Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Devin Sanchez might be the most confident player on Matt Patricia's defense. As Tim Walton's second and best Lone Star State high school addition on the recruiting trail, Sanchez wasted no time making an impact during the 2025 season. He rose to the moment against the Miami Hurricanes during a disappointing 24-14 Cotton Bowl Classic loss in the CFP, when he gave up marginal yardage in relief work for Lorenzo Styles Jr. Before that, he was a rotational CB who played all 13 of the program's games.
Sanchez recently discussed his role for the upcoming 2026 season, and it's clear the North Shore Senior High School product wants and expects to be the biggest difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball.
“I'm probably one of the only freshmen that played however many games we played. So I learned a lot throughout the season, had a lot of ups and downs,” Sanchez said. “But I like to use the Miami game as an example. I feel like that game I came out of my shell, even though the outcome was not what we wanted. But I learned a lot about myself. I learned that if I slow down in the college game, you know, I can really be an impact (player) on this field.
“That's what I'm used to. I'm used to being the guy that the defense called on, the team called on when it gets into that fourth quarter, and you need that one stop. I'm used to being that guy that your coach goes up to you and tells you, like, ‘Hey, you got to win this play right here.’ It's going to be 3rd-and-8, you've got to win that down right there. So that's what I'm used to. I feel like I'm back in that role right now.”
Sanchez is looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow North Shore alum Upton Stout, who went from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers to the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. From the sounds of it, Sanchez wants to stand out enough to match his former teammate, Davison Igbinosun, a second-rounder this past April, if not get taken even higher.
Ohio State has the kind of platform to propel Devin Sanchez in the NFL draft
When you're at the top of your game at OSU and tangibly helping the Buckeyes win football games, you're in the NFL not long after that. The 2026 Buckeyes will have perhaps their deepest CB room since 2018, but Sanchez will likely be the big snap-getter. Jermaine Mathews Jr. and/or Dominick Kelly could be more on the rotational side.
Sanchez has a chance to build on as strong a start as a freshman can expect on a loaded Ohio State squad in his sophomore season. The kind of attitude he's carrying, when backed up by getting it done, lining up out wide, could have Sanchez making a name for himself.
At worst, Buckeye Nation has two more years to watch Sanchez at the highest level before he continues the conveyor belt from Columbus to the pros.
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