Ranking Ohio State’s Position Rooms From Thinnest To Deepest As End Of Spring Football Nears

The most famous example of it keeping the Buckeyes in the win column came when they rode a third-string quarterback to cap off the 2014 season with a national championship. But it has been an important facet of this team numerous other times in recent years.

Ample depth is the reason why Larry Johnson rotates two or three guys at all four defensive end spots, and it explains why there have been so many guys rotating at wide receiver in the past decade. It’s what allowed Ohio State to use so many multi-tight end sets last year and why the team lost three starting offensive linemen to positive COVID-19 tests yet didn’t miss a beat against Michigan State six months ago. Lack of depth also hurt the Buckeyes’ secondary last year, and it’s the basis by which they have brought in players from the transfer portal in recent offseasons, too.

So, how deep will Ohio State be across its roster in 2021? That’s what we’re trying to figure out.

Our ranking of positions, from thinnest to deepest:

9. Tight end

The Buckeyes might have the country’s best tight end on their roster in Jeremy Ruckert. They also have undeniable questions surrounding the rest of the position. Cade Stover seems to have the inside track to back Ruckert up, but he converted from the defensive side of the ball a year ago and played five snaps at tight end in 2020. 

The other guys in the room are two walk-ons (Mitch Rossi and Corey Rau), a redshirt freshman who didn’t see the field last season (Joe Royer) and an incoming three-star recruit (Sam Hart). Gee Scott Jr. is learning the position, too. Ohio State’s coaches can sleep soundly knowing they have a stud starter, but there are no proven commodities outside of Ruckert.

8. Linebacker

In 2020, the Buckeyes had seven upperclassman linebackers, making the position arguably the deepest on the team. In 2021, they’re in a completely different position. Ohio State lacks top-end experience in a room without any returning starters along with projected backups who have shown anything in games at the collegiate level. 

Sure, there’s plenty of untapped potential in a room that includes numerous four-star recruits, including Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant, Cody Simon and Reid Carrico, but they’re also mostly unproven as Buckeyes. Outside of Mitchell and Gant, both of whom are projected starters, no returning linebacker played more than 39 snaps last season. Injuries to Gant and Mitchell Melton aren’t helping either.

7. Safety

It’s a bit tough to rank the depth of linebacker, safety and cornerback given the positional ambiguity of guys like Craig Young, Lathan Ransom and Cameron Martinez. But regardless of how each player gets classified, all three positions are mostly ranked near each other.

Josh Proctor will start at deep safety, and behind him in spring are Bryson Shaw, a third-year safety who played 30 defensive snaps, and true freshman Jantzen Dunn. Most of the depth here comes elsewhere considering Young is lining up at a hybrid linebacker/safety spot and Ransom and Martinez can play multiple positions including safety. If Ohio State goes with only two linebackers on the field more often in 2021, it’ll have a decent number of options at safety.

6. Quarterback

How should you feel about Ohio State’s quarterback depth? That’s a borderline impossible question to answer considering 1) a starter hasn’t been named and 2) none of them have ever thrown a pass in college. We probably won’t know exactly what to think of whichever guy starts in Week 1, so it’ll be even more difficult to know anything about the guy backing him up.

The one thing about the depth at quarterback that works in Ohio State’s favor? Regardless of whether C.J. Stroud, Jack Miller or Kyle McCord wins the job, the Buckeyes should have two talented options – even if they’re inexperienced. 

5. Cornerback

As Ohio State learned first-hand a year ago, having depth at cornerback can be important. It’s arguably the most dangerous position on defense to have to rely on unproven or unreliable players. While the Buckeyes’ corner depth isn’t where Kerry Coombs wants it to be yet, they’re making strides in the right direction.

Projected starting outside cornerbacks Sevyn Banks and Cameron Brown could be backed up by second-years Ryan Watts and Lejond Cavazos, fourth-year Tyreke Johnson and incoming top-75 recruits Jordan Hancock and Jakailin Johnson. None of the second-string or third-string options have proven much of anything in games as Buckeyes, but the position-wide talent is on the upswing. At slot cornerback, Marcus Williamson returns with a year of experience, and both Ransom and Martinez could get some run there, too.

4. Defensive line

Breaking news: Larry Johnson will have another deep defensive line in 2021. Shocking, right? 

Ohio State should be able to go two or three deep at both defensive ends with Zach Harrison, Tyreke Smith, Javontae-Jean Baptiste and Tyler Friday returning as rotation pieces and five-star Jack Sawyer joining them. On the inside, the Buckeyes bring back an All-American in Haskell Garrett who’ll be complemented by Taron Vincent. Jerron Cage and Antwuan Jackson. Oh, and J.T. Tuimoloau might enter the fray this summer. Unsurprisingly, depth won’t be a problem on the defensive line.

3. Offensive line

Over the years, Greg Studrawa’s recruiting chops have gotten some grief from the Buckeye faithful. What cannot be denied, however, is that Ohio State has put together a remarkably deep offensive line room for the 2021 season. Four of the five projected starters – Nicholas Petit-Frere, Paris Johnson, Harry Miller and Matthew Jones – were either ranked No. 1 or No. 2 at their position as recruits, and the other is Thayer Munford, who’s in his fourth year as a starting left tackle.

Behind them, the Buckeyes have guys like Dawand Jones, Luke Wypler and Josh Fryar making waves with Enokk Vimahi, Ryan Jacoby, Jakob James and others also in the room. Plus, they're bringing in five-star Donovan Jackson this summer. It seems like a good mix for Ohio State up front.

2. Running back

Last spring, Ohio State had one healthy running back once Master Teague went down to an Achilles injury in Steele Chambers. This year, Tony Alford’s swimming in options. The Buckeyes have Teague, Chambers, Marcus Crowley, Miyan Williams, TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor all vying for touches in an absolutely loaded backfield. If you want to make a case to rank tailback as the deepest position on the team, you’d have a strong case.

Teague is already a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. Williams is making a strong push for carries. Henderson was the No. 1 running back recruit in the 2021 cycle, and Pryor was a top-100 prospect as well. Chambers and Crowley are gearing up for their third seasons as Buckeyes. It doesn’t get much deeper at running back than this. 

1. Wide receiver

Just an incredible collection of talent resides in Brian Hartline’s receiver room. Ohio State simultaneously might have the best duo of wideouts in the country – Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson – and the deepest position group in the country behind them. 

If Jameson Williams starts again, that would mean three one-time five-star recruits – Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emeka Egbuka – could serve as the three primary backups. The Buckeyes also have Jaylen Harris, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jayden Ballard and Kamryn Babb, all of whom were once high-end four-star prospects. Scott could end up staying at wideout, too. Truly, it’s staggering how many potential stud receivers are currently Buckeyes.