Ohio State Football: Top 10 Players for the 2012 Season

College football is right around the corner, and as fall camp quickly approaches, players are preparing for the regular season. But some players are of course more important than others to a team's success as the season begins.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a new head coach in Urban Meyer and return 16 total starters from a year ago, including nine on the defensive side of the ball. With a new spread offense in place, the coaching staff is looking for playmakers. The Buckeyes were fantastic on defense, but could use a few more players that can pressure the quarterback.

As we inch that much closer to September, here are the top 10 most important players for the 2012 Ohio State football season.

10. Linebacker: Ryan Shazier

The Buckeyes lose two linebackers in Tyler Moeller and Andrew Sweat to graduation, but that only opens the door for other talented players such as Ryan Shazier. As a true freshman last season, he finished sixth on the team with 56 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks, and even returned a punt 25 yards.

The former 4-star recruit is extremely fast and capable of doing anything that is asked of him. He can get after the quarterback with no problem, and he can drop back into coverage just as well. He has a nose for the football and makes plays from sideline-to-sideline. If Shazier has a season similar to last year, he will quickly be considered one of the best linebackers in the country. And to think he is only a true sophomore.

9. Wide Receiver: Corey Brown

Wide receiver Corey Brown had the longest reception for the Buckeyes last season, which was a 54-yard touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines. The problem is that it was about the only big play he made the entire season. Brown finished the year with 14 receptions for 205 yards, and that touchdown was the only one he had all season.

The junior wide receiver is a true deep threat who can get down field in a hurry. He is great at racking up the yards after the catch and is very elusive in the open field. Brown does have issues with holding onto the football, but his playmaking ability makes him a valuable piece to this new offense heading into the 2012 season.

8. Left Tackle: Jack Mewhort

The offensive line took a serious hit due to several players graduating, and the depth of this unit is a serious concern moving forward. It just took an even bigger hit with projected starting left tackle Jack Mewhort being suspended from the team indefinitely for a recent arrest. It is not known when he will be eligible to play again, but this is an issue if he ends up missing significant time.

There is a huge hole at left tackle with Mike Adams graduating and now playing in the NFL. Mewhort is a versatile player who can play any position on the line, including center. Considering he was supposed to protect the quarterbacks blindside this season, he is an important piece to this unit. If he is not back with the football team soon, things could turn ugly quickly for Ohio States offensive line.

7. Wide Receiver: Devin Smith

In the new spread offense, head coach Urban Meyer is looking for playmakers to make his offensive scheme work. Devin Smith is one of those receivers that has all of the tools to become something special in this offense. He was the leading receiver last season, catching 14 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns. He caught the game-winning touchdown against Wisconsin and had four receptions of over 30 yards.

Smith is a big receiver at 6'3", 190 pounds and has the speed to match. With more playing time his sophomore season, Smith should end up at least doubling last year’s production.

6. Cornerback: Bradley Roby

Ohio State has produced several top cornerbacks in the past, and it appears that red-shirt sophomore Bradley Roby is the on the track to join that elite list. Last season, he broke up six passes, had 47 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and was tied with Orhian Johnson with three interceptions.

Roby has great football instincts, size at 5'11", 190 pounds and quickness to keep up with nearly any receiver in the country. With a year of playing time under his belt, you can expect the Buckeyes' top corner to take that next step and become one of the better defensive backs in the entire Big Ten.

5. Tight End: Jake Stoneburner

It is unclear when Stoneburner will be on the team, as he was recently suspended after getting arrested, but he is one of the Buckeyes' main weapons on the offensive side of the ball. He only caught 14 passes last season, but seven of those receptions went for touchdowns.

Stoneburner is a huge target at 6'5", 245 pounds and was going to be a hue part of this offensive success as he enters his senior season. With the suspension, it would be a serious loss to this team moving forward if he isn't allowed back on the team sooner than later.

4. Running Back: Jordan Hall

Jordan Hall was a solid recruit coming out of Jeannette, PA in 2009; he was a versatile player who could play both sides of the ball and showed big play ability. He still has that ability, but in his first three seasons combined, he only has 814 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. The senior running back will get his shot to turn that around, as he will be this year's starter in the backfield.

There are only a couple backs returning that have experience, so it is important that Hall can get going this season. It will also help quarterback Braxton Miller's production, because a solid running game will take a ton of pressure off the young player. Hall needs to step up to the plate and start producing big plays like we see in the video.

3. Defensive Tackle: Johnathan Hankins

Hankins may not be as explosive as defensive end John Simon is, but he is one of the more productive defensive tackles in the conference and had a very solid sophomore season last year. He finished the year with 66 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and two sacks. He enters the offseason in much better shape, and he has really caught the coaches' attention early on.

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“He has really and truly caught my eye,” co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers said. “I'm one of those guys, I look at the inside of the defense out. I think you have to be good inside. I look at a big guy that's athletic and explosive off the ball and I say, 'That's where you start on defense, right there.'" (Via Scout.com)

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The Buckeyes defensive line could be a little more productive this season, and it will start with Hankins in the middle.

2. Quarterback: Braxton Miller

For somebody that was thrown into the fire as a freshman, Miller really played well last season. He finished the year with 1,159 passing yards, 715 rushing yards and scored 20 touchdowns, all while limiting his turnovers. As he enters his sophomore season, he should take that next step, especially under new head coach Urban Meyer.

Playing in the spread offense is the perfect system for a quarterback like Miller. He will have every opportunity to succeed and grow as a player. It is really not a question of if he will succeed; it's more of a question of when he will get this offense rolling.

This is Miller's team, and it's only a matter of time before he becomes one of the better players in the entire country.

1. Defensive End: John Simon

While the offense tries to figure itself out, the defense is about as solid as it comes. It returns nine starters from a defense that was ranked 19th in the country last season in total yards allowed. The best player on that squad is defensive end John Simon.

He was the only player that had more than three sacks on this team last year and finished seventh on the team in tackles with 53. As he enters his senior year, he is the leader on the defensive line and is keeping the team motivated throughout the offseason.

Simon is a player that brings it every game and somebody the Buckeyes can't afford to lose this year.