Ohio State has started Fall camp, and there are plenty of players who are trying to make an early impression. At the cornerback position, Devin Sanchez has already talked about the big expectations he has for himself as he competes for the starting outside corner position opposite Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Another corner who has already started turning heads is true freshman Jay Timmons. Timmons is a five-star recruit out of Pennsylvania. On the second day of practice, he was actually seen getting some first-team reps at the nickel cornerback position.
Cornerback Jay Timmons already making an impression for Ohio State
Timmons was getting some first-team reps at nickelback, ahead of Earl Little Jr. He seems to be pushing for that starting spot right away, which was not expected out of him. Little Jr. did get most of the first-team reps in the first practice of the year, though.
Clearly, the coaching staff wants to see what both cornerbacks have in them before they determine who is going to become the starter. Even if Timmons doesn't end up getting that job over Little Jr., it seems that he will be rotating in over the course of the year.
Little Jr. transferred in from Florida State in the offseason, and he is still the favorite to start. Last year, he had 76 tackles and four interceptions for the Seminoles. He has the most experience, which Matt Patricia could value over raw talent, especially with the Buckeyes replacing seven starters.
Timmons stands at 5'11 and 180 pounds, so he is the perfect size for a nickel corner. One day, he certainly will get to the point that he is a starter on the outside. However, Timmons will be able to get playing time on the inside sooner, so that's what he is focusing on in Fall camp.
Ohio State should have a strong defense this season again
With the first few days of practice, it's pretty clear that the Buckeyes are going to have another strong defense. Ohio State should be strong at the linebacker position, but the defensive line and the secondary have a few questions that need to be answered.
It seems that there are more question marks on the offensive side of the ball with the starting lineup. The offensive line still needs to be completely configured, and the wide receiver room needs to be figured out. Defensively, the depth chart is more set, especially up front.
Ryan Day wants to get starters in place as quickly as possible, especially with a monster matchup against Texas coming up in Week 2. The Buckeyes are not going to be afforded the opportunity to ease into the 2026 season, and this schedule is set up to be much harder than they navigated a year ago.
Ohio State is the top-ranked team in the country, so clearly the coaches around the country expect them to navigate the schedule fine. The defense is going to be a big part of that, and Timmons wants to be part of the rotation.
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