The Ohio State Buckeyes' cornerback room is entering uncharted territory during the 2026 College Football season. Whether or not that's a good or a bad thing will be determined by second-year co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Tim Walton, who's been coaching corners since 2022.
This season will be the first without Denzel Burke, the Arizona Cardinals' 2025 fifth-round pick, or Davison Igbinosun, who's expected to be taken in the second or third round of the 2026 NFL draft this April. As Cleveland.com's Stephen Means pointed out, this coming fall will be Walton's true step-up-or-step-aside moment in Columbus.
"Ohio State’s cornerback room is perhaps one of the brightest spots of its 2026 roster simply because there isn’t much uncertainty," Means prefaced before saying, "Instead, there’s intrigue in how things play out over the next six months as Tim Walton gets a new wave of talent ready.
"For the first time in 2020, Ohio State’s starting cornerbacks will not be named either Denzel Burke or Davison Igbinosun. Now it’s time to find out if all the good work Walton’s done on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal can translate into elite play in the secondary."
Tim Walton could be Ohio State's full-time DC in 2027 if this season goes well
Walton has the perfect chance to show he can recruit and develop players with a strong performance from the CB room this coming campaign. If all goes according to plan, perhaps Walton could put his name in the hat as the team's next defensive coordinator.
All offseason, there were fears Matt Patricia was going to leave the program just as offensive coordinator Brian Hartline did. Hartline found a Group of 6 coaching job, but Patricia was ticketed as a potential flight-risk to the NFL.
While Patricia ultimately signed an extension with Ohio State, it's clear he'll be a top candidate next offseason, too, assuming the Buckeyes' defense doesn't fall off a cliff in terms of production. If/when that happens, Walton could've already established himself as the natural successor.
It all comes down to Jermaine Mathews, Devin Sanchez, Cam Calhoun, Dominick Kelly, Jay Timmons, and Jordan Thomas's performances next season.
2026 will be a massive litmus test. Just like Walton could earn a promotion, he could also earn himself a one-way ticket out of Ohio if the group falters.