Projecting Buckeyes offensive depth chart with training camp winding down

COLUMBUS — Just like that, Ohio State is wrapping up training camp after three weeks of work. The Buckeyes entered camp on the first day of the month to kick off a season with sky-high expectations.

They’re on the other side of camp, now diving into prep for the regular season, which is just a week and a half away.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day has already made it official that Kansas State transfer Will Howard will be the starting quarterback; he named Howard as QB1 last week. The Buckeyes have learned a lot about their roster during the last three weeks, but there’s still plenty left to hash out.

Lettermen Row is projecting the Buckeyes depth chart on the offensive side of the ball after learning a lot this month. Let’s dive in.

Ohio State quarterback

Starter: Will Howard

This competition is already over. Will Howard, who led the Kansas State Wildcats to a Big 12 title in 2022 and has extensive experience in major college football prior to transferring to Ohio State, won the job. Howard was the man to beat for the entire offseason, and he closed the competition with great showings in camp, and Ryan Day decided Thursday was the day to name Howard the starter.

“Once he kind of went through the offseason, he changed his body and then came in with a much better knowledge of what was going on,” Day said. “You could see him playing faster, his feet were moving, the ball’s coming out with more pace. And then, I think, after the first week, you just started to see him take control, make good decisions. That’s the biggest thing.”

Projected backup: Devin Brown

Day was quite complementary of now-projected backup Devin Brown, a former five-star quarterback. Brown has been good this preseason, but Howard was just better. Now the focus for Brown turns to holding off true freshman Julian Sayin for the backup role entering the season. Brown clearly has more experience than the debutant Sayin, but Sayin has really flashed as the offseason has progressed. Brown’s still projected in the backup role right now, but Sayin is continuing to push for playing time.

““Devin has shown the ability to do just about everything we ask him to do,” Day said. “It’s the consistency part and taking care of the football part that he’s just got to make sure that he does a great job of moving forward, and if he can do that, then he can play and be a contributor for us.”

We’ll project Brown to hold off Sayin — for now.

Running back

Projected starters: TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins

Nothing has changed since the last depth chart projections. TreVeyon Henderson will give Ohio State one of the country’s premier tailbacks to build the offense around, and he is expected to be a superstar as a senior leader. Of course, he’s joined by former All-SEC tailback Quinshon Judkins, who came in from Ole Miss bolster the running back room even more.

Pecking order behind starters

3. James Peoples
4. Sam Williams-Dixon

Freshmen James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon must add depth — and quickly. Peoples looks the part early in his career and recently lost his black stripe. Williams-Dixon, meanwhile, has surprised some folks during his first offseason on campus. Both of them need to be productive in camp and prove to Ohio State that they can carry the ball in big moments — and provide depth for a top-heavy, but thin room.

Buckeyes wide receivers

Projected starters: Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, Jeremiah Smith

Now-captain Emeka Egbuka gives this offense a proven 1,000-yard receiver back in the fold to lead the way, of course. Egbuka also admitted in the spring that he was working toward moving around between the slot and on the outside, paving the way for Brandon Inniss to earn a major role. That’s coming true, and Inniss is in the plans for major playing time. Former superstar recruits Carnell Tate and Inniss have a chance to earn a featured role as Buckeyes pass-catchers. Tate is having a tremendous camp.

Former five-star prospect Jeremiah Smith, On3’s No. 1 overall player from the class of 2024, is the exception to the ‘it’s hard for freshman receivers to play’ rule. And he might be in the conversation for ‘best wide receiver on the team’ soon. He will be a part of the starting lineup or at least earn starter-level snaps early in the season.

Projected pecking order at WR

5. Bryson Rodgers
6. Jayden Ballard/Kojo Antwi/Mylan Graham

Can anyone else beyond the top four push for a role? Bryson Rodgers is a candidate for playing time in Year Two thanks to a good offseason and impressive showing in camp. Watch out for him.

Fourth-year receiver Jayden Ballard, a speedster who has never been consistently great at the other things that could put him on the field in a bigger role, is still being called upon by Day to be more consistent. That has Lettermen Row concerned that he may not land a role. Day was highly complementary of Kojo Antwi and Mylan Graham. Could they earn time?

Tight end

Projected pecking order

1a. Will Kacmarek
1b. Gee Scott Jr.
2. Jelani Thurman
3. Bennett Christian

Ohio State utilized multiple tight ends at nearly every point this past season, and formations dictated who was out on the field. Former Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek is a capable blocker who will pair well with pass-catching threats like Gee Scott Jr. and the emergence of Jelani Thurman. Scott is quietly one of the leaders of this offense, while Thurman is beginning to finally emerge as a do-it-all weapon.

While serving a season-long suspension for a prohibited substance last year, Bennett Christian spent the fall blocking one of the best defenses in the country as a scout-team tight end. He’s now being praised for his offseason and training camp performance.

Another name to know along with Christian and the aforementioned Thurman: walk-on tight end Patrick Gurd, who may shine as a fullback in the Chip Kelly offensive system.

Offensive line

Projected starters: LT Josh Simmons, LG Donovan Jackson, C Seth McLaughlin, RG Tegra Tshabola, RT Josh Fryar

Left tackle Josh Simmons quietly developed into the Buckeyes best offensive lineman last season, especially into October and November. He and Donovan Jackson have the left side of the line locked down already, and Alabama transfer and former Crimson Tide starting center Seth McLaughlin is the starting center heading into this season.

The question is still on the right side, but Josh Fryar locked down the right tackle job this offseason. And then there’s the guard spot. Carson Hinzman, who started 12 games at center for the Buckeyes last season, was in our last projected starting lineup at the beginning of camp, but he’s missed time with an illness this preseason. That’s paved the way for third-year lineman Tegra Tshabola to work at first-team guard — and become the favorite to win the job. He’s projected to do that.

Key backups: Carson Hinzman, Luke Montgomery, Zen Michalski, George Fitzpatrick, Austin Siereveld, Ian Moore, Josh Padilla

Ohio State likes the potential a lot of these projected backups possess.

Second-year lineman Luke Montgomery is an interesting piece. He began his career at tackle, and he’s now working at both guard and center. Another swing piece is second-year lineman Austin Siereveld, who is flashing as a potential 2025 starter. Other second-team linemen include tackle George Fitzpatrick, another developing potential future starter, and freshman tackle Ian Moore.

The post Projecting Buckeyes offensive depth chart with training camp winding down appeared first on On3.