Ohio State is through spring football practice.
The series of practices over March and April offered a clearer picture of a revamped roster that included 51 new players.
While injuries made some position groups more difficult to sort through, there was more clarity than in January, when the Buckeyes were fresh off the closing of a busy transfer portal cycle.
Three months later, here’s The Dispatch’s second crack at projecting Ohio State’s depth chart for 2026.
Quarterback
Starter: Julian Sayin (rSo.)
Backups: Tavien St. Clair (rFr.), Justyn Martin (rSr.)
The only real question has been whether St. Clair would face much competition to be the backup to Sayin, the Buckeyes’ first returning starting quarterback since C.J. Stroud in 2022. But Martin, a veteran transfer from Maryland, didn’t seem to make much of a push over their 15 practices, while St. Clair showed progress. The spring game put St. Clair’s live arm and improved command on display. He’s in line to climb a spot on the depth chart after serving as the No. 3 quarterback last year.
Running back
Starter: Bo Jackson (So.)
Backups: Isaiah West (So.), Ja’Kobi Jackson (rSr.), Legend Bey (Fr.)
While Bo Jackson and West were limited in spring practice after undergoing procedures for labrum injuries, their place in the rotation is secure, allowing the Buckeyes to sort through the rest of their options. Ja’Kobi Jackson, a Florida transfer who provides a big-bodied back, and Bey, a freshman who promises to be a dynamic weapon, each made good impressions and look to be next in the mix for carries. Bey’s touches could extend outside of the backfield. Day compared him to Xavier Johnson and Curtis Samuel, who were used as receivers as well as running backs at Ohio State.
Wide receiver
Starters: Jeremiah Smith (Jr.), Brandon Inniss (Sr.), Chris Henry Jr. (Fr.)
Backups: Devin McCuin (Sr.), Kyle Parker (rJr.), Brock Boyd (Fr.)
If the Buckeyes were not months away from opening their season, it might be a tad hasty to put Henry as the No. 3 receiver. McCuin, the UTSA transfer, often lined up opposite Smith with Inniss in the slot, and Parker, an LSU transfer, saw first-team reps, too. Henry was not even the first freshman receiver to lose his black stripe this offseason, a milestone first reached by Boyd. But Henry’s ceiling remains high, as the 6-foot-5, 195-pounder showed when he finished the spring game with four catches for 96 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The prospect of complementing Smith with another big target on the perimeter is perhaps too alluring, keeping Henry here in this projection.
Tight end
Starter: Nate Roberts (So.)
Backups: Mason Williams (rJr.), Hunter Welcing (rSr.), Bennett Christian (rSr.)
Roberts might not have been the most obvious candidate to be the Buckeyes’ primary tight end before the start of spring practice. His most prominent role as a freshman was as a fullback in short-yardage situations. But most of the open periods of practices, as well as the spring game, showed him working with the first-team offense, offering glimpses of his controlled route running. He isn’t the only option to replace Max Klare atop the depth chart. Williams and Welcing project as impactful transfers. Christian returns as a big blocker. But the reps point to him as the favorite to lead the rotation.
Offensive line
Starters: LT Ian Moore (rSo.), LG Luke Montgomery (rSo.), C Carson Hinzman (rSr.), RG Austin Siereveld (rJr.), RT Phillip Daniels (rJr.)
Backups: LT Sam Greer (Fr.), LG Jake Cook (rFr.), C Joshua Padilla (rJr.), RG Gabe VanSickle (rSo.), RT Carter Lowe (rFr.)
The Buckeyes were not going to find a definitive answer about the configuration for their line this spring after Daniels and Siereveld, the returning starting tackles, underwent minor procedures for injuries. But they at least began exploring a leading option involving Moore, who saw first-team reps at left tackle in place of Siereveld and is expected to compete for a starting spot. The Buckeyes could move Siereveld or Daniels to the vacant right guard spot to make room for Moore in the starting five. It’ll take more time in preseason practices to assess their fit, but Moore has appeared to make the most progress so far among the returning backup linemen, especially with Padilla having been limited with an injury.
Defensive line
Starters: DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (rSr.), DT Eddrick Houston (Jr.), DT John Walker (rJr.), Beau Atkinson (rSr.)
Backups: DE Zion Grady (So.), DT James Smith (Sr.), DT Will Smith Jr. (rJr.), Qua Russaw (rJr.)
Atkinson had a sack and interception in the spring game, furthering his case to start as the end opposite Jackson in his second year at Ohio State after transferring from North Carolina. There is more depth in the edge rotation, which also includes Russaw, who worked with the defensive linemen during spring practice after Alabama used him as a hybrid linebacker in previous years. The Buckeyes figure to use a heavy rotation at defensive tackle. Houston remains the leading candidate to be the starting three-technique tackle with a heavier competition at nose tackle. Smith was with the first-team defense during the spring game, but Walker also lined up there and started at UCF last year, giving him a slight edge. Smith said he began learning nose tackle this spring, but started as the three-technique at Alabama in 2025.
Linebacker
Starters: Payton Pierce (Jr.), Christian Alliegro (Sr.)
Backups: Riley Pettijohn (So.), Garrett Stover (rSo.)
While Pettijohn was limited for spring practice due to an unspecified injury, Alliegro put himself in position to be paired with Pierce, who has long been viewed as Sonny Styles’ successor at middle linebacker. At 6 feet 4 and 241 pounds, Alliegro has the size to line up on the edge in the Buckeyes’ odd-front packages, as well as off the ball, allowing the Wisconsin transfer to mimic Arvell Reese’s role from last year. Pettijohn, who was a top-50 recruit in the 2025 high school recruiting class, is expected to return this summer and could push to crack the starting lineup, but Alliegro will enter preseason camp with a leg up. His past production shouldn’t be discounted either. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection last year as he finished with 53 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks.
Secondary
Returning: CB Jermaine Mathews Jr. (Sr.), S Jaylen McClain (Jr.), S Terry Moore (rSr.), NB Earl Little Jr. (rSr.), CB Devin Sanchez (So.)
Backups: CB Dominick Kelly (So.) S Leroy Roker, S Blaine Bradford (Fr.), NB Miles Lockhart (rSo.), CB Cam Calhoun (rJr.)
Moore was one of the Buckeyes’ biggest portal pickups, a potential NFL draft selection in 2025 had he not torn an anterior cruciate ligament in the Gator Bowl while at Duke months earlier. Though he still projects as a starting safety, he no longer feels like a shoo-in. That’s because Roker also saw first-team reps this spring and looks poised to take a leap this year. Moore finished spring practice with momentum, losing his black stripe and starting out with the first-team defense in the spring game, but will be in a position battle in camp that appears most up for grabs in the secondary. Kelly, a Georgia transfer, has also pushed for a bigger role. After Little underwent a cleanup knee procedure late in spring, the Buckeyes put Mathews at nickel back, allowing Kelly to be opposite Sanchez. It presents another personnel package, but the bet is that the Buckeyes will keep a three-safety look as part of their base defense.
Special teams
Starters: K Connor Hawkins (rSo.), P Joe McGuire (rJr.), LS Dalton Riggs (rSr.)
Backups: K Marcello Diomede (rJr.), P Brady Young (rSr.), LS Landon Beal (rSo.)
Hawkins made a 46-yard field goal and missed a 43-yard attempt in the spring game, but he remains in line to handle the kicking duties for the Buckeyes, carrying over an established track record from Baylor, where he made two game-winning tries last year. McGuire is Ohio State’s only returning primary specialist after Riggs transferred from UCF to take over for John Ferlmann.
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: Updated Ohio State 2026 depth chart projection after spring practice
Reporting by Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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