The Ohio State Buckeyes will enter into the 2025 season with many of their star players from last year off to the NFL. There were new starters who became breakout stars like Will Howard, Cody Simon, Jeremiah Smith, and more.
This year the Buckeyes will have a plethora of new starters on both sides of the ball. Here are five potential new starters who could break out and become stars for the Buckeyes in 2025:
Eddrick Houston, Defensive Line
On my Big Ten football podcast, The Big Ten Huddle, analyst Zack Gugenheim named Eddrick Houston as his breakout player for Ohio State in 2025. Gugenheim stated, "Eddrick Houston doesn't have the same game as Tyleik Williams, but I think he could do similar things in terms of speed rushing up the middle as well as run stuffing."
Gugenheim is correct that Ohio State has big shoes to fill on the interior of the defensive line, which could impact the number of snaps Houston receives. If Houston maintains strong stamina and builds on an impressive freshman year, Jeremiah Smith might not be the only sophomore on this team drawing attention from NFL scouts eager for his draft eligibility.
Arvell Reese, Linebacker
In James Laurinaitis's first year as the linebacker coach for Ohio State, the linebackers made massive improvements. In his first year starting, Cody Simon graded out on PFF as the best linebacker in the Big Ten, second-best in Power 5 conferences, and the 4th best in the FBS (min. 472 snaps).
Simon's replacement in 2025 will be Arvell Reese, who flashed with three sacks last year in limited playing time and saw the most snaps in a game of his career vs Michigan last year. The Game was also when he received the highest grade of his career, and it highlights just how much trust Laurinaitis has in his young linebacker.
Ethan Onianwa, Offensive Tackle
The transfer from Rice comes into one of the position groups that didn't lose many starters. However, all three players who started at left tackle for Ohio State last year are now gone. Two of them, Simmons and Jackson, are receiving first-round grades in the NFL Draft, and Onianwa was being graded to be a second-round pick by some NFL scouts when he entered the portal.
But Onianwa isn't satisfied with just another good year. He told reporters, "The guys here [Ohio State] are competitive. They want to be great. They want you to be the best in the country, and they showed that last year."
Brandon Inniss, Wide Receiver
Since Brian Hartline became WR coach in 2018, a new starter has led the team in receiving in four of seven seasons. Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jeremiah Smith have been breakout stars for the Buckeyes, and Brandon Inniss could be next.
I'm not predicting Brandon Inniss will lead the Buckeyes in receiving in 2025. But I could see Inniss becoming a fan favorite in the slot, where players before him have excelled in Ryan Day's offense. Plus, Inniss has been a relentless worker and leader for the Buckeyes, not only in the receiver room but for the whole team.
Since Brian Hartline became WR coach in 2018, a new starter has led the team in receiving in four of seven seasons. pic.twitter.com/QGWSehuSrX
— Jon “JR” Rhoades (@jrs_rankings) April 11, 2025
Caden Curry, Defensive End
Senior Caden Curry is a rare player to find in college football nowadays. The former top 150 recruit, according to 247 Sports, has played in every game at Ohio State since he got there in 2022, either on special teams or on defense, but never started. Curry is a player who almost certainly would've been able to hit the portal after sitting behind Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau for a couple of seasons.
But Curry stuck it out and was a fantastic player on special teams last year. He blocked a punt vs Purdue and got close on several others. Curry also registered a sack vs Oregon in the college football playoffs, and it could be a sign of more to come as Curry has waited his turn and will be set to deliver in 2025.
The list of potential breakout players for Ohio State is much longer than five players in 2025, but these are the five with the most potential when you take into account their coach's history, role on the team, and being a new starter. One thing is for sure, Ohio State will have old stars and new stars in 2025. It's just about who those will be.