Ohio State’s offensive line still has one spot that hasn’t settled down, and Josh Padilla is right in the middle of it.
The Buckeyes are trying to sort out who handles right guard, but the bigger picture is a little messier than simply plugging in one name and moving on. Ryan Day and offensive line coach Tyler Bowen are still chasing their best five, and Padilla has become one of the most intriguing pieces in that puzzle.
He might end up as the starter. He might also wind up as the lineman who never officially gets the nod but still plays starter-level snaps and ends up mattering just as much.
That’s what makes his camp role so important.
Padilla, a redshirt junior, opened preseason camp taking first-team reps at right guard, which puts him firmly in the competition instead of waiting on the side. Ohio State lost Tegra Tshabola from last season’s starting group, leaving a vacancy on the interior, and Padilla has the kind of profile that fits the opening. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 301 pounds, and the Buckeyes have spent years developing him into a player who can do more than one job.
That versatility has been part of the plan from the start. Padilla came to Columbus as a consensus four-star recruit from Huber Heights Wayne, ranked as the No. 6 player in Ohio and one of the nation’s top 10 interior offensive line prospects. Ohio State has also worked him at center, adding another layer to his value as the staff tries to keep its options open.
His playing time has grown steadily. Padilla did not see the field as a true freshman in 2023, then appeared in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2024 and logged 97 snaps. In 2025, he took another step forward, playing in 13 games, finishing with 175 snaps and making his first career start in the Cotton Bowl against Miami, where he played a career-high 45 snaps.
That’s not the résumé of a finished product, but it does show the program has trusted him more and more. He’s gone from developmental piece to legitimate option, and now he’s getting his biggest chance yet.
If Padilla wins the right guard job, Ohio State could line up with a group that brings experience across the board. Siereveld and Daniels would hold down the tackle spots, Carson Hinzman and Luke Montgomery would stay in the middle, and Padilla would give the Buckeyes another seasoned interior presence.
But the more fascinating outcome might be if he doesn’t start.
That wouldn’t automatically mean he lost out. It could still leave him in one of the most valuable spots on the roster: first lineman off the bench.
Offensive lines almost never stay intact for long. Injuries happen, performances fluctuate, and game plans force changes.
When that happens, having someone who can step in without forcing the whole unit to be rearranged is a major advantage.
Padilla fits that idea as well as anyone. If Ohio State settles on Moore, Montgomery, Hinzman, Siereveld and Daniels as its top five, Padilla could still play a huge role because of the way he can move around. His experience at center gives the Buckeyes another interior option, and the staff has already made cross training a priority as it looks to keep older linemen ready for different spots.
That kind of flexibility matters over a long season. It gives Ohio State a chance to replace one player without throwing everyone else into a scramble.
So the best-case scenario may not be one or the other. Padilla could win the job at right guard and give Ohio State a steady, experienced starter. Or he could miss out on the opening five and still be one of the most important players on the line because of how many places he can cover.
Either way, his value goes beyond a depth chart label. Ohio State may end up needing him as much for what he can do when he’s not starting as for what he can do if he is.
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