As we have talked about in length this offseason, Chris Holtmann's second team at Ohio State is going to look much different than the first.
The Buckeyes welcome in six new players, including four freshmen, and see one of the most important senior classes in school history walk out the door as Jae'Sean Tate, Keita Bates-Diop and Kam Williams are no longer in Columbus.
With that said, a new crop of Buckeyes will need to step up in 2018-19 for Ohio State to match its surprising success from a year ago. Because Holtmann is welcoming so many new faces to Columbus, we decided to rank each scholarship player in order of their importance to Ohio State's success.
13. C.J. Walker, Junior, Guard
Following his transfer from Florida State, Walker will have to sit out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA rules. While he won't make an impact in games this season, he can still practice with the team and bring toughness and athleticism to a scout team that normally wouldn't feature such talent.
When he is eligible to play next season, his importance ranking will skyrocket as he will immediately become one of Ohio State's most veteran guards. For now though, he will have to wait his turn and settle for helping the Buckeyes prepare for each opponent.
12. Joey Lane, Senior, Guard
Lane has been around the Ohio State program more than anyone on the roster and has emerged as a leader for the Buckeyes, despite only playing in mop-up minutes.
If nothing else, Joey Lane provides Ohio State with leadership and energy on the bench.
His leadership on the scout team and love for the university have made him a valuable asset to the program and his teammates love him, not to mention the student body, which erupts every time he makes a shot. He won't play much as a senior, but his impact will be felt off the floor for the 120th team in Ohio State basketball history.
11. Justin Ahrens, Freshman, Forward
At 6-foot-5, Ahrens could very well be the second coming of Jon Diebler, as he has shown the ability to knock down perimeter shots throughout his high school career and even into early open gyms at Ohio State.
However, of the four freshmen in Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class, he seems to be the furthest behind in terms of his athleticism and ability to keep up physically at the next level. Eventually, Ahrens will climb on this list, but for now, there is a lot of talent in front of him.
10. Micah Potter, Junior, Forward
Last season was a tough one for Potter, who suffered a high-ankle sprain early in the season and never seemed to full recover. He struggled to keep up with physical play at times throughout the season and saw his minutes decline as the season went on.
There are some positives for Potter, however. For his size and position, he can shoot the ball well, helping to extend defenses. In addition, he possesses a number of leadership qualities that Ohio State will need this season with the departures of Tate and Bates-Diop. He needs to take a giant step forward this season, or the next player on our list could surpass him on the depth chart.
9. Jaedon LeDee, Freshman, Forward
One of the main reasons LeDee is one spot higher on this list than Potter is because of his pure athleticism and his overall ceiling. At 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, LeDee enters the college game physically ahead of most players his age and has athleticism to go with it.
If LeDee is able to play with the physicality in the post that Potter failed to impose last season, he could easily steal minutes from Potter and become one of the more impressive freshmen in the Big Ten. He falls in at No. 9 on this list because he is still just a freshman and will come off the bench more often than not.
8. Kyle Young, Sophomore, Forward
Young played sparingly as a freshman last year, but showed potential and could be poised for a breakout sophomore campaign.
Described as one of the most athletic players on last year's squad, Young has tremendous jumping ability and despite not taking many shots last season, has a decent jump shot. With Tate gone, Young could very well be the next hustle player Ohio State needs at the power forward position. With a good summer of development, he could be a lethal weapon when the Buckeyes go with a small lineup as he can run the floor, yet still guard opposing big men.
7. Duane Washington, Freshman, Guard
With a few veteran guards in front of him, Washington won't have the pressure to perform on his shoulders nearly as much as he could have as a freshman, yet he will still need to make an impact off the bench.
C.J. Jackson and Keyshawn Woods will be the ones to run the show offensively more often than not, but should either of those veterans get into foul trouble, Washington would likely be the next man up to run the point.
6. Andre Wesson, Junior, Forward
Wesson missed most of last summer with an undisclosed medical issue that put his basketball career in jeopardy. Now, he is healthy and working to improve his offensive game to keep his minutes up as the young crop of freshmen all appear to have solid offensive skill sets.
An above-average defender, Wesson will get his minutes regardless because of his ability to guard multiple positions on the floor. If he can improve his offensive game, specifically his perimeter jumper, he could even slide into the starting lineup. For now though, he just misses our top-five.
5. Musa Jallow, Sophomore, Guard
Alongside Young, Jallow was one of the most athletic players on last year's squad. He was often times out of place and out of sync, but that is to be expected from a 17-year-old who reclassified in order to play early.
His perimeter defense is a valuable asset to Holtmann's staff, so now it is just a matter of becoming a consistent offensive threat. His quick feet and leaping ability should make him a weapon driving the lane, but he needs to improve his ball-handling in order to do to. He showed the ability to knock down shots from the outside in an upset win over Purdue, but will need to do it on a consistent basis in order to stay on the floor for extended minutes.
Jallow cracks our top-five because of his high ceiling and high motor, which cannot be understated on a new-look team.
4. Keyshawn Woods, Senior, Guard
Brought in this offseason as a graduate transfer, Woods will play a key role in helping Ohio State get back to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year.
He has tremendous skills with the ball in his hands and can create his own shot if needed. In addition, he has already drawn praise from Potter and Jackson for his ability to always make the right play in practice.
Whether he is running the point or playing alongside Jackson, Woods figures to play an integral role for the Buckeyes this season and if he remains consistent, could be the 'X' factor for Ohio State in 2018-19.
3. Luther Muhammad, Freshman, Guard
Ohio State's highest ranked recruit in the 2018 class, Muhammad is probably the most explosive player on Holtmann's roster.
An elite defender with an above-average offensive game, Muhammad will likely be in line to start from day-one in Columbus and could even be a fringe NBA prospect by the time the season is over. With so much scoring lost from last season, Muhammad will likely be asked to score the ball in isolation situations at times, a skill he has shown at the prep level.
If he is as good as his recruiting ranking, Muhammad should bring a level of excitement and flash to the program that hasn't been seen from a player since D'Angelo Russell.
2. C.J. Jackson, Senior, Guard
Jackson likely would have been No. 1 on this list had Ohio State not landed Woods in college basketball's version of free agency, but because he was able to get some help, he comes in at No. 2.
The unquestioned leader of Holtmann's second Ohio State squad, Jackson will be tasked with leading a new-look Buckeye team both on and off the floor. After getting help from the likes of Tate and Dakich at the point last season, he will be the primary ball-handler for Ohio State alongside Woods. His improved shooting ability from the perimeter will be a valuable asset for the Buckeyes, who lose their two most consistent three-point shooters in Kam Williams and Bates-Diop.
If Jackson can take a step forward from where he was a year ago, Ohio State should be in good hands.
1. Kaleb Wesson, Sophomore, Center
The big man in the middle hasn't been talked about much this offseason, but after a stellar freshman campaign, the younger Wesson brother checks in at No. 1 on our list.
His ceiling is extremely high as he showed last season an above-average ability to pass out of the post and score facing up or with his back to the basket. The only real concern with Wesson is whether or not he can stay conditioned enough to take on more minutes as a sophomore. Keeping his weight down will be integral if he is to stay on the floor in crunch time.
Wesson comes in at No. 1 on our list because he provides Ohio State with a skill not seen since Jared Sullinger walked campus. Should the Buckeyes struggle to get an open shot on an offensive possession, dumping it down to Wesson and letting him work on the block is a very good second option. If he can adapt to playing with a more athletic, quicker lineup this season, he could very well be poised for an All-Big Ten type of season.
