The Ohio State Buckeyes are loaded with talent and will be sending a large shipment of prospects to the next level in the 2016 NFL draft.
In the early stages of the evaluation process, defensive lineman Joey Bosa seems to be the consensus top prospect under Urban Meyer's watch.
In fact, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Bosa as the No. 1 overall prospect on his recent big board. ESPN's Todd McShay had Bosa ranked third overall and as the first Ohio State prospect off the board in his early mock draft.
Given Bosa's body of work, it's hard to argue that he wouldn't be the safe choice if the draft were held today. But with another year of exposure, could quarterback Cardale Jones eclipse him as the Buckeyes' top prospect?
Jones may have already received more NFL draft hype than any prospect in history with just three starts under his belt, but the traits he displayed in those dominant outings give Ohio State fans and scouts at the next level plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his future.
Let's take a look at the aspects of Jones' skill set that give him the most upside of any Ohio State prospect—Bosa included.
Poise in the Pocket
Scouts could hardly fault Jones if he had been deficient in this area in 2014. Making his first starts since high school, Jones struggling to adjust to the pace of the game would have been natural.
But he was as cool as any veteran quarterback from the pocket during Ohio State's championship run.
Unfazed by pressure, Jones took advantage of favorable matchups when the defense brought extra men and picked apart the secondary. According to Pro Football Focus, he generated a quarterback rating of 127.7 against the blitz in 2014.
Jones' performance under pressure was particularly impressive given the way in which he attacked defenses.
While many college quarterbacks resort to checkdown options at the first sign of pressure, Jones continued to keep his eyes down field. According to CFB Film Room, while facing pressure during his three starts, 12 of Jones' 29 pass attempts targeted receivers at least 10 yards down the field—resulting in seven completions for 232 yards and two touchdowns.
Jones displayed one of his most impressive passes under pressure against Wisconsin, throwing a strike to Jalin Marshall with Wisconsin linebacker Vince Biegel closing in on him:
Throwing the Deep Ball
Jones had displayed his rocket arm in previous games, even before being named the starter at Ohio State. But the accuracy with which he threw the deep ball during his three starts opened eyes.
In an era of simplified collegiate offenses and quarterbacks who rely heavily on quick-strike passes, the NFL will be drawn to Jones' ability to sit in the pocket and pick apart the defense down the field.
According to CFB Film Room, nearly 75 percent of Jones' passing yards were picked up through the air (as opposed to after the catch) and over 56 percent came on passes that traveled at least 20 yards down the field.
In his 3 starts, @CJ12_ picked up an incredible 74.5% of his passing yards through the air... so rare in this era of quick-strike passes
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) July 9, 2015
His Legs
Jones didn't show off the same athleticism as J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller, but that may actually be a plus in the eyes of NFL scouts.
The NFL certainly appreciates quarterbacks who can run and has dating all the way back to the days of John Elway and Steve Young. But the athletic quarterbacks with the most longevity are typically the ones strong enough to take a pounding.
Cam Newton certainly isn't as dangerous in the open field as Robert Griffin III, but since Newton has the body (6'5", 245 lbs) to absorb NFL hits, he has accounted for more yards on the ground than RG3 (6'2", 222 lbs) in each of the past two seasons.
Listed at 6'5", 250 pounds, Jones is certainly more Newton than RG3 and should be able to have a similar effect on the game when the initial play breaks down.
Obviously, NFL scouts, general managers and coaches want to see more from Jones before anointing him the next elite quarterback prospect. College football has seen plenty of stars flash for a moment, only to fade over time.
However, the NFL traits Jones displayed in his brief playing time a season ago make him one of the most intriguing prospects in the college game.
If Jones maintains consistency in these areas in 2015, he should establish himself as the top NFL prospect on Ohio State's roster.
Read more Big Ten Football news on BleacherReport.com