How would Ohio State replace Eli Apple?
That was a big question heading into the 2016 season. The Buckeyes had one returning starter at cornerback in Gareon Conley, but how would they manage to find a replacement for Apple, a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft?
It's fair to say Ohio State found a more than adequate replacement.
Marshon Lattimore has a shot to be the first cornerback taken in this upcoming NFL Draft despite playing just one full season for the Buckeyes. Lattimore stepped in for Apple and blossomed into a star at the cornerback position.
Lattimore is a surefire first-round pick in April and Conley, who also left Columbus with eligibility remaining, has a shot to join him and hear his name called on the opening night. What it leaves, however, is a pair of giant holes at cornerback for Ohio State heading into the 2017 season.
With just over a week until spring practice opens for the Buckeyes — Ohio State's first practice is Tuesday, March 7 — our preview section rolls along with a look at what's inside Kerry Coombs' meeting room and the likely candidates to start for the Buckeyes at cornerback this fall.
Denzel Ward, Junior
Barring an injury, junior Denzel Ward will start at one corner spot for Ohio State. He was the third cornerback a year ago — essentially a co-starter — and proved he was more than capable of becoming that No. 1 corner the Buckeyes have relied on so heavily in recent years.
Ward is a bit smaller in stature than some of Ohio State's previous No. 1 corners — he's listed at just 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds — but a former state champion sprinter in high school, he's arguably the fastest player on the Buckeyes' roster.
Now the elder statesmen in the cornerback room, Ward will be heavily relied upon this spring to develop some of the young talent behind him.
Damon Arnette, Redshirt Sophomore
Arnette started the season as Ohio State's fourth cornerback. He played in nickel situations for the first half of the year, primarily covering slot receivers on third down.
But after Arnette struggled in the Buckeyes' game against Northwestern, Ohio State shifted its nickel package. Conley slid over into the slot and Ward entered on the outside leaving Arnette, mostly, to special teams duty.
It's clear the staff likes his progression and thinks he can be a starter — they wouldn't have played him last season if they didn't — but it was also apparent he maybe wasn't quite ready last season to see significant snaps.
Arnette is probably the favorite to open spring ball with the first-team defense at a cornerback spot opposite Ward, but there is a ton of young talent that just arrived on campus who will make this race very interesting.
Early Enrollees
There are too many names to list here so we've lumped them all into one subcategory, but Ohio State has four corners set to participate in spring practice who weren't on the team a year ago: three freshman early enrollees and a junior college transfer.
We'll start with the transfer: Kendall Sheffield from Blinn Junior College. Sheffield was a former five-star prospect in the 2015 class who signed with and enrolled at Alabama. After one season in which he redshirted, however, Sheffield opted to transfer from the Tide. He played last fall at Blinn and then signed with Ohio State. Urban Meyer said on National Signing Day that Sheffield will be with the team in March, presumably in time to begin spring practice. He has tons of talent and will be, without question, a candidate to start at corner in the fall.
Jeffrey Okudah and Shaun Wade are pair of five-star recruits in the Buckeyes' 2017 recruiting class and both said on National Signing Day they've been told they need to be ready to contribute in the fall. Each is the prototypical corner Ohio State looks for — long, rangy, athletic — and there's a strong chance both are more than just special teams contributors.
Former four-star prospect Marcus Williamson is also on campus and in Coombs' cornerbacks room. He'll likely enter spring ball behind the other three early enrollees but with a strong spring, Williamson could certainly make a push for special teams playing time as a true freshman.
The Rest of the Bunch
Rodjay Burns, Josh Norwood and Wayne Davis round out Ohio State's cornerbacks for spring practice. All have at least one year in the program, but just Burns and Norwood played last season. Davis redshirted during his first year in the program.
If any of the three are going to make a move up the depth chart, this spring would be the perfect time. There is plenty of playing time available, so all three have an opportunity to impress the staff.
