Two weeks ahead of Ohio State's 2026 season opener, the Buckeyes announced six captains for the upcoming football season. Wide receiver Brandon Inniss will wear the Block O jersey. The other captains are defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., safety Jaylen McClain, linebacker Payton Pierce, offensive lineman Austin Siereveld, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and quarterback Julian Sayin. This is their highest number of captains since the 2022 season.
Senior wide receiver Brandon Inniss is a captain for the second time. He will be the first receiver to wear the Block O jersey since Xavier Johnson in 2023. Austin Siereveld will also be a two-time captain for the Buckeyes after serving as their left tackle last season and playing multiple positions along the offensive line over his career.
Ohio State's two most important players have also received the captain title in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Sayin has taken a leadership role on the team as a returning starting quarterback who was a Heisman finalist a season ago, and has a chance to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in program history. Smith is the best player in college football. He is gunning for all of Ohio State's receiving records this season, and has a chance to be listed with the likes of Archie Griffin and Orlando Pace as the greatest Ohio State football players ever. It was only right to make him a captain in his final season.
Ohio State's defense is undergoing some major turnover this season, as they are losing eight starters on that side of the ball. Two of their returning starters were named as first-time captains, in defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and safety Jaylen McClain. Linebacker Payton Pierce was also named a captain in his first year as an official starter.
Jackson is a senior who has earned his stripes as a captain on this football team. He was a key component of Ohio State's national championship run in 2024 and broke out as a star on the dominant 2025 Buckeye defense. McClain was great for the Buckeyes as a first-year starter in 2025.
He will become a big name among national college football fans this season as he is now out of the shadow of Caleb Downs. Pierce was third in snaps among linebackers last season behind Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. He is now the leader in the middle of the Buckeye defense as he looks to fill those big shoes.
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