Ohio State Freshman Linebacker Mitchell Melton Loses Black Stripe

Freshman linebacker Mitchell Melton earned the right to “officially” call himself a Buckeye when he shed his black stripe on Tuesday.

Officially a Buckeye! All glory to God. https://t.co/IGUkuJ6Mv9

— Mitchell Melton. (@m17m__) October 13, 2020

“Still got a ways to go but he cares and goes hard,” Ohio State director of player development Ryan Stamper said before removing Melton's stripe.

Melton and wide receiver Mookie Cooper became the 11th and 12th members of Ohio State's freshman class of 2020 to lose their black stripes on Tuesday. Melton becomes the fifth defensive player and first of the two linebackers in the Buckeyes' freshman class to have his stripe removed.

A four-star prospect from Olney, Maryland, Melton was rated as the No. 24 outside linebacker and No. 350 overall player in the 2020 class coming out of high school. Fellow Ohio State linebacker Baron Browning recently compared Melton, who is already listed at 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, to Joshua Perry and Malik Harrison because of how physically developed he is.