Looking back at the 2021 Ohio State recruiting class: The starters

In part one of this series, we looked back at the 2021 Ohio State recruiting class, focusing in on those players who decided to depart the program. Part two focused upon the couple of players who fall into the category of contributors to the Ohio State program.

This final article in the series on the 2021 Ohio State recruiting class will look at the players who have emerged as starters for the Buckeyes. Many of the names on the list will be familiar, and many are expected to play prominent roles in the upcoming 2024 season. The list of the players will be in the order in which they gave their verbal commitments to Ohio State.

The Starters (11)

1. DE Jack Sawyer - Recently elected as one of the captains for the 2024 season, Sawyer was the first member of the 2021 recruiting class to verbally commit to then-first-year head coach Ryan Day, committing on 02/03/2019. Hailing from nearby Pickerington North in the Columbus area, Sawyer is considered one of the premier defensive ends in the country, and has collected11 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 79 tackles over the past three seasons.

2. WR Marvin Harrison, Jr. - The superlatives associated with Marvin Harrison, Jr. are abundant, and well they should be, as Harrison quickly emerged as one of the best players in his recruiting class as a mid-year enrollee out of Philadelphia St. Joseph's Prep.

Harrison verballed to Ohio State on Halloween, October 31st, in 2019, and truly was a "treat" for Ohio State fans all three seasons when he suited up for the Buckeyes. In three seasons, Harrison caught 144 passes for 2,436 yards and 26 touchdowns, while also adding 1 rushing touchdown during the 2023 season. Harrison parlayed his Ohio State successes into being the fourth overall selection by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft.

3. OL Donovan Jackson - Verballing to Ohio State on 01/08/2020 out of Bellaire Episcopal in Texas, Jackson made his mark early along the offensive line, playing in all thirteen games. Jackson has started the last two seasons at left guard for Ohio State and is a two-time first-team all-Big Ten Conference performer and a candidate for All-America and major awards honors in the 2024 season.

4. DT Michael Hall, Jr. - An interior defensive lineman from Streetsboro, Ohio, Hall gave his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes on 02/01/2020. Hall played in 28 games, starting 11 times. Injuries impacted Hall during his time at Ohio State, but he was still able to tally 45 career tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6 quarterback sacks. Hall declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and was selected in the 2nd round by the Cleveland Browns, as the 54th overall selection.

5. RB TreVeyon Henderson - Another player recently elected as a 2024 captain, Henderson verballed to Ohio State on 03/27/2020. Recruited out of Hopewell, Virginia, Henderson quickly emerged as a player to watch early in the 2021 season, when he came off the bench to help Ohio State defeat Minnesota on the road in the season opener.

Henderson comes into the 2024 season with 2,745 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns, while also adding 50 receptions for 569 yards and 5 touchdowns. It will be exciting to see how he and newcomer Quinshon Judkins handle the rushing load for the Buckeyes this upcoming season.

6. CB Denzel Burke - Recruited as an athlete out of Scottsdale Saguaro in Arizona, Burke verballed to Ohio State on 05/24/2020. Converted to cornerback, Burke became the first member of his recruiting class to start, as Burke was called upon in the season opener at Minnesota in 2021.

Burke has 26 pass breakups and 2 interceptions during his career and could break the record for cornerback starts by the late William White this season, as Burke has started 35 games, and White started 46 games for Ohio State from 1984-1987.

7. CB Jordan Hancock - Originally committed to Clemson, Hancock switched his commitment to Ohio State on 07/19/2020. Hailing from Suwanee North Gwinnett in Georgia, Hancock will have another year of eligibility after the 2024 season, if he decides to use it.

Hancock has started 8 times over the last three seasons and is coming off a strong 2023 season that saw him record 41 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions. No play by Hancock was bigger than this interception he returned for a touchdown last season at Rutgers.

8. DL Tyleik Williams - A mammoth interior defensive lineman from Manassas Unity Reed in Virginia, Williams gave his verbal commitment to Ohio State on 08/27/2020. Williams has started 12 times over the past three seasons and has collected 91 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 9 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.

9. WR Emeka Egbuka - Another player recently named a 2024 captain, Egbuka gave his verbal commitment on 12/11/2020, right before the early signing period. Ranked as the top high school wide receiver out of Steilacoom, Washington, Egbuka quickly made an impact as a true freshman in 2021, as both a returner and a receiver.

Egbuka has caught 124 passes for 1,857 yards and 14 touchdowns, 21 kickoffs for 605 yards, and 18 punt returns for 98 yards. Egbuka is within striking distance of K.J. Hill's career reception record, as he needs 78 receptions to break Hill's school record of 201, set between 2016-19.

10. DE J.T. Tuimoloau - Technically the last player to sign with the 2021 Ohio State recruiting class on 07/04/2021 out of Eastside Catholic in Edgewood, Washington, Tuimoloau was considered the nation's top high school prospect.

In his career at Ohio State, Tuimoloau has 74 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 9 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions. Tuimoloau's 2022 game at Penn State is considered to be among the greatest Ohio State defensive performances in program history.

11. PK Noah Ruggles (Transfer) - Ruggles came to Ohio State as a transfer out of North Carolina, becoming the placekicker for Ohio State in 2021 and 2022. Ruggles proved to be a tremendous asset for the Buckeyes, ranking ninth at Ohio State in kick scoring with 259 points and 13th among all scorers in points scored.

11 players out of 24 signed emerged as starters, for an impressive percentage of about 46%. When you add in the transfers of QB Kyle McCord and CB J.K. Johnson to the mix, who were starters for Ohio State during their respective careers, that number looks even better, with 54% of the class that was signed were eventual starters for the Buckeyes. Not too shabby in the unofficial "Rule Of Thirds" for recruiting purposes.

Recruiting is always an inexact science, but it is comforting to know that even during the coronavirus epidemic that plagued the world throughout 2020, Ohio State's coaching staff was able to effectively recruit 24 players and convince them to become Buckeyes back in 2021.

It is even more exciting to know that so many of these players will be on the field for Ohio State this coming season.