Next Man Up: How Buckeyes can replace Cameron Brown at cornerback

Ohio State went 11-2 and made the College Football Playoff last season with a loaded roster. Some of the key players from that Buckeyes team moved onto the NFL. Who could step in to make plays similar to what the former Buckeyes made last season? Lettermen Row is breaking down who is next in line to be a playmaker. Next first: How the Buckeyes can replace consensus All-American and top-10 NFL Draft pick Cameron Brown at cornerback.

COLUMBUS — The top cornerback spot at Ohio State has already been claimed.

Buckeyes junior Denzel Burke is the clear leader of the cornerback unit, especially after a strong spring that vaulted him back into All-American conversations following a sophomore season slump.

“I think Denzel is playing his best football right now,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said late in spring ball. “I’m just impressed with his offseason, impressed with his approach every day.”

But there will be at least two cornerbacks on the field, and the Buckeyes need a second star on the outside following the departure of multi-year starter Cameron Brown. The now-Chargers cornerback had flashes of brilliance for Ohio State — but also went through streaks of inconsistency. Ohio State needs a steady force opposite Burke if its defense will take the next step this fall.

Lettermen Row is breaking down who could step up and challenge for the starting cornerback spot alongside Burke or become a key member of the two-deep. Who will it be for Ohio State? Let’s dive in.

Ohio State options

Jordan Hancock: Last year was supposed to be the year Jordan Hancock broke out as a true defensive weapon for Ohio State; a hamstring injury shut him down for the first half of the season, and he was simply unable to show how good he can be. Now healthy, Hancock can use an impressive spring to become the bona fide second starter alongside Burke in the should-be-improved secondary. He has all the tools necessary to take the big step to becoming a star in the defense. Whether he takes that step depends on how he performs in the coming months.

Davison Igbinosun: The former New Jersey high school standout started multiple games last season in his true freshman year for Ole Miss, but Davison Igbinosun decided to hit the transfer portal after last season. Following a visit to Ohio State, Igbinosun committed to the Buckeyes and gave the secondary an immediate boost. He showed why he was a young playmaker for the Rebels last season when he was in Buckeyes spring camp, putting him in position to be a potential starter for Ohio State this fall. At worst, he’ll be a part of the rotation entering training camp — if the Buckeyes decide to deploy one.

Jyaire Brown: After a surprising freshman year in which he started a Big Ten game for the Buckeyes, Jyaire Brown was part of the cornerback room that had a tremendous spring. Does that equate to playing time this fall? Not necessarily, especially considering the talent assembled on the depth chart. He’ll be a part of the two-deep, and he could earn more playing time with a good summer and month of training camp. Jyaire Brown’s time is coming.

Jermaine Mathews: The former five-star recruit from Cincinnati just wrapped up his first spring at Ohio State. Those 15 practices got off to a bit of a rocky start, but once he got his feet under him, Jermaine Mathews began to impress. The Buckeyes have a good idea of the two-deep at cornerback, but it wouldn’t be a massive surprise if Mathews starts pushing for some playing time by the end of the year.

Calvin Simpson-Hunt: A four-star, top-60 recruit from Waxahachie, Texas, Calvin Simpson-Hunt shot up the recruiting rankings during his senior season. He didn’t enroll early, choosing to arrive at Ohio State this summer. He’ll push for a special teams role in Year One before aiming for a cornerback spot next spring.

The pick: Jordan Hancock

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the pick here is that Jordan Hancock will take the step forward this time in training camp that he was slated to last year before the hamstring issues. Hancock is a long 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, the perfect size for a lock-down cornerback in the Buckeyes defensive scheme.

If he would have stayed healthy, there’s a chance he could have earned major playing time with either Burke or Brown last fall. With those problems behind him, he can earn that time.

“You know, last year I couldn’t explode out like I wanted to because of my hamstring,” Hancock said in the spring. “But now having a full offseason, getting with Coach Mick and Coach Walt teaching us a lot of stuff from the game. My explosiveness, I feel like I can change the game.”

That’s a lot of confidence coming from a player who didn’t get to showcase his talents in the fall. He can do it this year. We’re expecting that to happen.

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