Ohio State Football: 7 Best Offensive Players on the 2011 Team

Tuesday, we examined the seven best defensive players on Ohio State's roster going into the 2011 season.

This time around, we will look into the seven best offensive players on the roster for the Buckeyes.

Several of the best players on the offensive will be among the Suspended Four, meaning they will miss the first five games of the year.

Here is a look at which offensive Buckeyes are among elite company on the roster.

7. Corey Brown, WR

For a young receiver like Corey Brown, jumping into a lineup featuring a senior and junior WR and seeing significant playing time was a huge step for his potential development.

And with Brown, potential is the right word. He has the potential to be a DeSean Jackson type of player with his elite-level speed and quickness.

If he is able to sure up his hands, he can become the latest in a long line of talented Buckeye wideouts that includes Santonio Holmes, Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, all of whom were first round NFL draft picks.

He will get No. 1 WR time with DeVier Posey under suspension, so he will have a chance to truly blossom to start the season.

6. Jaamal Berry, RB

Although Berry has not gotten a tremendous amount of reps so far as a Buckeye, he has shown in limited time that he is a home-run threat anytime he touches the ball.

He had a 68-yard TD run against Eastern Michigan and he had several long kickoff returns last season.

Berry has underrated power considering the fact that he is a pure burner in RB terms at just about 200 lbs.

With Dan Herron under suspension to start the season, Berry has a chance to land some good snaps, especially if Jordan Hall moves to WR full time as some whispers around Columbus claim might happen.

5. Mike Adams, LT

Lost in the shuffle of last year's breakout offensive season for Ohio State was the growth of potential first-round pick LT Mike Adams.

Adams, who was not particularly strong at the bookend tackle position in 2009, enjoyed a fantastic year in 2010.

Adams' strong play locked down the left side of the offensive line which helped protect Terrelle Pryor and earned himself First-Team All-Big Ten honors at OT.

He might struggle to get back into the flow like the rest of the suspended Buckeyes, but he can build off of his strong 2010, he will do well to protect whoever starts at QB this season.

4. Jake Stoneburner, TE

The Ohio State offense has not used the TE too much in the passing game in the new millennium until Jake Stoneburner came to town.

Stoneburner, who made the 2011 Mackey Award list for best TE in the country, is more of a WR in a TE's body due to his speed and hands.

At 6'5" and 250 lbs., Stoneburner is a mismatch that OSU's next QB should take advantage of since he is too fast for LBs and too tall and strong for corners to cover effectively.

He had 21 catches for 220 yards and two TDs in 2010, and should be able to compound those numbers since he will likely be a more featured target in the offense this season.

3. DeVier Posey, WR

The WR corps for the Buckeyes is not very deep this season, and the suspension of DeVier Posey for the first five games of the season doesn't help matters.

Posey, like Brown, has some hand inconsistencies, but he does have the ability to make the deep catch and get behind the defense, which he has done well throughout his Buckeye career.

His absence from the lineup is pretty drastic because Ohio State will need some senior leadership to help get the team over the mental specter of potential NCAA sanctions from casting too big of a cloud over the team.

Back-to-back 800-yard receiving seasons is a sign of growing consistency, and he will have a chip on his shoulder like the other suspended seniors to have a strong second half of the season when they get back on the field.

2. Jordan Hall, RB/WR

If fans are looking for a breakout Buckeye candidate of the year, look to Jordan Hall, who could be the closest thing OSU has to a Swiss Army knife in the offense.

Hall showed plenty of flashes last season as the top backup to Dan Herron, and was a big-time force in the kick return game, with a TD off a kick return against Michigan last season.

But word out of camp is that Hall may be the best player on the offense with an ability to be a factor in the running and passing game with his speed and shiftiness.

New WR coach Stan Drayton wants to use Hall similar to the way Percy Harvin was used when Drayton coached at Florida as a screen option trying to get him the football in space, the main focus of the modern college football offense.

If Hall can be as good as advertised, Ohio State fans won't need to worry about the RB position for a very long time.

1. Dan Herron, RB

After a subpar 2009 season, Dan Herron had a breakout 2010 season as the feature back of the Buckeye offense, with 1,155 yards rushing on 216 carries and 16 TDs, which is a stat that fantasy football fans would enjoy.

Herron will miss the first five games of the season due to the suspension, but he will no doubt be the go-to option in the offense when he comes back.

He may not be the most athletically gifted runner, but he has tremendous vision, shiftiness and toughness which makes him a dangerous back. In addition, he did not fumble all season until the fourth quarter of the Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas.

Although he does not have great size for a back, he could be a day two NFL draft pick due to his vision and toughness, which usually translates well for backs going to the next level.

But with Terrelle Pryor gone, the man who took an overwhelmingly large amount of snaps behind him, the back nicknamed Boom, is the best offensive player on the team.

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