C.J. Hicks ‘flashed more’ at spring game, setting up for critical summer with Buckeyes

COLUMBUS — C.J. Hicks said it in the first two weeks of Ohio State spring practice.

A month later, he showed up in the Horseshoe for the spring game and backed up what he claimed.

“Me personally, I feel like I am ready,” Hicks said. “But you know, I’m going to trust coach Knowles and whatever his system is.”

Hicks looked ready when he took the field with the first-team defense Saturday afternoon. He tallied multiple tackles and nearly picked off two Kyle McCord passes from his linebacker spot. The second-year former five-star prospect made the most of his spring game, even after an impressive six-week run at spring practice overall.

Hicks is turning heads entering summer workouts. And even as projected starting linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers return to action this summer after missing spring, Hicks is entering ‘must see the field’ territory.

“I’m proud of him,” Ohio State senior linebacker Cody Simon said. “It’s hard. None of this stuff is easy to do and, especially our offense, they give us so many different looks. He’s making plays out there. You saw him — he had a really great game today. I’m just proud of him.”

Hicks has always flashed since he arrived at Ohio State. It hasn’t been consistent, which can explain why he did not take a single snap at linebacker last fall during his freshman campaign despite making a splash on special teams.

But the spring game Saturday was a big step forward for Hicks. Even Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day took notice.

“He flashed more today,” Day said. “So we’re still looking for that consistency, but you’re starting to see it more and more. He’s making plays, he’s showing up. And I think Jim and James are both doing a great job with him.”

Last year, Hicks was going through his first spring on campus at Ohio State. That’s not an easy thing to do, even for a five-star prospect who earned the nickname ‘Captain Buckeye’ during the recruiting process because of his efforts as a recruiter and his talent level. After a full spring, summer, fall and winter with the Buckeyes, Hicks took a massive leap forward in the last six weeks.

Those strides came both on and off the field.

“When he first got there, his [athleticism] and his aggressiveness — top level,” Simon said. “He’s a great athlete. He can make any play he wants to make. And definitely his biggest step has just been the mental side of the game. Especially the spring, from first practice to 15, he’s making so many more reads, and he’s so much more communicative. And he’s just such a more mature player just from the spring’s 15 practices.”

The traits were always there. So was the talent level. From there, C.J. Hicks just needed to put everything together this spring and set himself up for a critical summer before the season starts.

He did that. Just like he said he would. After an impressive spring game, C.J. Hicks is ready to make plays for Ohio State.

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