We do this a few times of the year, and with fall camp already getting underway for Ohio State, it’s well worth the exercise of predicting the two-deep depth chart we’ll see when the Buckeyes kick things off against Notre Dame on September 3.
Not a whole lot has changed since the last time we went through the process of projecting what things will look like, but it’s still a good base to go from as things progress over at the Woody through the team prepping for the start of what we all hope is another special season.
We like to split this thing up into a couple of tranches, and we’ll start with the offensive side of the ball where we should see some more fireworks again, much like what we’ve witnessed over the last few seasons.
Here is a look at our projected two-deep on offense for Ohio State football this fall. And don’t worry, we’ll do the same for the defensive side of the ball this week as well.
Quarterback
Starter
C.J. Stroud
Class in 2022: RS Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 3-inches, 218-pounds
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Backup
Kyle McCord
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 3-inches, 220-pounds
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Where things stand
You know the drill by now. Stroud might well be the Heisman winner this year and follow that up as the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He’ll start and play extensively at a very high level. McCord is the most likely to back him up because of his talent and experience.
Running Back
Starter
TreVeyon Henderson
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 5-feet, 10-inches, 215-pounds
Hometown: Hopewell, VA
Backup
Miyan Williams
Class in 2022: RS Sophomore
Measurables: 5-feet, 8-inches, 225-pounds
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Where things stand
Henderson is all set to build on a freshman year that saw him top 1,200 yards. He’s the most dynamic playmaker and will get the bulk of the carries. However, Miyan Williams will be a nice change of pace, and don’t rule out Evan Pryor that also flashed his potential in the spring.
Wide Receiver (Slot)
Starter
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Class in 2022: Junior
Measurables: 6-feet, 198-pounds
Hometown: Rockwall, TX
Backup
Emeka Egbuka
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 1-inch, 205-pounds
Hometown: Steilacoom, WA
Where things stand
Smith-Njigba might be the best wide receiver in college football next year. The question is whether he moves from the slot to the outside, but we say why mess with what worked last season. Fleming could slot in here as a backup, but we like his emergence to grab another starting spot, meaning Egbuka gets time here to spell Smith-Njigba.
Wide Receiver (Z)
Starter
Julian Fleming
Class in 2022: Junior
Measurables: 6-feet, 2-inches, 207-pounds
Hometown: Catawissa, PA
Backup
Kamryn Babb
Class in 2022: Senior
Measurables: 6-feet, 205-pounds
Hometown: Saint Louis, MO
Where things stand
Fleming is drawing rave reviews from the coaches early in camp, and we say he puts it all together and nails down the starting spot here to finally realize all the potential of being the No. 1 ranked receiver coming out of high school. Behind him, Babb has the explosiveness and experience to provide great depth.
Wide Receiver (X)
Starter
Marvin Harrison Jr
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 3-inches, 205-pounds
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Backup
Jayden Ballard
Class in 2022: RS Freshman
Measurables: 6-feet, 2-inches, 195-pounds
Hometown: Massillon, OH
Where things stand
Harrison looks like one of the next great receivers that should be able to show the same production and playmaking ability we saw in the Rose Bowl. He’s ready to break out, with Ballard a nice compliment when Harrison comes off the field.
Tight End
Starter
Cade Stover
Class in 2022: Junior
Measurables: 6-feet, 4-inches, 255-pounds
Hometown: Mansfield, OH
Backup
Joe Royer
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 5-inches, 245-pounds
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Where things stand
This position group will be a battle with multiple guys that could grab the starting spot. Based on what we saw in spring with Stover moving back to tight end and who was getting snaps, this is how things stand for now. However, Mitch Rossi and Gee Scott have the ability to also wiggle their way into a push for significant playing time. This one will be a fun competition to watch throughout the fall.
Center
Starter
Luke Wypler
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 3-inches, 300-pounds
Hometown: Montvale, NJ
Backup
Jakob James
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 4-inches, 295-pounds
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Where things stand
We’re standing pat from what we saw in the spring here. There’s no doubt that Wypler starts here as a Rimington Trophy candidate, and from what we saw in the spring, we’ll leave James as the likely backup … for now.
Left Guard
Starter
Donovan Jackson
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 4-inches, 300-pounds
Hometown: Bellaire, TX
Backup
Trey Leroux
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 7-inches, 315-pounds
Hometown: Norwalk, OH
Where things stand
There is little doubt who the starting five will be on the offensive line, with Jackson having the left interior nailed down. Things could change behind the starters based on depth and need, but right now, we’re going with Trey Leroux as the guy that would be next in line.
Right Guard
Starter
Matthew Jones
Class in 2022: Senior
Measurables: 6-feet, 4-inches, 310-pounds
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Backup
Enokk Vimahi
Class in 2022: Junior
Measurables: 6-feet, 4-inches, 298-pounds
Hometown: Kahuku, HI
Where things stand
With Harry Miller retiring from football, there’s no longer a wild card that could push Jones out of this spot. He’ll be the guy here with Vimahi doing enough to be a part of some playing time along the line. We’ll slot him in here for now and wait to see how the reps go during the fall.
Right Tackle
Starter
Dawand Jones
Class in 2022: Senior
Measurables: 6-feet, 8-inches, 360 pounds
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Backup
Josh Fryar
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Measurables: 6-feet, 6-inches, 315-pounds
Hometown: Beech Grove, IN
Where things stand
Dawand Jones put off the NFL and will be the unquestioned starter on the outside. Fryar is healthy and ready to add depth behind him if he doesn’t slot into another spot along the line.
Left Tackle
Starter
Paris Johnson Jr
Class in 2022: Junior
Measurables: 6-feet, 6-inches, 315-pounds
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Backup
Zen Michalski
Class in 2022: RS Freshman
Measurables: 6-feet, 7-inches, 305-pounds
Hometown: Floyds Knobs, IN
Where things stand
Paris Johnson will finally get to show what he can do at his natural position and work on an island on the outside. He going to be a star and an anchor of the line. The backup job is up for grabs but we’ll leave things where we thought they were during spring with the redshirt freshman Zen Michalski as a backup. Remember though, it’s all about getting the right guys in the right position. If Johnson were to be unavailable, that means there’s probably a lot of shuffling that will take place.
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