Ohio State Football: J.T. Tuimoloau becoming what Zach Harrison was supposed to

The Ohio State football team has a very impactful freshman class this year. TreVeyon Henderson has killed it at running back for the Buckeyes so far this season. Denzel Burke has been fantastic in the secondary too. While those two are already stars, J.T. Tuimoloau is getting there.

Tuimoloau has steadily been getting more snaps as the season has gone along. In fact, he is now one of the starting defensive ends. He starts opposite Zach Harrison. Tuimoloau is starting to become what Harrison was supposed to be as a five-star defensive end.

Harrison hasn’t quite lived up to the hype that he had accumulated out of high school. People thought he was going to be the next Chase Young. Harrison has only 6.5 sacks in two and a half seasons with the Buckeyes. He just hasn’t been able to get to the quarterback enough.

Tuimoloau only has one sack so far this season as a true freshman. Even so, he is flashing the potential that made him the best defensive end in the 2021 recruiting class. He has the speed and the power to get to the quarterback in a really special way. He also pushes the pocket around really well.

The defensive line as a whole has had some issues getting to the quarterback in a meaningful way. But now that Tuimoloau is playing more snaps, he has a chance to blossom into the star that Harrison was supposed to. Tuimoloau could be really good next year with a full offseason under his belt.

The Buckeyes need Tuimoloau to keep progressing in a meaningful way. While they need him to be good this year, they need him to be great in two years. That Ohio State football team will be loaded with talent and could win it all.