Quarterback
All signs point to Julian Sayin being the signal caller for Ohio State in 2025. Like so many other highly ranked teams, the Buckeyes will be led by an inexperienced quarterback. Sayin has attempted 12 passes through his 1-year career with the Buckeyes.
Sayin has a prestigious reputation, as he was the #1 QB in the 247 Composite rankings for the 2024 class. Sayin is known as an accurate passer who rarely throws a bad ball. He threw just 10 interceptions in his 724 pass attempts in high school.
Sayin’s first starting snaps will come against the Texas Longhorns, who will undoubtedly possess one of the nation’s best defenses. Additionally, Sayin will face Penn State and Michigan, both of whom are expected to field great defenses.
The former Gatorade California Player of the Year will have the weight of one of the nation’s top programs on his shoulders as he makes his first impression.
Offensive Line
Ohio State is replacing three starters on the offensive line, along with replacing the original starting left tackle, Josh Simmons. The Buckeyes return starting experience in projected starting center Carson Hinzman and projected starting right guard Tegra Tshabola.
The projected starter at left tackle is Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa. Onianwa heads to the Buckeyes after allowing just one sack on 294 pass blocking snaps in 2024.
Projected starting right tackle Austin Siereveld has been a welcome surprise for Ohio State. After being redshirted in 2023 and not receiving playing time in 2024, Siereveld has risen into a potential starter in 2025. Projected starting left guard Luke Montgomery is another player who has limited playing time in his first two seasons with the program.
Ohio State being reliant on a Rice transfer at left tackle should not worry the fanbase too much, as the program recently turned San Diego State transfer Josh Simmons into a 1st round draft pick.
Defensive Line
Ohio State loses all four starters from last year’s defensive front. Jack Sawyer, TJ Tuimoloau, Ty Hamilton, and Tyleik Williams all departed for the NFL in the offseason. These four players have been significant contributors for the Buckeyes for multiple seasons.
Tuimoloau and Sawyer produced 21.5 sacks in 2024, while Hamilton and Williams produced 6 sacks from their IDL positions. The front four talent at Ohio State will be tested for the first time in a couple of years.
A popular recruiting note is that Ohio State has recruited only 1 5-star defensive lineman or edge player since the 2021 recruiting class. That class included Tuimoloau and Sawyer.
Ohio State has filled one edge rusher position with North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson, who totaled 7.5 sacks last season for the Tar Heels. Ohio State’s other projected starters, Kenyatta Jackson Jr, Kayden McDonald, and Eddrick Houston, have little experience. This group of players has surely learned valuable knowledge while sitting behind an NFL-filled defensive front in recent years.
Running Back
TreVeyon Henderson has headlined the Buckeye backfield for 4 seasons. He’s totaled 590 carries, 3,761 yards, 6.4 yards per carry, and 42 TDs on the ground. He’s also caught for 853 yards and 6 TDs.
In 2024, he co-starred with Quinshon Judkins, who totaled 1,060 yards and 14 TDs on 5.5 yards per carry. Needless to say, it has been a while since Ohio State had questions at running back.
For 2025, Ohio State has brought in West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson. However, Donaldson has produced only 4.6 yards per carry over the last two seasons. Donaldson will not man the backfield alone, as sophomore James Peoples will receive carries as well. However, Peoples averaged just 4 yards per carry on his 49 carries in 2024.
After featuring two of the country’s top RBs last season, Ohio State will need to be patient while this new running game finds its groove.
