Ronnie Hickman will play his final game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
The fourth-year safety, the only redshirt junior who will go through the Senior Day ceremony before Ohio State’s final home game of the 2022 season against Michigan on Saturday, confirmed Tuesday that The Game will be his last game in the Shoe as he intends to enter the 2023 NFL draft after this season.
“That’s gonna be my last game in the Shoe, so I’m gonna cherish and enjoy it the best I can,” Hickman said Tuesday. “I think everyone's clock starts ticking at a certain point. At some point, it's gonna be time for everyone to take that next step, and I think that's now.”
While Hickman still has two more years of eligibility because of the additional year the NCAA gave all players in 2020, he’s done more than enough over the past two seasons to establish himself as an NFL prospect. After leading Ohio State with 100 tackles in his first season as a starter in 2021, Hickman has thrived as the Buckeyes’ free safety in 2022, holding the fourth-highest grade among all FBS safeties this season per Pro Football Focus.
His departure will leave the Buckeyes with a void to fill at the free safety position next season. For now, though, Hickman is fully focused on finishing strong in his final season as a Buckeye – which he hopes will include four more games, starting with a win over Michigan on Saturday and concluding with a victory in the national championship game.
