Ohio State’s latest freshman class is already getting national attention before any of the newcomers play a snap.
On Wednesday, the Maxwell Football Club unveiled its 37-player preseason watch list for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, and the Buckeyes landed three names on it: wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., linebacker Cincere Johnson and cornerback Jay Timmons.
That kind of showing fits the way Ohio State has recruited under its current run. The Buckeyes signed a 2026 class ranked No. 3 nationally, a group built around two five-star prospects and 13 players ranked in the Top247.
At this stage, though, the numbers on the recruiting sites are only part of the story. Once these players arrive in Columbus, production is what matters.
Henry is the headliner. The former five-star receiver, who starred at Mater Dei High School after beginning his prep career in Ohio, came in as the No. 2 receiver and No. 24 overall player in the 2026 class. At 6-foot-5, he brings the kind of size and catch radius that make him a nightmare for defenders, and his profile only grows because he’s the son of the late former NFL wide receiver Chris Henry Sr.
Johnson gives Ohio State another elite defensive piece to watch. The Cleveland Glenville product, long a familiar pipeline to the Buckeyes, was rated the No. 2 linebacker and No. 25 overall recruit in the cycle.
A USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year and a multi-time All-Ohio selection, Johnson arrived with a reputation for relentless effort and forceful play. His high school numbers back that up, too: more than 300 tackles and double-digit sacks.
Even with that résumé, he still has a crowded path to early playing time.
Timmons has already made an impression in Columbus. The Pine-Richland High School product in Pennsylvania is a four-star corner and the No. 5 player at his position, along with being ranked No. 47 overall.
He also carries NFL bloodlines as the son of former linebacker Lawrence Timmons. During fall camp, he became the first Ohio State freshman to shed his black stripe, a clear sign that the staff believes he’s ready to help.
The expectation is that he’ll factor in at nickel.
The award race moves quickly from here. Semifinalists will be announced Nov. 4, finalists on Dec. 2, and the winner on Dec.
- The award presentation is set for the Maxwell Awards Gala in Atlanta, Ga., on March 13, 2027.
Ohio State already has one recent winner in the mix: quarterback Julian Sayin became the first Scarlet and Gray player to take home the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award last season. Now Henry, Johnson and Timmons get their turn to chase that same path in 2026.
In Other News...
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey Is Starting To Look Worth The Hype
Legend Bey is already getting the kind of early buzz that follows a recruit with real upside, and the freshmans place in Ohio States 2026 class has only grown more noteworthy with the black stripe now off his helmet. Even with missed practice time because of injury and a suspension along the way, he has managed to stay part of the conversation around the Buckeyes young talent, which says plenty about how the staff views him.
Ryan Day has described Bey as a dynamic player with significant potential, and that fits the path that brought him to Columbus in the first place. His recruitment went through a twisty stretch before he signed with Ohio State, including a flip from Tennessee after he was released from his original commitment, so the Buckeyes knew they were getting a player whose story was already a little different. Now the only real question is how quickly that promise turns into a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey Is Pushing For A Real Fall Role
Legend Beys first months at Ohio State have already had a little bit of everything, from a winding recruitment that included commitments to Tennessee and the Buckeyes to an early offseason that kept him out of some spring practices. The true freshman running back is back on the field now, and the staffs interest in him has not faded. Even with two established backs ahead of him on the depth chart, Ohio State still sees room for Bey because of the way he can fit into multiple parts of the offense.
What makes Bey worth watching this fall is less about where he sits today and more about how the Buckeyes might use him if they want to get him touches. The coaching staff has looked at him as a player who could be deployed creatively on offense and on special teams, which gives him a clearer path to early playing time than a typical freshman buried on the depth chart. His return to practice has put him back in position to keep pushing for that role, and Ohio State will have to decide how much of it it wants to carve out. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One More Captain Debate Fans Will Jump On
Ryan Day has already put the 2026 Ohio State captains in place, and the list comes with a little extra intrigue because it includes seven names, not the more familiar handful fans are used to sorting through. Austin Siereveld and Brandon Inniss are back on the honor roll for a second straight year, a sign that the coaching staff sees real continuity in the leadership group as the Buckeyes turn the page to another season.
Even so, the conversation around captains does not really end when the announcement is made. There is still room for debate about whether the room should be bigger, and players such as Luke Montgomery and Earl Little Jr. naturally invite that kind of discussion as Ohio State looks for the right mix of experience, voice and presence. The official list is set, but this is the sort of decision Buckeye fans will keep revisiting because leadership on a team this size always feels like more than a formality. [Read more 🡒]