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Ohio State Football: Predicting the Buckeyes’ depth chart next season

By Dalton McCormick

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second quarter during The AdvoCare Showdown at AT&T Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second quarter during The AdvoCare Showdown at AT&T Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 3: Demario McCall #30 of the Ohio State Buckeyes stiff arms Cameron Jefferies #18 of the Bowling Green Falcons while carrying the ball during the fourth quarter on September 3, 2016 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Bowling Green 77-10. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 3: Demario McCall #30 of the Ohio State Buckeyes stiff arms Cameron Jefferies #18 of the Bowling Green Falcons while carrying the ball during the fourth quarter on September 3, 2016 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Bowling Green 77-10. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

There will be significant changes to the Ohio State football team on both sides of the ball with the number of players who are moving on to the NFL.

The deadline to declare for the NFL draft has passed and the Ryan Day era has begun. The Ohio State football team will be totally revamped with the loss of five key juniors and a number of seniors from a historic class that won back to back Big Ten championships.

It’s time to predict what this year’s depth chart will look like as spring ball approaches.

QB: Justin Fields (SOPH), Matthew Baldwin (Rs. FROS)

The Buckeyes will await the NCAA’s decision whether Justin Fields will be eligible to play in 2019 or he will have to sit for a year. Dwayne Haskins has declared for the NFL draft in hopes of being the first QB taken off the board and former highly touted recruit Tate Martell opted to peruse opportunities elsewhere once Fields picked Columbus as his new home.

The Buckeyes recently released the spring roster which included Fields as well as redshirt freshman Matthew Baldwin, the 12th ranked PRO style QB in the class of 2018 who has the tools to make this system work if Fields is declined eligibility.

RB: JK Dobbins (JR), Demario McCall (SR) 

Ohio State struggled to run the ball in 2018 ranking 7th in the Big 10 in yards per game (171.2). However,  JK Dobbins is fresh off his 2nd straight 1,000 yard season and is the last Buckeye RB to accomplish that feat since Ezekiel Elliott in 14′ and 15′.

Dobbins will be an under the radar favorite to win the Heisman in 2019 and should reprise his role as lead back following the departure of Mike Weber. Demario McCall and Master Teague will battle for the 2nd string position as the Buckeyes look for more consistent production in 2019 out of the back field.

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