The full picture of Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl roster hasn’t been painted yet.
Decisions regarding opt-outs for the 2024 NFL draft still linger and the transfer portal will remain open until Jan. 2 for players to declare their intentions to leave their current school for another one.
Still, as the Buckeyes prepare to take on Missouri Dec. 29 in Arlington, Texas, plenty of young players will be looking to elevate their status going into next season with a strong performance against the Tigers.
Non-playoff bowl clashes can be especially fruitful in this endeavor. Looking back at Ohio State’s Rose Bowl win over Utah following the 2021 campaign, opt-outs from Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson allowed Marvin Harrison Jr. to announce his arrival on the scene with a three-touchdown performance – even if it was overshadowed by a 347-yard, three-touchdown receiving game from Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Tommy Eichenberg launched himself toward being the “quarterback” of the Buckeyes’ defense for the next two years with a 17-tackle day against the Utes.
Even if no one else opts out or jumps into the portal ahead of Ohio State’s matchup with Missouri, there are still plenty of players waiting in the wings to make a name for themselves against the Tigers.
Devin Brown
Kyle McCord’s entry into the transfer portal has sparked a lively discussion about who Ohio State’s quarterback is going to be in 2024. Three prime prospects in the Buckeyes’ position room going into next year are set to possibly compete with a transfer if OSU is willing and able to bring a heralded one in.
The lesser discussion, for now, pertains to who McCord’s replacement will be for the Cotton Bowl. Brown is the likeliest option.
Coming to Ohio State as the No. 6 quarterback in the 247Sports composite for the class of 2021, Brown redshirted as a freshman before competing with McCord to take over for C.J. Stroud as the Buckeyes’ starter in 2023. Despite McCord’s additional year of experience over Brown and a five-star recruiting pedigree, the competition dragged out into the second week of the regular season.
Brown still found use both in late-game duty and in a special red zone package to give the Buckeyes a bigger rushing threat under center close to the end zone. On the season he completed 12 of 22 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, adding 19 carries for 35 yards and a score.
He suffered an ankle injury against Penn State on Oct. 21 and hasn’t played since, but he was available to play by the end of the regular season.
A memorable performance in the Cotton Bowl could boost Brown’s position going into next offseason’s quarterback battle. Whatever happens, Brown says he’s all in, burning the boats behind him to ensure he is forced to stay ashore and fight for his ambitions. At least per his X account.
— Devin Brown (@dbrownqb33) December 5, 2023
Lincoln Kienholz
Just because Brown is the likeliest option to play quarterback against Missouri doesn’t mean he’s the only viable one.
A headband-rocking South Dakotan by the name of Lincoln Kienholz will also be eager to earn his shot and lead the Buckeyes offense into AT&T Stadium.
Kienholz, a true freshman, never got into the thick of Ohio State’s quarterback competition during its first go-round after only arriving on campus this summer. But Day could open the competition back up and include Kienholz this time going into the Cotton Bowl.
Kienholz was ranked as only the No. 190 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite, but his athletic background as USA TODAY’s high school boys’ athlete of the year in 2022-23 has many thinking he could play above his ranking and be a real candidate for the starting quarterback job next season.
Lincoln Kienholz could compete with Devin Brown to start at quarterback in the Cotton Bowl.
If Day decides to have Kienholz and Brown compete during bowl practice, it will be interesting to see how much headway Kienholz can make.
Carnell Tate
With Julian Fleming entering the transfer portal at wide receiver, Tate is in line to start out wide for Ohio State against Missouri.
After arriving in Columbus as a heralded recruit this spring, Tate earned a rotational role during the regular season. He’s played at least 20 snaps in seven of Ohio State’s 12 games to date, with his 239 snaps for the season being the most of the Buckeyes’ freshmen.
Tate’s first career catch went for 15 yards against Indiana in Week 1. In Week 3 Tate hauled in a 28-yard bomb from Brown for his first career touchdown reception and the quarterback’s first career touchdown pass.
Devin Brown with a DIME to Carnell Tate. pic.twitter.com/t8fLL7pcYc
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 16, 2023
His biggest game statistically came against Purdue in Week 7, filling in for an injured Emeka Egbuka. Tate caught three passes for 79 yards against the Boilermakers. For the season, Tate has 17 receptions for 260 yards and a score. It’s the most receptions and receiving yards by an Ohio State freshman since Wilson caught 30 passes for 432 yards in 2019.
Fellow freshman Brandon Inniss could be another name to watch at the position. Inniss was a five-star recruit out of high school and made waves with a 58-yard touchdown reception in garbage time against Purdue, though it is as of yet the only catch in his collegiate career.
Brandon Inniss takes his first career catch 58 yards for a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/UOU3A9FF00
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 14, 2023
Dallan Hayden
Hayden is a player who’s already enjoyed sustained success in multiple Ohio State games, but attrition in his position room sets the table for a Cotton Bowl that could springboard him to a huge role in 2023.
Both Chip Trayanum and Evan Pryor are in the transfer portal at running back. Miyan Williams, out for the season with a knee injury, has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
That leaves starter TreVeyon Henderson and Hayden as the only two scholarship running backs left for the team’s game against Missouri. If Henderson goes pro after this year, Hayden is in line to take over his starting job in 2024 or compete for the spot with a transfer if the Buckeyes elect to bring one or more in.
Injuries have allowed fans to get a glimpse at Hayden over the last few seasons. He saw action in 10 games as a freshman and ran for 553 yards on 110 carries (five yards per attempt) with five touchdowns. This included 100-yard rushing games against Toledo, Indiana and Maryland as Henderson and Williams missed time with injuries throughout the year.
Hayden got another featured role this campaign against Purdue, rushing 11 times for 76 yards and a touchdown while Henderson and Williams were out and as Trayanum exited the contest with an injury of his own.
Hayden has only played in three games for Ohio State this year with coaches seeking to preserve his redshirt, but with it now officially maintained, there will be no reason to hold him back against Missouri.
Malik Hartford
Lathan Ransom’s status for the Cotton Bowl is unclear after a lower-body injury kept him sidelined for the final four games of the regular season. Still, the freshman Hartford has found the field with and without a healthy Ransom in Ohio State’s defense.
Freshman safety Malik Hartford could see his role increase against Missouri.
Hartford made his first career start against Youngstown State in Week 2 while Josh Proctor was injured, though Ja’Had Carter did replace him after a series. He played 25 snaps in Week 1 against Indiana while still involved in the competition to start at free safety and found some rotational work in Ohio State’s dime package throughout the year.
His best game came against Michigan State in Week 11 with Ransom and Proctor both injured. He collected four tackles and played a season-high 49 snaps.
Hartford has 10 tackles and two pass breakups on the season.
Jermaine Mathews Jr. is also worth mentioning in the Buckeyes’ secondary given that he’s played in some huge spots while Burke was injured. He filled major rotational roles against Purdue and Penn State, then recorded his first career start against Rutgers.
Unless Burke opts out of the Cotton Bowl, however, Mathews might not see much playing time. When Burke’s been healthy, the most snaps Mathews has played in a game is 15, and he only saw the field for special teams against Michigan.
