Ohio State Football: Can C.J. Hicks emerge?

Linebacker play was actually a strength for the Ohio State football team a year ago. It was a bit of a surprise to see that after it may have been the worst unit on the field for them in 2021. Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers helped solidify that unit.

Both are back this season and should be better than ever. They both will see the overwhelming majority of snaps at the linebacker position. But Jim Knowles has indicated that Jack Sawyer will be a full-time defensive end and won’t be used in the “Jack” position. That means a linebacker could be.

Will that linebacker be C.J. Hicks? Hicks was the 7th-best recruit in the entire country in the 2022 recruiting class. The former five-star was the best linebacker in the nation. Last season as a true freshman, he only accumulated 6 tackles, playing mostly on special teams.

Hicks is the most naturally talented linebacker the Buckeyes have on their roster. No one else possesses the combination of size and speed that he does. But he has to get on the field to show what he can do. Is the “Jack” position a place where he can do that?

I think it is. But he still has to beat out Cody Simon and possibly Gabe Powers for that position. Hicks is too talented to keep off the field for long. Jim Knowles mentioned that he wanted to rotate the linebackers a bit more than he did last season, so maybe Hicks can get some snaps there.

I’m most excited about the futures of Hicks and Sonny Styles on this defense. I think both players are really good and will be studs in the future. I want them both to get on the field as soon as possible. We’ll see if they practice well enough to do that.