Last season, the Ohio State football program didn't deal with as many injuries on the offensive line as it did in 2024. During their national championship run, the Buckeyes had to deal with multiple season-ending injuries that year. In 2025, the Ohio State Buckeyes got to keep most of their starting lineup intact.
Still, the Buckeyes had to shuffle the offensive line a bit. Most notably, they had to replace Tegra Tshabola multiple times due to ineffectiveness. Ian Moore got to see some playing time, including at right tackle. With that being the case, Moore got some valuable reps.
Moore is not expected to be a starting offensive lineman next season, although he is fighting at the right guard spot. Fellow offensive lineman Luke Montgomery believes that Moore has a shot to be a really good player. In fact, he called Moore a future first-round pick recently.
Ohio State OL calls fellow lineman a future first-round talent
After practice on Tuesday, Montgomery sang the praises of Moore. He believes he has the talent to be a future first-round pick.
"He's a dude. The God-gifted talent he's got, very explosive, good length of arms, and uses his hands really well, and super fast feet, and super explosive. Sky's the limit for him. We all think he's going to be a first-rounder by the time he's done here. And like I said, as a young guy like him to step in, it clicks when it clicks. It's kind of like my scenario. Sometimes, it doesn't go your way. You don't really understand why, but it clicks when it clicks, and I think it started clicking with him in the Playoffs."
Moore played more in the second half of the Miami game after he was put in after some offensive line reshuffling. He is still a talented young player, and he will be a junior next season. With four returning starters from last year's offensive line returning, the path to playing time will be hard.
The right guard spot is the only guaranteed open starting spot. There's a shot the right tackle spot opens up if Phillip Daniels doesn't improve, but Moore's path to playing time comes at guard. Even so, the Buckeyes need to have a player they trust at right guard, no matter who it is.