The Ohio State Buckeyes have a loaded defensive front that features stiff competition on the end and perhaps even stiffer competition on the interior. As Eleven Warriors' Dan Hope pointed out, there are currently five players in the mix to start who will be battling this spring:
Junior Eddrick Houston, senior Will Smith Jr., Alabama Crimson Tide transfer James Smith, UCF Knights transfer John Walker, and senior Jason Moore. As Hope relayed via Ryan Day's messaging, there's a lot to learn about who they can trust in the trenches, and this spring will go a long way in determining which of the five are worthy of big snaps.
"Ohio State’s two-deep at defensive tackle is expected to consist of Eddrick Houston and Will Smith Jr. – the Buckeyes’ top backup DTs last season – and offseason transfer additions James Smith and John Walker. It’s too early to say who the starters will be among that quartet, but all four are expected to see significant playing time. Jason Moore will also get plenty of reps this spring as the Buckeyes evaluate whether he can make a long-awaited impact in his fourth year as a Buckeye," Hope wrote.
Ohio State's DT room has high standard to uphold
The Buckeyes had an elite run-stopping defense in 2025, giving up 89.4 rushing yards per game, which was good for No. 7 in the country. That effort was part of the overall No. 1 total defense (219.1 YPG) and No. 1 scoring defense (9.3 PPG).
With Kaden McDonald off to the top of the NFL draft and significant turnover taking place behind him, the DTs will be a big question mark in 2026. There's no reason to doubt they won't sustain the same standard, and yet, there will be an adjustment period integrating new pieces and players who haven't gotten much of a shot yet.
In Matt Patricia, Columbus trusts. It's not like he's getting underwhelming talent from the transfer portal and stepping up from down the depth chart. There are legitimate nightmare tackles entering the mix this spring, and they're joining guys who profile as that in extended looks.