It’s time for Ohio State to set its depth chart for the 2024 season.
After holding their final intrasquad scrimmage of the preseason on Saturday, the Buckeyes must now determine what their starting lineup will be for their season opener against Akron next weekend as their first game week of 2024 commences.
There aren’t many lingering questions surrounding who will start for the Buckeyes in Week 1. Defensively, the Buckeyes have locked-in starters at every position except Will linebacker, and Sonny Styles looks like the clear frontrunner to start there. Offensively, it’s uncertain who will start between Gee Scott Jr. and Will Kacmarek at tight end but Tegra Tshabola is seemingly the favorite to start over Carson Hinzman at right guard.
That said, there are still some questions about who the next men up will be at various other positions and who the Buckeyes can count on to play as needed beyond their starters.
With that in mind, it’s time for our final depth chart projection before the 2024 season begins. Based on what we’ve seen and heard throughout preseason camp, these are my best guesses for what the Buckeyes’ three-deep will look like at every position.
Quarterback
1. Will Howard
2. Devin Brown
3. Julian Sayin
While Howard locked down Ohio State’s starting quarterback job in preseason camp, Brown and Sayin could continue competing into the season to be the next man up. The safe money is on Brown being the second quarterback into the game against Akron, but Sayin’s impressive first offseason in Columbus has made it a possibility that Ohio State would turn to the freshman to start if anything happened to Howard.
Running Back
1. TreVeyon Henderson
2. Quinshon Judkins
3. James Peoples
Henderson will likely be the first running back on the field given his standing as a returning senior and a captain, but the expectation is that Henderson and Judkins will see equivalent playing time – or at least close to it – as long as both remain healthy. As two of the best running backs in college football, there’s no question that both of them will play a major role in Ohio State’s offense.
Peoples looks like a No. 3 option Ohio State can be confident in with his performance in his first offseason as a Buckeye. Fellow freshman Sam Williams-Dixon could also see playing time with the Buckeyes’ lack of veteran running back depth, but Peoples is the more likely freshman RB to see snaps with the game on the line.
Wide Receiver (Slot)
1. Emeka Egbuka
2. Brandon Inniss
3. Reis Stocksdale
Wide Receiver (X)
1. Jeremiah Smith
2. Jayden Ballard
3. Kojo Antwi
Wide Receiver (Z)
1. Carnell Tate
2. Bryson Rodgers
3. Mylan Graham
While Inniss might be a starting receiver for any other team in college football, Tate has been earmarked for a starting job alongside Egbuka since last season and it would be a shock if Smith doesn’t start immediately with all the hype he’s generated this offseason. That said, Inniss is still expected to see a healthy share of snaps in the rotation, with Egbuka playing both outside and inside to open up snaps for Inniss in the slot.
Ballard and Rodgers appear likely to be the fifth and sixth receivers on the depth chart to begin the year, though Antwi has also drawn praise for his growth in preseason camp. Graham is a candidate to climb the depth chart as the season progresses, but Ryan Day indicated Thursday that the five-star freshman is not quite ready for a spot in the rotation yet as a summer enrollee.
The final spot on the three-deep could be occupied by Damarion Witten or any of a number of walk-ons. Stocksdale gets the nod here as the most experienced player of the bunch with the skill set to provide quality depth in the slot.
Tight End
1. Will Kacmarek
2. Gee Scott Jr.
3. Jelani Thurman
Day said earlier this month that both Kacmarek and Scott will play regularly at tight end. There’s been no clear indication of who will start between them, but Kacmarek might have the slight edge thanks to his aptitude as a blocker and starting experience at Ohio University.
Day has said Thurman needs to be more consistent to become a player Ohio State can rely on as an every-down tight end. However, he is the group's most gifted receiver, which should give the Buckeyes reason to find a role for him if he can show the improvement they’re looking for on the practice field.
Left Tackle
1. Josh Simmons
2. Zen Michalski
3. Deontae Armstrong
Left Guard
1. Donovan Jackson
2. Austin Siereveld
3. Devontae Armstrong
Center
1. Seth McLaughlin
2. Carson Hinzman
3. Joshua Padilla
Right Guard
1. Tegra Tshabola
2. Luke Montgomery
3. Gabe VanSickle
Right Tackle
1. Josh Fryar
2. George Fitzpatrick
3. Ian Moore
While Day stopped short of naming Tshabola the outright starter at right guard on Thursday, all signs are pointing toward the 6-6, 327-pound redshirt sophomore slotting in between McLaughlin and Fryar on the first-team offensive line to begin the season. Hinzman has battled with Tshabola to be the starting RG throughout preseason camp, but will likely be the backup center – though Montgomery has also seen extensive work at center this August – if Tshabola locks down the starting job.
Justin Frye indicated Thursday that Michalski and Fitzpatrick have shown what they’ve needed to this preseason to lock down the backup tackle jobs, slotting Siereveld in as the backup left guard after he also took some snaps at tackle in camp. All four of Ohio State’s freshman offensive linemen are likely to begin their careers as third-teamers, though Miles Walker is also a candidate for a spot on the three-deep at tackle while Toby Wilson could find a place on the three-deep at guard.
Tegra Tshabola (77) appears likely to start alongside Josh Fryar (70) on the right side of the offensive line.
Defensive End
1. Jack Sawyer
2. Caden Curry
3. Mitchell Melton
Defensive End
1. JT Tuimoloau
2. Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
3. Eddrick Houston
Melton has made a real push for playing time this preseason, but Sawyer and Tuimoloau are locked in as the starting defensive ends while Curry and Jackson remain unlikely to be unseated as their top backups. There will likely be at least some snaps to go around for all of them as Larry Johnson likes to deploy deep defensive line rotations when he can.
Houston has positioned himself to earn a spot on the three-deep as a freshman with a strong first offseason at Ohio State, though Johnson said Wednesday that Joshua Mickens has also made a push for the sixth defensive end spot with an impressive preseason camp.
Defensive Tackle
1. Tyleik Williams
2. Hero Kanu
3. Jason Moore
Defensive Tackle
1. Ty Hamilton
2. Kayden McDonald
3. Tywone Malone
With the duo of Williams and Hamilton locked in as Ohio State’s starting defensive tackles, the question is who else will earn regular playing time in the rotation behind them. Kanu and McDonald look like the leading candidates to do so, with Kanu slotting in behind Williams at 3-technique and McDonald giving the Buckeyes a big body in the nose tackle rotation. Moore is another defensive tackle to watch after Johnson described him earlier this year as the “ideal 3-technique in our system.”
Johnson has also lauded Malone’s improvement this offseason after a quiet first year at Ohio State, making the Ole Miss transfer the leading candidate to round out the three-deep on the interior defensive line.
Will Linebacker
1. Sonny Styles
2. C.J. Hicks
3. Payton Pierce
Mike Linebacker
1. Cody Simon
2. Arvell Reese
3. Gabe Powers
Described by Day on Thursday as the “leader in the clubhouse” to start at Will linebacker, Styles appears likely to see the bulk of snaps at that position in Ohio State’s base defense, though Hicks is also expected to see meaningful playing time in three-linebacker packages.
Either Powers or Reese could back up Simon at Mike linebacker, but Reese gets the nod here after being singled out by both Day and Jim Knowles as a standout performer during preseason camp. Pierce seems likely to round out the three-deep after losing his black stripe quickly in camp, with James Laurinaitis saying earlier this month that Pierce has already shown the ability to play both linebacker positions.
Cornerback
1. Denzel Burke
2. Calvin Simpson-Hunt
3. Aaron Scott Jr.
Cornerback
1. Davison Igbinosun
2. Jermaine Mathews Jr.
3. Bryce West
Slot Cornerback
1. Jordan Hancock
2. Lorenzo Styles Jr.
3. Miles Lockhart
Burke, Igbinosun and Hancock are all locked in as starters after leading the nation’s top-ranked pass defense last year. Mathews will be the first cornerback off the bench – at least outside, though he’s also repped at nickel this offseason – after excelling in spot duty last season.
Styles is a candidate to play some snaps behind Hancock at nickel. Simpson-Hunt appears likely to round out the two-deep at cornerback, though Scott has also made noise in practice as a freshman. West and Lockhart appear likely to redshirt as freshmen but round out the three-deep as Ohio State’s remaining scholarship cornerbacks.
Free Safety
1. Caleb Downs
2. Malik Hartford
3. Leroy Roker III
Strong Safety
1. Lathan Ransom
2. Jaylen McClain
3. Jayden Bonsu
Downs and Ransom are clear-cut starters while Hartford is expected to be the first safety off the bench after playing 158 snaps last year as a freshman. McClain might have earned himself the other spot on the safety two-deep with an impressive first offseason in Columbus in which he’s consistently flashed playmaking ability in practice.
Bonsu is also a candidate to be the backup strong safety after taking first-team reps for most of the spring while Ransom and Hartford were sidelined. Roker gets the projected nod for the final spot on the three-deep over South Carolina transfer Keenan Nelson Jr. because Roker has already lost his black stripe whereas Nelson has not.
Lathan Ransom (8) and Caleb Downs (2) will lead Ohio State’s safety depth chart this season.
Kicker
1. Jayden Fielding
2. Casey Magyar
3. Austin Snyder
Fielding will handle Ohio State’s field goals for the second year and kickoffs for the third year. It’s unclear who would be the next man up between Magyar and Snyder, as neither has kicked in a game for the Buckeyes.
Punter
1. Nick McLarty
2. Joe McGuire
3. Anthony Venneri
Day announced Thursday that McLarty, the only punter on scholarship, had won Ohio State’s preseason punting competition. McGuire, the only returning punter from last season, appears to be in line to back him up despite Venneri’s two years of punting experience at Buffalo.
Long Snapper
1. John Ferlmann
2. Morrow Evans
3. Max Lomonico
Ferlmann handled all of Ohio State’s long snaps last season and is expected to do so again this year. Evans, who was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 long snapper in the 2024 recruiting class, is likely the Buckeyes’ future at the position.
Kickoff Returner
1. Carnell Tate
2. Emeka Egbuka
3. TreVeyon Henderson
Day said earlier this month that Egbuka, Henderson and Tate are all options to return kicks, but there’s been no indication of who the top option is. Given that Egbuka and Henderson both missed time with injuries last season and are expected to lead their position groups on offense, it probably makes more sense for Tate to take on kickoff returns.
Punt Returner
1. Brandon Inniss
2. Emeka Egbuka
3. Jeremiah Smith
Egbuka and Inniss were the first players in the punt return line during each of the preseason practices that were open to the media. As with kickoff returns, it would make sense to hand the extra touches over to the sophomore receiver and allow Egbuka to focus on offense. Day also named Smith as a candidate to return punts, though it would come as a mild surprise if he took on that role full-time.
