Ohio State has done a fantastic job of recruiting on the defensive line over the last few years. Larry Johnson has proven that he is still a great recruiter at his age. In the 2027 recruiting class alone, he has two five-star recruits heading to Columbus next year.
In the 2026 recruiting class, Johnson was able to bring in another five-star recruit. Khary Wilder is a freshman whom Matt Patricia might put in the defensive line rotation. Now, Wilder is officially a Buckeye now that he has officially shed his black stripe just a couple of weeks into Fall camp.
Khary Wilder becomes the fifth freshman to shed his black stripe
Wilder has become the fifth freshman to shed his black stripe since the Spring. Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd shed theirs in spring practice, while Jay Timmons and now Luke Fahey have shed theirs in the Fall. Now, Wilder joins them as an official member of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State is only returning one starter on the defensive line from a year ago. With that being the case, the Buckeyes will be rotating bodies. Matt Patricia likes rotating defensive linemen more than Jim Knowles did when he was the defensive coordinator in 2024.
Wilder is someone who will be able to play defensive end and defensive tackle. His flexibility is something that Johnson and Patricia covet. That is part of the reason why Wilder has already shed his black stripe just a few weeks into Fall camp.
Heading into the season, Ohio State's defense is going to be scrutinized at a high level after losing several great players to the NFL Draft in April. With how good the offense is, the Buckeyes need to have a competent defense in order to win a national championship.
People worrying about Ohio State's defense are wrong to do so
The Buckeyes had the best defense in the country a year ago. Of course, that was with stalwarts such as Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, and Arvell Reese in the starting lineup. However, Ohio State still feels great about its chances to have a top-five defense simply because of Patricia.
Patricia proved that he was one of the best defensive coordinators in the country last year in his first year in college football in over two decades. His ability to put multiple different formations and still put his guys in a position to succeed was of note, and he will do the same this year.
Wilder will be able to benefit from that as a freshman, as he is going to be put in the best possible situation in order to succeed. Last season, the Buckeyes allowed just 219 yards per game. It would be a bit surprising if they were that good this year, but they should still be a top-five unit.
It won't be long before Wilder is a massive contributor for Ohio State. He might be a starter as soon as next season. That's why his stripe was already shed.
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