Ohio State football: This is a guy you should root for

To say receiver Kamryn Babb has been through a lot in his Ohio State football career is an understatement. A gross understatement. He’s been through so much you can’t help but want to see the guy succeed. Kamryn Babb isn’t just a guy you want to root for, he’s a guy you should be rooting for.

As a senior in high school in 2017, he tore his ACL and missed a good chunk of the season. He tore his ACL again in August of 2018 and missed his freshman season at OSU. Another ACL tear during spring practice caused him to miss all of 2019.

Finally healthy, he played in all but one game in the 2020 season-the majority of that time on special teams. He looked ready to move up the depth chart and challenge for playing time during spring practice in 2021, but another torn ACL sidelined again for an entire season. The simple fact that he has persevered through all of these injuries and hours upon hours of rehab is a reason you should root for him.

Here is another reason you should root for him: Kamryn Babb is a quality young person. Despite being injured last season, his teammates still voted him a captain-he will be one again for this year. He’s also been chosen to wear the prestigious Block O jersey for the 2022 season. Babb is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten and four-time OSU scholar-athlete. There is obviously more to him than football.

By all accounts, Babb is having an excellent fall camp and looks to be on track to carve out playing time in a very crowded and talented receivers’ group. I’m hoping he is finally able to flash the talent that made him the number thirteen receiver in the country when he committed to the Buckeyes as a part of their 2018 recruiting class.

His first catch of the 2022 season will be his first as a Buckeye. Regardless of the yardage total, that ball will have been in the air for five years. 2017 to 2022. That’s how long it has been since he has caught a pass in a game.

Five years is a long time to keep battling one injury after another in a difficult sport like football, but that’s exactly what Babb has done. He’s a guy you should be rooting for.