The Ohio State Buckeyes will be entering their 3rd season under Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles, and the defense is starting to take shape. After a year of growing pains in 2022, the Buckeye defense responded with a great season in 2023. Returning similar faces and bringing in new transfers, the defensive depth chart becomes clearer as we exit spring practices.
Edge
DE: 1. Jack Sawyer – 2. Caden Curry – 3. Mitchell Melton
DE: 1. JT Tuimoloau – 2. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. – 3. Eddrick Houston
© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The most important position for the Buckeyes is on the edge where they return their two-star ends, Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau. Both players were ranked number one overall in their respective recruiting classes and were expected to be next in line to be the next great Buckeye edge following Chase Young, Nick Bosa, and Joey Bosa. Tuimoloau and Sawyer have had nice careers with Ohio State, but haven’t had that All-American type season we expected.
With both players being top NFL draft prospects, the 2024 season will be a huge opportunity.
Interior Defensive Line
NT: 1. Ty Hamilton – 2. Kayden McDonald – 3. Jason Moore
DT: 1. Tyliek Williams – 2. Hero Kanu – 3. Twyone Malone
One of the Buckeyes’ strongest units is their interior defensive line where they see little change from a season ago. Ohio State saw a great improvement against the run from 2022 to 2023, and a big reason for that was the interior defensive line. Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton will look to continue to be a reliable presence up front for the Buckeyes.
Linebacker
MLB: 1. Cody Simon – 2. C.J. Hicks – 3. Gabe Powers
WLB: 1. Sonny Styles – 2. Kourt Williams II – 3. Arvell Reese
The position that saw the most departures was at linebacker, losing Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers. However, the Buckeyes spent little time filling that void as Cody Simon, who had arguably the best season out of the Buckeye linebackers, will step right in at the Mike Linebacker.
The will linebacker will be former safety Sonny Styles who changed positions and appears to be the day one starter. Styles is an athletic freak and gets sideline to sideline in a blink of an eye.
Junior C.J. Hicks should also see some time on the field in 2024.
Safety
SS: 1. Lathan Ransom – 2. Jayden Bonsu
FS: 1. Caleb Downs – 2. Malik Hartford
Part of the reason Ohio State was willing to move Sonny Styles to linebacker was how strong their safety unit already is. The Buckeyes brought in one of the best safeties in all of college football in Caleb Downs from Alabama. Downs will bring his ball-hawking skills to Columbus to play for a defense whose only true issue was with creating turnovers in 2023.
Next to Downs will be Latham Ransom who has improved each year as a Buckeye and had a strong season a year ago before his injuries.
Cornerback
CB: 1. Denzel Burke – 2. Calvin Simpson-Hunt – 3. Aaron Scott Jr.
CB: 1. Davison Igbinosun – 2. Jermaine Matthews Jr. – 3. Bryce West
Nickel: 1. Jordan Hancock – 2. Lorenzo Styles Jr. – 3. Myles Lockhart
Perhaps the most underrated position group for the Ohio State Buckeyes at cornerback. This is a really deep group that returns everyone from 2023 and will look to build on their great season.
This group will be challenged more with USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington joining the Big 10 as they will see some more pass-happy teams in 2024.
The Buckeyes will start Denzel Burke and Davison Igninosun on the outside, but Jermaine Mathews Jr will still seem some time. In the Nickel, the Buckeyes will start Jordan Hancock who was impressive in 2023.
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