With All Personnel Back (And More Coming) Ohio State's Defensive Line Believes it Can Be Even Better in 2017

Whenever someone brings up Ohio State's depth on the defensive line, senior Tyquan Lewis can't help but smile.

“It’s a great thing to have that many guys rotating in and playing,” Lewis said last week. “It’s just a bonus for us.”

Granted, Lewis smiles often when talking about his teammates or Ohio State in general. But the fact the Buckeyes bring literally everyone back on its defensive line that played a significant role a year ago perhaps helps his teeth shine a little brighter. The Buckeyes also welcome back initial 2016 starter Tracy Sprinkle from a knee injury, and add five-star end Chase Young and a pair of defensive tackles Jerron Cage and Haskell Garrett.

With a master of craft like Larry Johnson leading the charge, the 2016 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year isn't blind to how much talent Ohio State is set to be able to throw at opposing offenses up front.

“I’m all for it. More guys, less reps, your body doesn’t take as much of a beating, especially if one guy’s hot and another guy’s cold. It’s all over. Everything,” Lewis said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

Johnson, who is not scheduled to speak to reporters until March 30, is known for siphoning defensive linemen from the college level to the NFL. You know the list, which started during his 15-plus years at Penn State. It includes former No. 1 overall pick Courtney Brown in 2000 and most recently two-time All-American Joey Bosa plus Adolphus Washington, who went third and 80th overall last year, respectively.

Johnson's 2016 defensive line won't have a draft pick this spring, however. Because they all still reside in Columbus.

“I think we have a very very talented, deep defensive line that can do a lot of things for the Buckeyes this coming season,” Lewis said. “It’s going to be fun and interesting moving ahead.”

Deep and talented doesn't even begin to do it justice. Lewis is one of a handful of ends that could start at any other Big Ten school. He is in line to once again start opposite redshirt junior Sam Hubbard this fall, who was listed as a co-first-teamer with senior Jalyn Holmes for the duration of the 2016 season. Fifth-year senior Mike Hill is back at nose tackle and Dre'Mont Jones raged into backfields in his first year in place of Sprinkle. The latter isn't quite full go after the patella injury he suffered in the season opener against Bowling Green but should challenge Jones for his old starting job.

And we haven't even gotten to the rest of the guys in Johnson's room, especially the one related to the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft: Nick Bosa.

The youngest Bosa played an essential role in Ohio State's Rushmen package a year ago, where Johnson inserts four defensive ends on passing downs to have more speed on the field and wreak havoc on the quarterback. He joined Hubbard, Holmes and Lewis in that scheme, a freshman just a year removed from a partial ACL tear. Bosa's five sacks were second only to Lewis's eight for the team lead.

Here are the names on scholarship we haven't mentioned that Johnson [still] has at his disposal, listed in alphabetical order. The only one no longer on this list is Josh Alabi, who started working at offensive tackle this spring.

The rise of Jones and Landers helped numb the pain of Ohio State's continued big misses at defensive tackle on the recruiting trail. That spot is pretty much the lone position Johnson and Urban Meyer have yet to lock down a top-flight prospect since being in Columbus. Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano spoke on Thursday about the idea of a rotation in the secondary even though the Buckeyes have to replace three starters.

They don't have to replace any on the defensive line. On paper, the thought of an eight- or even 10-man rotation looks possible.

“I like our D-line,” Schiano said. “That’s a group where we got really elite defensive linemen and I think we have the best defensive line coach in America.

“Larry has done an incredible job of accumulating a great group there and then he trains them so well. How are we going to get them all involved?” Schiano continued. “We have to get them on the field in as many different ways as we possibly can. That’s going to be a challenge to us.”

“I like our D-line. That’s a group where we got really elite defensive linemen and I think we have the best defensive line coach in America.”– Greg Schiano

Added Lewis: “That plan is a very solid and great plan for everybody. Keeps everybody fresh. Nobody’s playing like 70 plays. That’s a good thing about football. Nobody should have to put their body through that all the time. When you have the type of caliber of players that we have here, you win games.”

The Buckeyes are 61-6 since Meyer took over ahead of the 2012 season, so yes, they win a bunch of games. The team's ascension to the 2014 national title had plenty to do with Cardale Jones taking the world by storm, armed with a monster at tailback in Ezekiel Elliott and talented receivers on the outside. But Bosa, Mike Bennett, Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt, Rashad Frazier and Steve Miller rose to the occasion too and made plays in that run.

So while the 2017 NFL Draft marks the first since Johnson's been at Ohio State where he won't have a member of his defensive line room selected, it is mainly due to none being available. Lewis, Hubbard and Holmes all could have turned pro. They didn't and now lead a wave of youth, the majority of which has now been in the program for multiple seasons.

“Those guys, they played some last year, they’re working through spring ball, they have the speed of the game down,” Lewis said. “Some are in their third, second year in the program and are up in it a little more. That’s a good thing.”

The depth plus Johnson has some scary potential.

“When you put those two things together it’s fun to work with those guys and I’m excited to see how it all comes together,” Schiano said.