The young talent could carry the day for the Ohio State football team
By Ryan Stano
![Mar 7, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Ja'Had Carter (3) talks to safety Caleb Downs (2) during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Mar 7, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Ja'Had Carter (3) talks to safety Caleb Downs (2) during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4262,h_2397,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/151/01j2y9175mbqc9j70pae.jpg)
The Ohio State football team has a lot of older players on this year's team. Several Buckeyes decided to come back because they wanted to beat Michigan and win a national championship. A lot of their talent is on the older side for that exact reason on both sides of the ball.
On offense, the Buckeyes will have a grad transfer at quarterback, a senior receiver who might be the best overall player, and a senior starting running back. On defense, they have two fantastic defensive ends and one of the best cornerbacks in the country. All three of those guys are seniors.
Even though the Ohio State football team has all of that older talent, they also have a lot of young talent that will really help this team get over the edge. It's the young players on this team who could end up being the difference in getting this team to a national championship.
The Ohio State football team could get a massive boost from the young players on the roster
Looking at Ohio State's roster, their only talent isn't from older players. They have plenty of underclassmen who are going to play a big role in the team's success this season. A few specific players are going to have a massive impact as starters.
Caleb Downs is one of those players. He comes in as a sophomore transfer from Alabama and is already one of the best safeties in the country. He joins a loaded secondary. His presence at the safety position makes the defense much more malleable depending on the offensive set on the field.
On offense, Jeremiah Smith could end up being the third receiver right away. With so much attention going to Emeka Egbuka, he has a shot to go for 800 yards and seven touchdowns this year. Carnell Tate is also a sophomore who is already a great receiver. He's going to contribute in a major way as well.
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The young talent might end up being the extra push that leads to a national championship for the Buckeyes.