Ohio State freshmen Garrett Wilson and Zach Harrison will get a lot of playing time this fall.
The pair of five-star standouts enrolled early to take part in winter conditioning and spring practice, and during that time they proved their worth and earned a spot in their respective positional rotations.
Four other members of Ohio State's 2019 recruiting haul joined Wilson and Harrison as early enrollees this winter. That leaves 11 players from the Buckeyes' recent class who will report to campus this summer to enroll and take part in fall camp.
They're a step behind, but they still have an opportunity to jump in and make an early impact. Here are three freshmen from that group who could make up ground quickly and earn playing time this fall.
Harry Miller, Offensive Lineman
Ohio State is deep at a lot of levels, but offensive line is not one of them. The unit lost four multi-year starters to the draft and graduation and need to rebound quickly.
The starting unit looks solid and could even push to be the best in the Big Ten this year, but the depth is lacking. Depending on how the starting rotation shakes out, there'll be solid backups in Joshua Alabi and Branden Bowen. But Day would like more cushion than that.
Enter Harry Miller, the other 5-star prospect from Ohio State's 2019 class. Rated the nation's No. 2 center and No. 30 prospect overall, Miller is the prototypical interior linemen who can set the tone for the Buckeyes' rushing attack.
Miller won't start, but with the new rules allowing freshman to play four games and still redshirt, it's easy to envision Miller getting his feet wet this fall.
Cade Stover, Linebacker
The struggles of Ohio State's linebackers in 2018 are extremely and painfully well-documented, but with a simplified defensive scheme that doesn't have the unit playing so close to the line of scrimmage, it should feel like a renaissance for the group overall.
The Buckeyes return all three starters from a season ago, but young players (namely Teradja Mitchell) made a huge impression with the overhauled defensive staff this spring and should see an increased role.
That's good news for Cade Stover, the Mansfield, Ohio product who chose to play for the Buckeyes over offers from Oklahoma, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas and a host of others. Rated the No. 7 outside linebacker in 2019, Stover will bring a work ethic and level of strength to the Buckeyes that isn't typical of a freshman.
Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver
Even though Ohio State lost three senior starters from its wide receiver group, the unit is still stacked with the return of K.J. Hill, Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, Chris Olave and the emergence of Wilson this spring.
But Jameson Williams has game-breaking speed, and it could be hard to keep that speed off the field this fall. He's just as comfortable running deep routes as he is settling in on quick bubble screens, and that versatility is invaluable.
The St. Louis, Missouri product was a track star in high school, setting state records previously held by Ezekiel Elliott. Those numbers caught the attention of Ohio State's coaches, and they're very aware of how valuable a deep threat is in Day's wide-open offense.
If Williams can make the adjustment to college quickly, he could see playing time right out of the gate.
