Ohio State is going with seven captains for the 2026 season, and the group is loaded with familiar names on both sides of the ball.
Brandon Inniss, Austin Siereveld, Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, Jaylen McClain, Payton Pierce and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. were all named captains for the year. It’s the seventh time in program history - and the first since 2020 - that the Buckeyes have had seven captains.
Inniss and Siereveld are repeat captains, giving Ohio State a pair of leaders who already know the standard. Inniss will also wear the Block O jersey.
"This is a significant day for our program. We have seven captains this year, the seventh time in Ohio State football history that we have had that many or more.
Being voted a captain is one of the greatest honors in this program because it comes directly from your teammates," Ryan Day said in a press 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. Our culture is built on Tough Love & Fight, and these men embody that every day."
For Inniss, the honor comes after a 2025 season he would have liked to impact more. Now entering his second year as a starting wide receiver, he’ll be looking to take a bigger step.
Siereveld started at left tackle last season, but he is expected to move to right guard after some projected shuffling along the offensive line.
Sayin’s inclusion fits the way this offseason has unfolded. Teammates and coaches have pointed to his growth as a leader, and having the quarterback set the tone never hurts.
Smith, meanwhile, has earned a leadership role in what will be his final season at Ohio State. Day said at Big Ten Media Days that Smith found his voice, and after being an Iron Buckeye every year since he was a freshman, he’s now one of the program’s biggest leaders in addition to being the best player in college football.
McClain returns as a starting safety from the 2025 team, but his role now stretches beyond playmaking. He’ll be asked to help replace the leadership Caleb Downs provided a year ago, too.
Pierce has been called the "man in the middle" of the linebacker room, and that steady presence has made him a natural fit for the captaincy. Being a captain was one of his goals this season, and he’s now checked that box as a first-year starter at middle linebacker.
Jackson is the lone returning starter on the defensive line from last season, and he joins McClain and Pierce as one of the defense’s key voices for 2026.
"Throughout the offseason, they helped bring this team, which includes 51 new players from a year ago, together, challenged their teammates, and built accountability across the roster," Day said. "Being a captain is about responsibility, and these seven understand what it means to wear the Scarlet and Gray and leave the jersey better than they found it.”
In Other News...
Ohio State May Have Found Jeremiah Smiths Most Dangerous New Running Mate
Ohio States passing game already has a centerpiece in Jeremiah Smith, but the preseason chatter around the Buckeyes is starting to turn toward who can force defenses to pay for loading up on him. Eleven Warriors ranking of the programs top 20 players for 2026 points to Devin McCuin as the likeliest No. 2 receiver, and the fit is obvious enough to get attention. The UTSA transfer brings proven production, having piled up 152 catches, 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns in three seasons, along with the speed and playmaking traits that can stretch a defense horizontally and vertically.
What has made McCuin stand out inside the program is not just the track record, but the way Ohio States coaches and teammates have talked about him since he arrived. Theyve praised his physicality, his football IQ and the kind of impact he can have on an offense that expects to keep the pressure on opposing secondaries. If McCuin does become the Buckeyes next dangerous running mate for Smith, it could give Ohio State the sort of receiver pairing that turns a good passing attack into a nightmare to defend. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Backfield Suddenly Looks Like A Real Strength Again
Ryan Day has made it clear throughout camp that Ohio States season will depend in part on getting steady production from the backfield, and the early signs have been encouraging. Bo Jackson has stood out with noticeable improvement, while Isaiah West and transfer JaKobi Jackson have added to the sense that this group is deeper and more competitive than it was a year ago.
For a team with big goals, that matters because the Buckeyes do not just need one runner to pop, they need a room that can carry real weight when the schedule tightens. The coaching staff and players have both pointed to the talent in the group as a key piece of what they are trying to build, and the challenge now is turning a promising camp into something that holds up once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Quarterback Problem Behind Julian Sayin
Julian Sayin has settled in as Ohio States starter for the upcoming season, but the depth chart behind him is still taking shape. Ryan Day said freshman Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair are continuing to battle for the backup job, and the competition has not been decided yet as the Buckeyes work through camp.
Fahey and St. Clair are both expected to get early-season snaps, giving the staff a clearer read on which young quarterback is ready if the need arises. For Ohio State, the bigger question may not be who wins the job today, but who can be trusted to step in behind Sayin when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]