We've spent a lot of time talking about the early enrollees for the 2018 class, and it's been for good reason as several newcomers have been mentioned as standouts since their arrival in January.
A few weeks back, defensive tackle Tommy Togiai became the first true freshman to shed his black stripe. Then, in last week's spring game, Master Teague certainly looked the part as he was the featured back throughout the event. Urban Meyer also hasn't been shy in his praise of Dallas Gant, Tyreke Johnson, and others.
We've learned a lot over the last week, but one thing that stands out is that the safety spot opposite Jordan Fuller is the team's most wide open position battle. When the Buckeyes return for fall camp, someone is going to need to separate themselves from the pack or else the secondary could have one big question mark heading into the season opener.
"The field safety is probably our No. 1 concern on our team right now. We just don't know who that is."– Urban Meyer, Following last week's spring game
The most likely names continue to be sophomores Isaiah Pryor and Amir Riep along with redshirt sophomore Jahsen Wint. At this point in time, no one – including Pryor, the presumed favorite – has done enough to earn the starting gig. Along with the linebacking unit, the vacant safety spot continues to be the biggest question mark on defense.
But what about incoming true freshman Josh Proctor?
The country's No. 7 safety prospect pledged to the Buckeyes during the 2017 spring game. A star on the gridiron and the hardwood for the Owasso High School Rams, his commitment came as a surprise while most thought he'd end up siding with the in-state Sooners.
The Buckeyes were forced to deal with some pretty big blows for the 2018 class. The staff lost five-star defensive end Brenton Cox to Georgia and safety Jaiden Woodbey to Florida State. And although they never technically had him, seeing Jackson Carman head to Clemson also wasn't ideal.
However, hanging onto Proctor – all the while Oklahoma was putting together a College Football Playoff run – was a massive win for Urban Meyer and Co. In fact, it may only be rivaled by the signing of five-star tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere; who also arrives this summer.
Following December's early signing period, Meyer spoke about Ohio State's mostly complete 2018 class. He described the pursuit of Proctor as "relentless" and identified the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder as one of his favorites in the class.
Josh Proctor's 100-yard interception return on Cox Cable tonight. Owasso up 34-10 over Jenks at halftime. Ohio Stare #Buckeyes commit. pic.twitter.com/Tu9Mi0KXMn
— Eric Bailey (@EricBaileyTW) August 26, 2017
It's difficult to imagine a situation where any true freshman sees regular playing time during the 2018 campaign; at least not outside of special teams. But if there's any one position that remains up for the taking, then the field safety spot is clearly the one to watch.
We've talked a lot about Nicholas Petit-Frere and his potential to make an impact early on in his career. However, both tackle spots seem to be locked up with Isaiah Prince likely staying on the right side and Thayer Munford transitioning to the quarterback's blind side.
So Josh Proctor may end up being one of the more notable players from the 2018 recruiting class. He certainly has the measurables for the position and – assuming his game doesn't differ too much from his prep career – his ballhawking skills could be a welcome sight in the secondary; even if it takes time to move into a starting role.
For the time being, our latest depth chart projection has Proctor backing up Isaiah Pryor this fall. Amir Riep flashed on special teams a season ago and both Jahsen Wint and Brendon White are in the picture. But as a pure safety, Proctor likely has as much talent as anyone on the roster.
There may not be a more intriguing position battle to watch over the next four months, and the summer is bound to feature more twists and turns with three or four guys expected to be in the running.
If nothing else, the arrival of Josh Proctor should at least help to motivate the more seasoned players who are vying for one of the few openings on the Ohio State depth chart.
