Ohio State Football: Freshmen who will make biggest impact
The 2019 Ohio State football team saw excellent production from true freshman WR Garrett Wilson. Here are freshmen who could make the biggest impact in 2020.
The 2020 Ohio State football team will have a solid group of returning starters, but Ryan Day will have holes to fill because of the losses. With key players moving on, the head coach will have his hands full trying to find room for 24 freshmen who make up the No. 5 recruiting class in the country.
One of the largest deficits for the 2020 Buckeyes is at the receiver position. After losing K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will have to carry momentum from superb 2019 seasons.
Olave and Wilson won’t be able to catch every pass from Justin Fields, which leaves the door open for No. 3 overall recruit Julian Fleming. Along with fellow 5-star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Fleming could follow in the footsteps of Wilson — who put up 432 yards and 5 TDs in his true freshman season — and give Fields another big weapon in an offense that could be lethal next year.
Another key position is on the offensive line, where the Buckeyes lose LG Jonah Jackson and RT Brandon Bowen. Incoming 5-star tackle Paris Johnson Jr. is a 6-foot-7-inch brick wall who could find a home right away in giving Master Teague holes to run through and protection for Fields.
On the opposite side of the line, Ohio State will be in the impossible situation of having to replace Chase Young, who is likely to be the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. DT Jashon Cornell,and nose tackles Robert Landers and Davon Hamilton also graduate and should find homes in the NFL, leaving the defensive line in a tough spot.
Because of these losses, two incoming DTs could be called on early by Larry Johnson to add to the legacy at Ohio State, Darrion Henry and Jacolbe Cowan who rank in ESPN’s Top 300. Along with Ty Hamilton — 3-star recruit and brother of Davon — Henry and Cowan could have an impact early.
The secondary is the final spot that could see the most playing time by true freshmen. Safeties Lathan Ransom and Ryan Watts will compete to replace Jordan Fuller, while CB Lejond Cavazos will look to make an impact after the losses of Damon Arnette and Jeffrey Okudah.
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In today’s college football, freshmen make more impact and get more playing time than ever before. With heavy losses at key positions, the Buckeyes could call upon true freshmen in 2020 to help push the team to the next level.