What to know about Streetsboro alum Michael Hall Jr., and his upcoming NFL Draft journey

Streetsboro alum Michael Hall Jr. declared for the NFL Draft Dec. 30.

Here's what you need to know about the road ahead for the Ohio State and Rockets standout:

What did Hall say?

In his Dec. 30 Twitter/X announcement, Hall, who emerged as a star defensive lineman at Ohio State, said it was "time to start the next chapter of my life and make the one dream that never died in me come true." Hall wrote in his post about how it "has been one of the greatest opportunities to ever experience playing for THE Ohio State University" and how grateful he was for the "everlasting memories and relationships" with his teammates.

What are the draft experts saying?

Let's take a look at what a couple of analysts/writers are saying about Hall.

• CBSSports.com's Josh Edwards, Chris Trapasso and Ryan Wilson had Hall listed 52nd on their list of top prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft.
• Pro Football Network's Ian Cummings wrote that Hall has "the disruptive traits to be a coveted 2024 NFL Draft prospect." Cummings noted Hall's "blistering initial explosiveness and lateral burst" and "unnatural torque and rotational power for his frame" and said that Hall "grades out as a fringe top-50 prospect." Cummings wrote that Hall "should command capital anywhere on Day 2" and "there's a chance Hall goes late in Round 1 if his testing is as good as expected."

What's next for Hall?

Speaking of testing, Hall has a number of chances in the coming months to show what he can do, starting with the Senior Bowl. The Reese's Senior Bowl, set for 1 p.m. Feb. 3, is college football's top all-star game but the practices leading into the game from Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 are arguably just as valuable. The practices and the Senior Bowl itself — all of which will take place at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala. — are critical chances to impress scouts from across the National Football League.

Hall is one of three Buckeyes to accept an invitation to the prestigious game, joining linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and safety Josh Proctor. Hall will be one of two Portage County players participating in the Senior Bowl, as he'll compete alongside Aurora alum A.J. Barner, a tight end who recently won a national title at Michigan.

Other potential chances for Hall to impress scouts include Ohio State's Pro Day and the NFL Combine, with the latter being a relatively exclusive invite-only event much like the Senior Bowl. While this year's Pro Day information is not yet out, the Buckeyes held last year's Pro Day on March 22.

What did Hall accomplish in Columbus?

Hall played three seasons for the Buckeyes, amassing 45 tackles (10 for loss) and six sacks in 28 games (11 starts). That included a career-best 24 tackles last season, en route to third team all-Big Ten honors.

What was perhaps craziest about Hall's college career is that he didn't get his first offer until the June leading into his junior season at Streetsboro. That offer came from Kentucky and ultimately started an avalanche that included many of the top programs in the nation.

What did Hall accomplish in Streetsboro?

Transferring to the Rockets from Benedictine, Hall immediately stood out for his athleticism and size. He turned into a terror on the defensive line that opposing offenses literally spent the whole game running away from. While his impact can't be captured by stats alone — given opponents consistently ran in the opposite direction — Hall really broke out as a junior, with 71 tackles (17 for loss). Beyond the numbers, he was a key part of arguably the best season in Streetsboro history, as the Rockets went 11-1 overall, were undefeated in the Metro Athletic Conference and earned the program's first postseason win. He added 41 tackles (12 for loss) as a senior while dealing with a hand injury. By then, he was regarded by numerous recruiting sites as one of the top defensive tackles in the nation.

"Just a rare combination of size, speed, power and just his flexibility," Streetsboro coach Pete Thompson said. "You just don't see that very often at the high school level, at our level. It was pretty obvious to us as long as he didn't get injured [and] took care of his business off the field, in the classroom, that he could have a special, special football career and the ability to play for a long time."