Ohio State is on the cusp of preseason training camp.
There are just over four weeks of practices before the season opener against Ball State on Sept. 5.
As the Buckeyes ramp up at preparations at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, here is one question facing each of their position groups.
Quarterback
Will Julian Sayin be a captain?
Sayin has drawn praise for his leadership during summer strength and conditioning workouts, and it’s clear his standing has grown a year after he spent the offseason competing with Lincoln Kienholz for the starting job. Both Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud were captains during their second season as starters, suggesting Sayin could find himself on a similar path. If he becomes the Buckeyes’ first quarterback voted as a captain since Stroud in 2022, it would provide the clearest signal yet of his rising stature within the program.
Running back
Will Bo Jackson show any rust?
A torn labrum led Jackson to undergo surgery in January, limiting his participation in spring practice, but he should be back for full contact in preseason camp. His ramp-up bears watching. The four previous Ohio State running backs who ran 1,000 yards as freshmen experienced some variations of a sophomore slump or worse. J.K. Dobbins and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for fewer yards in their second years and Maurice Clarett and Robert Smith were sidelined by off-field issues. If Jackson is close to full strength, he could buck the trend that plagued his predecessors.
Wide receiver
Can the freshmen sustain their momentum?
Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. flashed their potential during spring practice. The fast start for Henry, who was the top-ranked receiver recruit in the country, was accentuated by his four receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown in the spring game. While the Buckeyes have a handful of veterans to complement Jeremiah Smith, especially after adding Devin McCuin from UTSA and Kyle Parker from LSU through the transfer portal, there’s precedent for freshmen breaking into the rotation. Boyd and Henry will have a shot to earn snaps if they take another leap.
Tight end
What roles emerge for the portal pickups?
The Buckeyes brought in Hunter Welcing from Northwestern and Mason Williams from Ohio in January and were encouraged by their acclimation in spring practice. But even following the departures of Max Klare and Will Kacmarek, the Buckeyes retained key pieces at the position. Nate Roberts is in line to move up the depth chart as a sophomore, and Bennett Christian begins his fifth year at Ohio State. If Welcing and Williams continue to make strides, it would give the Buckeyes more options in the rotation and allow them to continue to use packages with multiple tight ends.
Offensive line
How will the Buckeyes arrange their starting five?
Austin Siereveld provides the Buckeyes with options for their offensive line configuration. He made six starts at left guard in 2024 before starting at left tackle last year. If redshirt sophomore Ian Moore makes enough of a push in camp, Siereveld could return to guard to clear a spot at tackle. But Siereveld also might remain at tackle if either Joshua Padilla or Gabe VanSickle emerges as an option to replace Tegra Tshabola at right guard. After Tshabola’s transfer to Kentucky opened up the vacant starting spot on the interior, Siereveld’s versatility leaves the Buckeyes with a handful of possible combinations.
Defensive line
Who is paired opposite Kenyatta Jackson Jr.?
One of the most competitive preseason position battles figures to be at defensive end as the Buckeyes have a handful of options to start opposite Jackson. Beau Atkinson and Zion Grady return as backups. Qua Russaw arrived as a promising transfer from Alabama. None of them have been established starters in college, though they have shown promise. Atkinson carries a long 6-foot-6, 258-pound frame, Grady is a former top-100 recruit and Russaw brings twitchy movement as a pass rusher. Caden Curry became the Buckeyes’ sack leader in 2025 after three years as a backup, and it’s worth watching if there’s another hidden gem poised for a similar breakout.
Linebacker
What role will Riley Pettijohn carve out?
Pettijohn’s absence from most of spring practice due to an unspecified injury left Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro as the front-runner to start at outside linebacker. But Pettijohn has remained on track to return for preseason camp and built momentum this summer. He was named one of the Buckeyes “dudes of the week” during strength and conditioning workouts in July. If Pettijohn, who was once a top-50 recruit out of high school in Texas and carved out snaps as a freshman last fall, continues to make strides, he should compete with Alliegro for a starting spot while also providing the Buckeyes with options for three-linebacker packages.
Defensive back
How much of a leap will Devin Sanchez take?
Sanchez did not hide his ambitions this offseason when he outlined lofty goals that included becoming an All-American and winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. It’ll be Sanchez’s first year as a starting cornerback for the Buckeyes, as he projects to replace Davison Igbinosun in the secondary opposite Jermaine Mathews Jr., but he arrived as a tantalizing five-star recruit a year ago and made one start at Illinois. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to validate the high expectations in 1-on-1 matchups with Ohio State’s talented receivers throughout camp.
Special Teams
What are the Buckeyes’ kickoff return options?
Lorenzo Styles Jr. ended Ohio State’s 15-year kickoff return touchdown drought with his 100-yard return against UCLA last November. Even with wide receiver Brandon Inniss as an option in the return game, Styles provided the Buckeyes with a home-run threat due to his breakaway speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds at this year’s NFL scouting combine. Finding another returner with that level of explosiveness is no guarantee.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: The biggest question facing every Ohio State position group entering camp
Reporting by Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
