Ohio State football: Early defensive two-deep depth chart for 2021
The Ohio State football team is trying to figure out who is going to get snaps. We project the depth chart way too early.
Ohio State football is right around the corner and that means it’s time to dive into what this roster may look like in 2021. Today we will analyze and project the Buckeyes two-deep depth chart for this fall on the defensive side of the ball.
DE – Tyreke Smith, Javonte Jean-Baptiste
DE – Zach Harrison, Jack Sawyer
The Buckeyes edge rushers are compromised of former five-star recruits who’ve yet to deliver upon expectations but are going to be leaned on to deliver big in 2021. Tyreke Smith has only recorded 29 tackles in three seasons while Zach Harrison has been slightly better with 38 stops and 9.5 tackles for loss.
The fourth-ranked recruit in the class of 2021 in DE Jack Sawyer is just too talented to not find a spot on the rotation in the two-deep, Sawyer is an athletic specimen that makes plays as a pass rusher along with instrumental pursuit against the run.
DT – Haskell Garrett, Jerron Cage
DT – Taron Vincent, Antwuan Jackson
Haskell Garrett is among the nation’s top returning defensive tackles as his efforts in the postseason are still fresh in the minds of football fans. Taron Vincent was the top-ranked DT in the class of 2018 and the 20th player overall but has played sparingly the past few seasons. Vincent is immensely talented and will fill the void left by Tommy Togiai.
OLB – Teradja Mitchell, Ronnie Hickman
ILB – Dallas Grant, K’Vaughan Pope
OLB – Craig Young, Tommy Eichenberg
The entirety of the Buckeyes mid-defense will be put together of youthful inexperience despite Teradja Mitchell and Dallas Grant being seniors. The talent is endless though as Mitchell brings toughness and physicality to the game that you can not teach as he loves contact. Dallas Grant missed a majority of the spring with a foot injury but is another aggressive tackler who made good plays in his limited appearances.
Craig Young was a lower-ranked recruit from 2019’s cycle but is a complete speedster who despite being under-sized has tremendous potential. The Ohio State football team should finally get him on the field this fall and is essentially a boom or bust player as he was quite raw when he arrived on campus.
Is the secondary for the Ohio State football team going to be good enough?
CB – Sevyn Banks, Jakailin Johnson
CB – Cameron Brown, Ryan Watts
S – Josh Proctor, Bryson Shaw
CB – Marcus Williamson, Lathan Ransom
The Ohio State secondary was absolutely gashed a season ago and is sure to be a focal point this off-season for DC Kerry Combs. The Buckeyes allowed 304.0 yards per game and an opponent completion rate of 66.1%, ranking 122nd and 111th respectively.
Sevyn Banks is projected by many as a first-round selection in next April’s draft and will a big jump he can as the talent is evident. Banks recorded 7 pass breakups and an INT and really shined at times throughout the second half of the season.
The Buckeyes fielded a young a season ago but communication was an issue but schematics was also an issue and that was evident in the national title game as Tuf Borland was in isolation against DeVonta Smith, that cant happen.
Cam Brown is back from injury while Marcus Lattimore is exercising his extra year of eligibility. Josh Proctor will likely be the man in the back end although the lack of quality play at S plagued this unit. OSU’s secondary will be made up of first and second-year players with Ryan Watts and Jakailin Johnson being the most notable.
Next. What will OSU do about NIL?. dark
Ohio State will be welcoming six new defensive backs to the fold this season altogether from the class of 2021 with Jordan Hancock being the fourth-ranked corner (Johnson was third).