Ohio State Football: Predicting Buckeyes' Major Stat Leaders for 2012 Season

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Ohio State's 2012 season will be one where the top players in most positions will have to step their games up in order to have a stronger year.

The on-field product should be so much better this season, meaning that the players will put up better overall stats.

The receivers will obviously look to better the high-catch total of 14 from a year ago. The passing numbers also have plenty of room to grow. But who will be leading the Buckeyes in all the different stats?

Here is a prediction of who will be the stat leaders at the end of the season.

Passing Yards/TDs: Braxton Miller

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Basically barring any catastrophic injury or disaster, Braxton Miller will be leading Ohio State in passing yards and touchdowns.

In a more Miller-friendly system Urban Meyer has brought to town, he will put up much bigger numbers, not just in the passing game but also in the running game.

He has grown quite a bit in the spring, so his numbers should take a big jolt up this season.

Rushing Yards/TDs: Jordan Hall

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Jordan Hall should be one of the players who has a bit of a renaissance in terms of offensive productivity this season.

Like Miller and several other players on the roster, the new offense will be a better fit for Hall because of his ability to make players miss and catch the ball in the backfield.

He isn't a big, bulky guy who fits well in the old pro-style offense on Jim Tressel's era.

Hall can be a dangerous player in the new inside-zone rushing attack and will be the guy who finishes off drives with touchdowns.

Receiving Yards: Corey Brown; Receiving TDs: Jake Stoneburner

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To say Ohio State's passing game was pedestrian last season is an understatement. It was an utter disaster most of last season.

Going into this season, the passing game will be much more capable of making plays and letting the receivers make plays as well.

Speedster Corey Brown and Jake Stoneburner should benefit most. Brown will be a better fit in this offense running screens and shorter routes where he can break longer plays.

Stoneburner will get quite a few touches in this new offense as he should be a focal point like Aaron Hernandez was for Meyer in Florida and James Casey was at Rice for new offensive coordinator Tom Herman.

These two could be quite a dynamic duo this season.

Sacks: John Simon

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The Ohio State defense last year was not up to the level that it was in past years.

Part of the reason was that the Buckeyes' front four had a hard time creating disruption in both the running and passing games.

Senior DE John Simon may be among the best players in the country, and is the focal point of the defense.

His relentless nature and great athleticism should make him a dangerous edge rusher and allow him to lead the team in sacks.

Even with young edge rushers Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington and Se'Von Pittman in the fold, leave it to the senior to be the chief sack artist on this defense.

Interceptions: Bradley Roby

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Bradley Roby is a budding star in the Ohio State defense with the potential to be a lockdown corner and a future first-round draft pick.

New DBs coach Kerry Coombs, a legend in Cincinnati high school football, has been coaching his young players to play off the receivers and go after interceptions more often this year.

Roby should be the guy who will lead his team in interceptions after playing some receiver and returner in high school. Those types of skills make him very capable of getting those picks.

The Buckeyes have a young secondary loaded with potential, and Roby is the young, new face of this group.

Expect him to end up with the ball most often among the Silver Bullets.

 

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