Ohio State linebackers look to reload in 2017 after the departure of middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan and Luke Fickell.
| NAME | YEAR |
|---|---|
| JEROME BAKER | JR |
| DANTE BOOKER | RS JR |
| TUF BORLAND | RS FR |
| BARON BROWNING | FR |
| NICK CONNER | RS SO |
| MALIK HARRISON | SO |
| JUSTIN HILLIARD | RS SO |
| KEANDRE JONES | SO |
| PETE WERNER | FR |
| CHRIS WORLEY | RS S |
When Urban Meyer arrived at Ohio State in 2012, the lack of linebacker depth forced him to deploy fullback Zach Boren at the position. Entering his sixth-season, his linebackers look to build on a tenacious 2016 campaign despite losing position coach Luke Fickell to Cincinnati and captain middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan to the Miami Dolphins.
Meyer moved quickly to replace the longtime Ohio State lieutenant. Normally one to prefer hiring young up-and-comers, Meyer continued a recent trend by hiring a more established coach in longtime NFL assistant Bill Davis, who will undoubtedly be mentioned during every broadcast as the best man at Meyer's wedding.
Davis last coached with the Philadelphia Eagles as their defensive coordinator in 2015. He spent 24 years in the NFL and served as defensive coordinator for three teams. Operating under the umbrella of defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, Davis' unit looks to repeat last year's performance with a new mix of talent.
MIKE linebacker: CHRIS WORLEY lEADS THE WAY
Worley arriving at his final preseason camp.
The second order of business became finding a new middle linebacker after the Miami Dolphins selected Raekwon McMillan in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
The heir apparent quickly emerged in spring practice after Meyer and Schiano moved fifth-year senior Chris Worley from SAM linebacker into the middle of his defense despite lacking the traditional girth of a middle linebacker (McMillan is listed as 12 pounds heavier than Worley despite both being 6'2").
Worley started started in the middle on Day 1 of camp and never surrendered the spot. If Worley can stay healthy, he already has the tools to follow McMillan's footsteps to the NFL. He'll also be expected to provide veteran leadership in a unit teaming with talented albeit youthful playmakers.
“We lost what I think is a man’s man in Raekwon McMillan," Schiano told reporters in March. “We needed to make sure that we could try to replace him with a guy that has that kind of presence about him."
The battle to backup Worley remains murky.
Buckeye fans rejoiced when five-star middle linebacker Justin Hilliard committed to Ohio State in July 2014. Unfortunately, the bicipites of the can't-miss prospect haven't cooperated as Hilliard missed much of the last two seasons while rehabbing injuries in both arms.
Finally healthy, Davis instructed Hilliard to draw inspiration from NFL All-Pro linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, a former protégé who went on to a long and lucrative career despite tearing different biceps in subsequent years.
Baron Browning: Destroyer of high school punters.
Another candidate is aptly named redshirt freshman Tuf Borland, a Wisconsin legacy lured to Columbus by former OSU assistants Chris Ash and Luke Fickell. Borland received robust reps in spring due to injuries.
The dark horse of the race — if you can consider the No. 1 middle linebacker of the 2017 class a dark horse — is freshman Baron Browning, who early enrolled in January.
Browning tore a shoulder labrum in late March, an injury that sidelined him for 10 weeks. The layoff didn't dampen Davis' enthusiasm for the Texas native, who should figure into special teams duties at bare minimum.
Will Linebacker: Jerome Baker looks to do it again
Jerome Baker will be another NFL Draft darling should he supersede his acclaimed sophomore season.
Last year in Week 1 against Bowling Green, Ohio State replaced injured junior WILL linebacker Dante Booker with sophomore Jerome Baker, and the Cleveland native basically never came off the field for the rest of the season.
Entering this season, questions whether a fully healthy Booker would return to his old position and shifting Baker to the SAM spot. If Meyer and Schiano considered it, it never came to fruition as Baker retained his spot throughout spring.
If Baker surpasses his breakout sophomore campaign, he will be a top pick in the 2018 draft, following in the tradition of former Buckeye standouts Darron Lee and Ryan Shazier.
"Just because of his athleticism, the position that he plays, it’s easy I think at Ohio State to look back at guys like Lee and Shazier," Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller told Eleven Warriors in July. "(Baker) is that type of athlete, that type of player. They were first-round picks, he’s probably going to be a first-round pick as well."
Sophomore Keandre Jones expects to back him up, a vital position given last year's developments.
Meyer and Ohio State successfully flipped the longtime Maryland commit after the firing of head coach Randy Edsall in 2016. Meyer said he might be "the jewel" of the class on National Signing Day.
Jones appeared in spot duty and special teams roles as a true freshman in 2016, and should be a capable albeit unproven backup should Baker miss time.
Justin Hilliard and Tuf Borland could play here, too, depending on how the middle linebacker depth chart ultimately shakes out.
SAM LINEBACKER: Don't SLEEP ON DANTE BOOKER
It's Dante Booker's time. Finally
Dante Booker arrived on campus in 2014 and immediately made an impact on special teams, appearing in 11 games for the national championship Buckeyes.
Freshmen playing on special teams usually bodes well for increased playing time the following year. Unfortunately for Booker, he found himself behind Raekwon McMillan, Darron Lee, and Joshua Perry — all of whom play in the NFL now.
After biding his time for two years, Booker got his break in 2016 when he started at WILL against Bowling Green. Then disaster struck, as Booker sprained his MCL on the 12th play of the game.
Usually such injuries sideline a player for a couple of weeks. But after his replacement, Jerome Baker, exploded onto the scene, the coaching staff went the cautious route and redshirted the junior.
Entering 2017, Booker was a wild card. Would he take back his old spot at WILL, moving Baker to SAM? Would he move into the center of the defense to replace McMillan?
Meyer and Davis deployed Booker at SAM to replace Chris Worley, whom they moved to the middle. Booker never surrendered the spot after Day 1 of spring camp.
Entering his fourth season, Booker went through camp under the radar. Just don't sleep on his athleticism.
“I’m excited about Dante,” Davis told reporters in July. “Dante is a special athlete and we’ve got him out in space because he’s got a lot of speed, quickness and ability to change directions.”
Malik Harrison is a supreme athlete.
Sophomore Malik Harrison should back Booker up.
Harrison joined the Buckeyes on National Signing Day in 2016 as a three-star athlete from Walnut Ridge. He originally expressed interest in playing wide receiver before Fickell recruited him to linebacker.
Harrison appeared in 12 of 13 games in 2016, showcasing a rare blend of size (6-3, 225) and speed on special teams.
Harrison suffered a shoulder injury which sidelined him for most of spring camp but returned for fall camp. Barring an unforeseen circumstance, he should see plenty of special teams coverage while supplying backup minutes behind Booker.
