Ohio State’s safety room is a study in contrast right now-top-end talent that screams championship potential, paired with a depth chart that still feels like it’s walking a tightrope.
Let’s start at the top, where the Buckeyes are in good hands. Jaylen McClain returns after a standout 2025 campaign and is poised to step into a leadership role on the back end.
He’s got the range, instincts, and experience to be one of the faces of this defense. Alongside him, Duke transfer Terry Moore brings serious credentials.
He was an All-ACC safety in 2024, and while he missed last season, Ohio State clearly believes they’re getting a bounce-back star-not just a recognizable name. If Moore returns to form, the Buckeyes may have landed one of the portal’s biggest steals.
Then there’s Earl Little Jr., the Florida State transfer who’s expected to slide into the nickel role. Technically he’s not one of the two deep safeties, but make no mistake-he’s going to play starter-level snaps. His versatility and experience give the Buckeyes another veteran chess piece in the secondary, and in today’s game, having a reliable nickel is just as crucial as having a lockdown corner.
But here’s where things get tricky: depth.
The moment you move past those top three names, the questions start piling up. Leroy Roker is the next man up, and that’s not nothing.
He saw the field in 2025-including in the College Football Playoff against Miami-and logged eight tackles and a pass breakup. That’s not eye-popping production, but it’s a sign the staff already trusts him in meaningful situations.
Still, there’s a massive difference between being a rotational player and being asked to play 30 or 40 snaps in a high-stakes game. At safety, where one misstep can turn into six points for the other team, that leap is a big one.
Beyond Roker, it’s all projection. Deshawn Stewart is in the mix, and the Buckeyes are bringing in talented freshmen like Blaine Bradford and Simeon Caldwell.
Both have the kind of raw ability that turns heads in camp, and either could push their way into the two-deep if things click early. But leaning on true freshmen at safety is always a gamble.
The physical tools might be there, but the mental side of the position-reading offenses, communicating coverages, staying disciplined-usually takes time to develop.
That’s why losing Faheem Delane in the portal stings. He wasn’t just another body-he was a potential plug-and-play safety net.
The kind of athlete who could’ve bridged the gap between proven production and developing talent. Without him, the margin for error shrinks.
So here’s the reality: Ohio State’s starters are good enough to anchor a national title-caliber defense. But the depth behind them?
It’s thin enough that one injury could change the entire complexion of the secondary. If the Buckeyes stay healthy and one of the young guys takes a leap by midseason, this unit might be a strength again.
But if that development doesn’t come-or if injuries hit early-Ohio State could find itself leaning on inexperience at one of the most unforgiving positions on the field.
The ceiling is high. The floor? That’s what the spring and summer will be all about finding out.