Ohio State defensive end Melvin Fellows, from Garfield Heights, is back healthy and looking to follow in the footsteps of OSU All-American candidate Cameron Heyward.
View full size"It was kind of heartbreaking that I had to redshirt last year, but everything is falling into place," says redshirt freshman OSU defensive lineman Melvin Fellows, a Garfield Heights graduate. "I'm just ready for 2010 to show everybody all the work I put in."COLUMBUS, Ohio -- His skinny legs made Melvin Fellows a target of his Ohio State teammates' jokes last season. Veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said Fellows needed to get stronger, but his left leg was what kept Fellows off the field his first year in Columbus.
After surgery on his left knee in April of 2009, Fellows admitted his left quad was weaker, but figured everything would be fine by the time he was a Buckeye. It wasn't, and Fellows said the muscles in his left leg atrophied while he tried to rehab. What was already skinny became skinnier.
Now backing up a potential All-American and working to earn playing time on a young second-team defensive line, Fellows is healthy and the right size for Big Ten play, gaining 33 pounds from his high school days to reach 265. The Garfield Heights grad said he's 100 percent healthy for the first time since his sophomore year of high school.
"It was kind of heartbreaking that I had to redshirt last year, but everything is falling into place," Fellows said. "I'm behind Cameron Heyward, he's a [future] first-round draft pick and I'm just trying to learn what I can from him. There's nothing better. He's a great guy and he's helping me on and off the field. I'm just ready for 2010 to show everybody all the work I put in.
"He has high hopes for me, and I'm just working and trying to make a name for myself like I did in high school."
There are chances for Fellows to show that. While Ohio State's starting defensive line is set with seniors Heyward and Dexter Larimore, junior Nathan Williams and sophomore John Simon, the second line is wide open. The Buckeyes lost five members of what was a nine-man rotation last year, so the second line, which always plays, will be young.
Junior Solomon Thomas is behind Williams at the Leo spot, the defensive end who also drops into coverage. Redshirt sophomore Garrett Goebel and redshirt freshman Adam Bellamy are also running with the second team, while Fellows follows Heyward.
Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock has said he'd like the dominant Heyward to jump from playing 60 percent of the snaps a year ago to 80 to 90 percent of the snaps this season.
Regardless, the Buckeyes need to know they can trust anyone who replaces their best defensive player, for however long it is. That's why Heyward said he'd be drawing up plays on a board during camp after seeing Fellows struggling with the playbook at times last year.
"It was very humbling for him being out last year, and I constantly try to stay on him," Heyward said. "He's going to be a great player here, I can already sense that. He can definitely disrupt the flow of the game. He's put in all the work, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do this year."
In practice, Fellows has shown off his strength and speed. At Heyward's position both are required, since you may be required to hold your ground inside against a guard on a running play, then follow that by having to beat a tackle to pressure the quarterback on the next play.
Fellows, when healthy, seems to have the tools needed to play both those roles.
"He's still got a lot of growing to do," Heyward said. "He's got a good work ethic, he stays out of trouble and he's a good guy. I think he's learning a lot."
And he's learning from one of the best.