Ohio State Football: Buckeyes who need to step up in 2020

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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 28: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball for 68-yard a touchdown against the Clemson Tigers in the first half during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The Ohio State football team has holes to fill after 10 players were taken in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now it’s time for the next Buckeye greats to step up.

The most immediate and obvious hole on the Ohio State football team is the one left by Chase Young, who can simply be described as dominant and game-changing. However, the return of Jonathon Cooper and Zach Harrison – who amassed 24 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in back-up time in 2019 – means the DE spot is still solid.

The defensive line should be solid, and possibly outstanding, so let’s move on to an area of concern on offense.

Running back is a need with J.K. Dobbins headed for Baltimore, but the transfer of Trey Sermon from Oklahoma – 947 rushing yards and 13 TDs in 2018 (played in just 10 games in 2019) may be enough if Master Teague is not fully healthy at the beginning of the 2020 season.

If Teague is not healthy in time, there are opportunities left for other Buckeye running backs to step up. Demario McCall is more of an H-Back/Slot Receiver, but could get reps along with Steele Chambers behind Sermon.

Staying on this side of the ball, the return of receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson should be enough to make up for the losses of K.J. Hill, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor. True freshmen Julian Fleming and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could get meaningful reps, but the Buckeye receivers will need to be at their best for Justin Fields to have an encore performance.

The offensive line is also in good hands with the return of three starters (Josh Myers, Thayer Munford and Wyatt Davis) and a back up tackle with experience in Nicholas Petit-Frere. Talented center Max Wray could get valuable experience and Harry Miller may start at guard depending on how Ohio State lines up in 2020. And you can’t discount freshman Paris Johnson, the No. 1 OT in the 2020 recruiting class, battling for a spot.

The offense appears to be in pretty good shape with few holes to fill but on defense there are certainly question marks in one unit.

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