have a major role. Watch out for Tywone Malone and Jason Moore as candidates to do so. But matching Hall’s production will be easier said or projected than it will be done.”