Ohio State has turned to a seven-man leadership group for the 2026 season, and the Buckeyes’ captain list comes with plenty of familiar firepower.
The program announced Saturday that its captains will be Kenyatta Jackson, Austin Siereveld, Brandon Inniss, Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, Jaylen McClain and Payton Pierce.
“Being voted a captain is one of the greatest honors in this program because it comes directly from your teammates,” coach Ryan Day said in a news release. “This group represents our team well, with leaders from different position groups, backgrounds, and experiences. All seven are returning players, including two captains from last year, and they understand our standard and what it means to carry our culture forward.”
Siereveld and Inniss are the only repeat captains from last season, giving Ohio State two players who have already worn that label once before. The other five are first-time selections.
The headliners are hard to miss. Sayin, entering his third season with the Buckeyes and second as Day’s starting quarterback, is the only returning Heisman Trophy finalist from the 2025 season.
Smith, meanwhile, arrives at captaincy status with the kind of profile that has made him one of the sport’s biggest names. The junior wideout came in as a five-star member of the 2024 recruiting class, then posted 1,315 receiving yards as a freshman and 1,243 more as a sophomore.
McClain’s selection points to an expanded spotlight in the secondary. He stepped into a starting role last season and is expected to take on a bigger voice this year, especially with Caleb Downs now in the NFL. Pierce is also in line for a larger role after spending last season as the third linebacker behind Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, both first-round picks, and he’s expected to start this season.
Jackson’s rise has been steady, too. After backing up J.T.
Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer early in his career, he moved into a starting job last season and finished with 6.5 sacks. He also said he had to leave his comfort zone to become more of a leader for Ohio State.
This is the seventh time Ohio State has named seven captains for a season, and the first since 2020. The announcement came after the Buckeyes’ second preseason camp scrimmage, with the opener set for Sept. 5 against Ball State.
In Other News...
Former Michigan Star Just Fed Ohio State Fans A Matt Patricia Debate
Jake Butts stop at Ohio State practice offered Buckeyes fans a little extra perspective from an unlikely source. The former Michigan tight end, now a Big Ten Network analyst, came away impressed enough to say the 2026 Ohio State team still has the kind of talent to stay among the nations best, even with several key players gone to the draft and a defense that has to reload in a few spots.
The part that will get debated in Columbus is Butts read on Matt Patricia, because he tied the Buckeyes continued defensive success to the coordinators impact. For a program that measures everything against championship standards, that kind of praise from a former rival is one more sign that the expectation level remains high even as Ohio State turns the page to a new group. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States No. 2 Receiver Battle Has A New Name To Watch
The race to become Ohio States second receiving option behind Jeremiah Smith has a new face in the mix, and Devin McCuin is making enough noise in fall camp to force his way into the conversation. The UTSA transfer has brought experience and polished route-running to a group that is still sorting itself out, and those traits have helped him stand out as the Buckeyes look for a reliable complement to their primary target.
McCuins camp momentum has given him a leg up on some of the younger receivers trying to climb the depth chart, even if nothing is settled yet. With playing time still up for grabs, his fit in the offense is worth watching because Ohio State could use a steady presence opposite Smith, especially if McCuin keeps showing the kind of consistency that has gotten him noticed so far. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States New Offense Could Make Julian Sayin Even Tougher To Stop
Ohio State is heading into the new season with a different kind of edge on offense, as Arthur Smith reportedly leans into a more controlled approach that could change the way the Buckeyes operate. The core up front remains largely intact, and with much of the offensive line and tight end depth back in place, there is a sense that the unit is being built to be steadier, cleaner and harder to disrupt from snap to snap.
Julian Sayin has already been part of the conversation around that shift, with the quarterback noting the offenses maturity as it takes shape. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. has seen the adjustments from the other side of the ball, and the early signs suggest Ohio State is trying to pair that stability with more efficiency. If the structure holds, Sayin may be asked to do less to make the offense dangerous, which is often when a quarterback becomes the toughest to stop. [Read more 🡒]