The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football’s Changing of the Guard

Host: Doug Lesmerises
Date: September 4, 2025
Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show (Blue Wire)
Episode Theme: Examining Ohio State’s evolving NFL legacy, focusing on the transition from one generation of Buckeye pros to the next as the team seeks to repeat as national champions.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Doug Lesmerises reflects on the evolving landscape of Ohio State football, particularly the "changing of the guard" as a new group of Buckeyes enters the NFL and legends from the 2016 title run cycle out. The discussion is steeped in nostalgia, analysis of NFL trajectories, and a big-picture view of Ohio State’s increasing impact and reputation in professional football. Doug also teases upcoming podcast content, encourages listener interaction, and frames Ohio State’s NFL presence as a touchstone for pride among fans.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ohio State Football’s Expanding NFL Presence

• Doug opens by emphasizing the growth of the Bill and Doug Show’s platforms (podcast, YouTube, Substack) and sets the stage for a deeper look into the Buckeyes’ identity, especially as reflected at the NFL level.
• 00:55 Doug asserts the significance of football as a unifying force in America and claims:

  “The NFL is the biggest sport in the United States. I think college football [is] second... football itself is the most unifying thing in a fractured nation.”

• Ohio State’s profile in the NFL has surged, now boasting about double the number of NFL players compared to a decade ago.

2. The Generational Shift: From 2016 Class to 2025 Prospects

• Doug relates the natural cycle of college champions producing NFL players and how, roughly a decade later, those players phase out just as a new wave arises.
• Key stat: Fifteen players from last year’s team made NFL rosters (including free agent Josh Fryer)—a sign of constant renewal and the health of the program (03:45).
• Only four of the 12 Buckeyes drafted in 2016 remain in the NFL: Joey Bosa, Taylor Decker, Eli Apple (practice squad), and Nick Vannett.

3. The Historical Perspective & Player Lineage

• Doug draws thoughtful parallels between past Buckeye draft classes and present ones, highlighting the torch-passing dynamic:
  • The 2004 draft class (post-2002 title) cycled out before the 2016 draft class emerged.
  • The 2006 draft class—AJ Hawk, Dante Whitner, Nick Mangold—were still active in 2016, symbolizing linkages across generations.
• He finds value in these “linkages,” saying,

  “I’m very interested in that... the idea that I played with this guy and then he went on and did this. But then I also played with this guy at the end of his career when I was starting out.” (06:30)

4. NFL Success as a Metric for Program Identity

• Doug discusses the nuance in fan interest: do Buckeye fans care more about current players, the future (recruits), or alumni in the NFL? His answer: most care about the “now” and the immediate future, but Sunday pride is real.
• Ohio State now has 57 players on 53-man NFL rosters, soon to be 58 (“tied for second for all colleges”)—an unprecedented leap.
  • “There was a time... when 10 years ago the Buckeyes weren’t in the top 10 [for NFL players].” (09:10)

5. Farewell to the 2016 NFL Draft Class

Doug runs through the legacy and recent status of each member of the pivotal 2016 Buckeye draft class, underscoring their impact:

Notable Career Highlights

• Joey Bosa:
  • Nine seasons (Chargers/Bills), 5x Pro Bowler.
  • “Some injury stuff, you know, but... certainly as one of the best edge guys in the NFL. Not with Myles Garrett, not with TJ Watt, not with his brother... but a really good NFL career.” (11:20)
• Ezekiel Elliott:
  • Eight years with Dallas, one with New England; “Second most [rushing yards] in the NFL from 2016-2024 behind Derrick Henry.” (12:10)
  • “Zeke might be done. That’s a passing of the torch to a guy like Trivion Henderson, who people in New England are really excited about.”
• Taylor Decker:
  • 10 years, 126 games—all starts—for the Detroit Lions.
  • “Remarkable. Made his first Pro bowl last year.” (13:00)
• Michael Thomas:
  • Led NFL in receptions/receiving yards (2019), 3x Pro Bowler.
  • “Was the best receiver in the NFL for two or three years, then had some injuries and fell off.”
• Von Bell:
  • “Nine years in the league... four New Orleans, four Cincinnati, one Carolina... Great NFL safety, not a surprise.”
• Eli Apple & Nick Vannett:
  • Apple: 7th NFL team—“Credit to him, played in a Super Bowl.”
  • Vannett: “Hanging on. Any way possible. Seventh or eighth team... What a credit to him.”

Other Members

• Darren Lee, Adolphus Washington, Braxton Miller, Joshua Perry, Cardale Jones—discussed in brief, noting their shorter careers, positional changes, or “what ifs.”

Memorable Reflection

• On Braxton Miller & Terrelle Pryor:

  “If they had been in more of an NFL system, could that have prepared them a little bit more for the next level?... The idea that anybody can be Lamar Jackson—I’m not saying that at all—but I do think about it because Braxton ended up trying to do it as a receiver.” (14:35)

• On Cardale Jones:

  “Did Cardale Jones walk so Josh Allen could run? ... When he runs, he’s a truck... I do wonder about it.” (15:05)

6. Closing Thoughts—The Buckeye Pipeline Is Strong

• Doug sums up:

  “Best of luck to the 2025 Ohio State NFL Draft class... There’s a chance that some week this season there’s going to be more than 60 Ohio State Buckeyes playing in NFL games. Which is a remarkable thing.” (16:00)

• He invites listeners to share their feelings on Buckeyes in the NFL in comments and previews upcoming in-depth coverage, including game analysis and fan Q&A.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On NFL’s Role in College Programs:

  “Part of your identity as a college football program is tied up, I think, in what your guys are doing at the NFL level.” (01:30)

• On Taylor Decker:

  “Every game that he’s played as an NFL player has been a start.” (04:55)

• On Ohio State’s NFL Relevance:

  “Ohio State right now: 57 guys on the 53-man roster... that’s tied for second for all colleges right now... Ten years ago, the Buckeyes weren’t in the top 10.” (09:10)

• On Roster Longevity:

  “NFL careers—long NFL careers—last a decade.” (02:30)

• On Zeke & Rushing Leaders:

  “From 2016 to 2024, those nine years, [Zeke] had the second most [rushing yards] in the NFL behind Derrick Henry.” (12:15)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:00-02:30 — Intro, show updates, setting the episode’s theme
• 03:00-07:00 — Doubling of Buckeyes in NFL, the generational turnover, the 2016 class’s fade-out
• 07:00-09:30 — Historical draft classes and program lineage
• 09:30-11:30 — Fan interest: college, future recruits, and Sunday pride
• 11:30-16:00 — Detailed rundown of the 2016 draftees’ NFL careers and their legacies
• 16:00-End — Look ahead to next-gen Buckeyes in the NFL, podcast/Substack plugs

Summary

This episode of The Bill and Doug Show is a heartfelt, analytical look at the evolving NFL legacy of Ohio State football. Doug Lesmerises charts the decline of the celebrated 2016 NFL draft class and heralds the arrival of a fresh crop of Buckeye pros, placing special focus on how NFL traction both reflects and sustains the Ohio State brand. Blending nostalgia, statistics, and relatable fandom, Doug establishes the connection between past, present, and future Buckeyes, reminding listeners that the program’s NFL influence is at an all-time high and only growing stronger.