Three defensive players who should see offensive snaps for Ohio State football
By Ryan Stano
The Ohio State football team is going to have one of the best defenses in the country again this year. They were elite on that side of the ball last season. On offense, they are hoping to get back to being elite after a season where they were less than stellar.
Ryan Day talked on Monday about how one of the best players on defense might see some snaps on offense this season. Caleb Downs has been in the running back meetings. This is someone of an odd decision considering the Buckeyes have both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at running back.
There's a chance Downs ends up returning some kicks and punts as he did at Alabama, but snaps at running back would be odd. Still, that got us thinking of what other Ohio State football players on defense should get some snaps on offense and how they could be used.
There are three players on defense who would make sense to give snaps on offense in certain situations. The first of these players might be the best defensive lineman that the Buckeyes have.
1. J.T. Tuimoloau
When he came to the Ohio State football program in 2021, he was the top recruit in the country. As a defensive lineman, he is extremely gifted. While his sack numbers haven't been Chase Young-like, he still has put a lot of pressure on the quarterback in his three seasons.
While he was in high school, he showed the ability to catch passes as a tight end. There were scouts who thought that J.T. Tuimoloau could have been a top tight end prospect had he focused more on offense. He was a two-sport athlete too and even met with Chris Holtmann on his official visit.
Tuimoloau would be a great player to bring on the field in red-zone situations at tight end. He would be a threat to catch a touchdown that very few people could stop. He played basketball in high school and showed his ability to jump high for rebounds. That's exactly what he could do in close to the goal-line.
The Buckeyes could also use Tuimoloau in third-and-short or fourth-and-short situations in the same sort of role. He's a superior athlete who wouldn't have too many issues catching the ball in pressure situations. This should be something that Ryan Day considers.
The next player on this list is also on the defensive line.