Ohio State Football: Joey Bosa Is Already Next Great Buckeye Defender

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Never shy to interact with his fans (and media members) on Twitter, it's no secret to Joey Bosa's 20,000-plus followers that the Ohio State defensive end is a fan of music and video games.

But for Bosa, there's at least one activity that trumps his passion for deadmau5 and Destiny: quarterback sacks.

That was apparent on Saturday, when the super sophomore couldn't stop smiling following the Buckeyes' 50-28 win over Cincinnati. After all, it was Bosa's first-quarter sack-turned-safety of Bearcats quarterback Gunner Kiel that played a key role in Ohio State jumping out to a 30-7 lead in the first half.

“It’s pretty much why I play the game,” Bosa said of the play. “It’s why I play football, to go out there and have fun with my friends and hit the quarterback in the face.”

If that's the case, then his college career has already been a blast for Bosa.

Breaking into the Buckeyes' starting lineup as a true freshman a season ago, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native made an immediate impact, recording 44 tackles, 13.5 of which came for a loss and 7.5 sacks en route to being named a Freshman All-American by Sporting News and the Football Writers Association of America.

And thus far, the 6'5", 278-pounder has avoided a sophomore slump, tallying 10 tackles, 4.5 of which have come for a loss and 2.5 sacks through Ohio State's first four games of 2014.

When he lured the former 5-star prospect from storied St. Thomas Aquinas High School a year ago, Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer figured he was getting something special in Bosa. But even he's been surprised by how quickly the Sunshine State product has made his presence felt.

"I thought we'd have a guy that would be pretty much game-ready because he went to a really quality high school program," Meyer said. "I didn't imagine he'd be this ready. He's extremely strong and quick and relentless. And on top of that he loves and understands the game.”

PAUL VERNON/Associated Press

It doesn't hurt that football runs in the bloodline of Bosa, the son of former Boston College defensive tackle John Bosa and nephew of Ohio State linebacker Eric Kumerow. But while both his father and uncle were selected by the Miami Dolphins with first-round picks in 1987 and 1988, respectively, Joey has a chance to be the best of the bunch, as evidenced by Meyer's preseason proclamation that Bosa "is as good a defensive end as anybody in America."

That's obviously high praise from the third-year Buckeyes head coach, but it's not a coincidence that CBSSports.com analyst Dane Brugler is already projecting Bosa to potentially be the top overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Adding to Bosa's reputation as well has been OSU linebacker and ESPN analyst Chris Spielman, who has compared him to Houston Texans star J.J. Watt.

But despite all of the praise that's already been heaped on Bosa, Buckeyes co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell believes that he's yet to scratch the surface of his potential. A defensive tackle at Ohio State from 1993-96, Fickell played alongside arguably the greatest defensive lineman in Buckeye history in Mike Vrabel and sees similar traits in the young Ohio State star.

“The sky’s the limit for that guy with his abilities...he is a very dominating force. He’s tough. He’s a guy that’s got the speed that’s able to get the edge, but he’s got the power to do some things inside. It’s an unbelievable combination," Fickell said. "I haven’t seen a whole lot of guys like it, but we’re still going to expect him to continue to grow. Joey’s got a lot of growth he can continue to do."

That's bad news for the rest of the Big Ten, which has already felt the wrath of a player who's not even at the halfway point of his second college season yet. As for his teammates, they're just glad that they get to reap the benefits of Bosa's game-changing hits, as opposed to having them come against their own offense.

"He changed the whole course of the game by hitting Gunner Kiel like that and forcing that safety," said senior defensive tackle Michael Bennett. "It gave us incredible momentum, and Gunner was kind of looking for him from that point on. I love the kid. He makes plays for us.”

"He’s a freak," added junior nickelback Armani Reeves. "He does things that some D-ends, you’re just like, ‘Wow.’ He’s a great player and when you see his hits like that, you’re looking at greatness. You’re watching greatness. He’s a great player and I’m just happy he’s on our side.”

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Having already accomplished so much so soon in his college career, it's not unrealistic to think that Bosa will one day leave Columbus as the greatest defensive lineman in school history. He likely won't stick around long enough to eclipse the 36 career sacks that Vrabel—the man who recruited him to Ohio State as a position coach—set as the program standard, but that hasn't stopped Meyer from comparing him to another Buckeye great, and then some.

“I think John Simon," Meyer answered when asked if Bosa reminds him of any other player he's coached. "He's a little more talented than John, a little longer. But John Simon had that same—you watch those two play in practice and compete and there's a mindset.

"Everybody knows how we all feel about John Simon. But to even mention someone in that same vein, who is a few inches taller and a little longer, that's pretty rare air."

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Ohio State Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.