Position-by-Position Preview of Ohio State's 2016 Roster
There weren't many question marks for the 2015 edition of the Ohio State football team, but after sending 12 players to the NFL via the draft and losing 16 starters total, the team that takes the field this fall will look completely different than last year's squad.
There will be familiar faces, of course, with quarterback J.T. Barrett back to lead the offense and middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan returning to anchor the defense. But both units are undergoing a huge makeover this offseason as head coach Urban Meyer is working to identify eight new starters on each side of the ball.
Here's a detailed look at each position as Ohio State heads into summer camp and starts preparation for fall camp.
Quarterback
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With J.T. Barrett back in the saddle, Ohio State is set at quarterback.
The Buckeyes don't have the historic depth that they had last year, of course. The departures of Cardale Jones and Braxton Miller, the two other signal-callers involved in one of college football's most watched position battles last offseason, have left the Buckeyes short on experience behind Barrett.
There's Joe Burrow, the redshirt freshman who looked like a budding star in the spring game when he completed 14 of 23 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Behind Burrow will be true freshman Dwayne Haskins, who will be thrust into the third-string role thanks to Stephen Collier's ACL injury.
That lack of experience puts pressure on Barrett to not only perform, but to stay healthy during the 2016 campaign. But during the Buckeyes' pivotal spring camp, he looked sharp, focused and ready to lead the team this fall.
“The biggest thing right now is just getting him to play fast, getting him to play consistent, kind of how he did toward the end of the year and in 2014," co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck said, according to Austin Ward of ESPN.com. "I like what I see so far out of him.”
Running Back
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In the offseason leading up to the 2014 season, the Ohio State coaching staff and Buckeyes fans everywhere were wondering who would step up to replace running back Carlos Hyde, who had bulldozed his way to 2,491 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns from 2012-13.
That was when Ezekiel Elliott stepped up, and over the course of the last two years, he put together a historic stretch where he ran for 3,699 yards and 41 touchdowns.
However, with Elliott now a part of the Dallas Cowboys, the Buckeyes are searching for their next workhorse running back. And after a solid spring game, redshirt freshman Mike Weber looks primed to step into that role, running for 38 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries.
He's not the blazing back that Elliott was, but Meyer sees shades of Hyde in Weber. Meyer said of Weber, per Ari Wasserman of the Plain Dealer:
"I think he played really good. On purpose, we didn't pound people today. It was more of a throw offense, but the one drive I kept calling the plays, saying we're just going (get after it) and I wanted to see what he could do. And Carlos Hyde was there, so -- they were starting to compare him to Carlos Hyde.
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Weber doesn't have the starting spot locked up, though, as he'll have to hold off redshirt junior Bri'onte Dunn for the spot. But even if he does, Dunn should factor into a heavier rotation in the backfield.
Wide Receiver and Tight End
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After losing starters Michael Thomas, Braxton Miller and Jalin Marshall to the NFL, Ohio State's wide receiver unit will feature three new starters in the season opener against Bowling Green on Sept. 3.
But oddly enough, Buckeyes fans will see some familiar names on the perimeter.
That's due to the return of Noah Brown and Corey Smith, two players who were expected to factor heavily into Ohio State's passing attack last year. Those expectations were derailed when Brown broke his leg in fall camp, then the same happened to Smith in Week 5 against Indiana.
Both are working their way back into full swing, along with H-back Curtis Samuel, who was sidelined during spring camp as he recovered from foot surgery. At the same position, Dontre Wilson will be making the most of his final season in Columbus, trying to live up to the hype and expectations that followed him from his days as a high 4-star recruit.
There's a ton of speed and unproven talent waiting in the wings with players such as Parris Campbell, James Clark, Johnnie Dixon and Torrance Gibson vying for spots in the rotation.
Two players to watch at wide receiver, though, are the pair of elite freshman from Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class. Austin Mack, who graduated high school early to participate in spring camp, showed that he's ready to play right out of the gate. Joining him this summer will be Binjimen Victor, a similarly talented and lengthy athlete who could make an impact immediately.
At tight end, Marcus Baugh is ready to step in and fill the void left by Nick Vannett, who was taken in the third round of the NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Baugh is more of a pass-catching tight end that Ohio State's offense has lacked under Meyer, and co-offensive coordinator Ed Warriner has big plans to get him heavily involved this fall.
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Offensive Line
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Since Meyer's arrival in 2012, Ohio State's teams have been built around the offensive line.
It started in Meyer's first year, when a unit led by left tackle Jack Mewhort paved the way to an undefeated season. The Buckeyes' rushing attack ranked 10th that year, averaging an incredible 242 rushing yards per game despite a limited passing attack to balance the offense.
A year later, four returning starters up front were even better, and Ohio State ranked fifth nationally with 308 rushing yards per game. There was expected to be a dropoff in 2014, when those four returning starters needed to be replaced, but the Buckeyes reloaded under former offensive line coach Ed Warinner. The offensive line struggled early but surged late before eventually leading the way to a national championship.
Meyer has a similar rebuild on his hands this year with the departures of left tackle Taylor Decker, center Jacoby Boren and right tackle Chase Farris.
Pat Elflein is moving from right guard to center, and Billy Price is switching to right guard to anchor the middle. Jamarco Jones has secured the left tackle position, Isaiah Prince is the front-runner for the right tackle spot and, surprisingly, true freshman Michael Jordan has made a run for the right guard position.
Defensive Line
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Ohio State's defensive line is one of the more depleted units on the team after losing superstar defensive end Joey Bosa and defensive tackle Adolphus Washington to the NFL and defensive tackle Tommy Schutt to graduation.
The Buckeyes do return weak-side defensive end Tyquan Lewis, who led the team with eight sacks last year while Bosa got most of the attention on the other side of the line. Tracy Sprinkle and Michael Hill, who played reserve roles last year, will anchor the interior at defensive tackle, and there's depth behind them with spring game standouts such as Jashon Cornell, Dre'Mont Jones, Robert Landers and Davon Hamilton in the fold.
But the key to the unit will be replacing Bosa's production and impact, something that will fall largely on the shoulders of Sam Hubbard.
Hubbard backed Bosa up last year and played heavily in the rotation. He shined in that role, ranking second on the team with 6.5 sacks. He's now expected to bring that tenacity in a featured role and is hoping to pave his own path in Columbus.
“I don’t want to be Joey Bosa," Hubbard said, according to Austin Ward of ESPN.com. "He’s a great player, but I’ve got to be the best Sam Hubbard.”
Backing up Hubbard this fall? That could be another Bosa—Joey's younger brother Nick, a 5-star prospect and the crown jewel of Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class.
Linebacker
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By the end of the season, Raekwon McMillan could be the best middle linebacker in the country and a surefire top-10 pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
The 6'2", 240-pound bulldog was the main cog of a dominant defense last year, leading the unit with 119 total tackles to complement four tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. But as good as he was last year, the Buckeyes will need him to be even better after losing Darron Lee and Joshua Perry.
Stepping up for Lee in Ohio State's hybrid linebacker/safety position will be Chris Worley, who earned the respect of last year's starter as a reserve.
"There's really not much of a drop off if I were to go down and Chris Worley were to come in," Lee said last November, per Ari Wasserman of the Plain Dealer. Really, not any type of drop off. Chris Worley is really good. I have no doubt in my mind that if he were to go into a game he's going to make as many plays."
On the other side, Dante Booker looks primed to step in for Perry, and he's hoping to bring more athleticism and speed to the position. At least that's how McMillan sees it going down.
"Dante’s a good athlete, man," McMillan said this spring, according to Tony Gerdeman of The Ozone. "When he gets on the field, he does some stuff that you all haven’t even seen yet in practice. It’s amazing. One of the fastest guys on defense regardless of position. He just brings that pop."
Secondary
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Like the defensive line, Ohio State's secondary is in need of three new starters with the early defections of cornerback Eli Apple and safeties Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell.
That leaves cornerback Gareon Conley to lead the back end of the defense, and he's ready to step into that role after a breakout sophomore campaign. He was so good, in fact, that the defensive staff openly talked about his potential to leave early for a first-round selection in next year's NFL draft.
"He’s a very talented guy who’s played a lot of plays around here," co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said this spring, according to Eric Seger of Eleven Warriors. "I actually hope we fast-forward two years for that, but the reality of college football these days is that if they’re good enough they’re going to go. He’s got a chance for sure."
He'll need to be that good, because there will be a lot of inexperience on the field with him this season.
Malik Hooker all but secured one of the safety spots this spring, and he put his playmaking ability on display in the spring game when he returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown. The other safety spot will be won in a position battle between Damon Webb, Cam Burrows and Erick Smith this fall.
The intrigue rests with the other cornerback spot opposite Conley. Marshon Lattimore has been hindered by nagging injuries his entire career, but when he's healthy, he has superstar potential. But if he can't go 100 percent this fall, Denzel Ward, who's reportedly the fastest player on the team, could steal the spot away.
All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.
David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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