Ohio State keeps finding ways to reload, and the 2026 defense looks like the latest example.
Even after another round of elite talent heading to the NFL, Ryan Day’s program is still sitting near the top of the national picture for next season. The Buckeyes have done enough on defense to keep the buzz going, and now a fresh group of names is starting to push toward bigger roles in Columbus.
One of the most intriguing is true freshman linebacker Jaeden Johnson. Around the program, people are already calling him “Baby Arvell” because of the resemblance to Arvell Reese, from the similar build to the fact that both came out of Glenville High.
The connection runs deeper than that, too, with Johnson saying Reese is his best friend and mentor. Ohio State is expected to lean on Payton Pierce and Riley Pettijohn as starters, while transfer Christian Alliegro gives the linebacker room another rotating option.
Still, Johnson should get a real shot to crack the lineup, especially with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia showing last season how a hybrid role can unlock a linebacker like Reese.
Pierce, meanwhile, is the one who looks ready to step into a much bigger spotlight. Sonny Styles didn’t hold back when asked about him at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.
“He’s a guy that’s very smart, very physical,” described Styles when asked about the next great linebacker at Ohio State during the NFL Scouting Combine, back in February. ”He showed his physicality from the jump, as soon as he got here as a freshman.
He’s very comfortable in terms of, like in the box, whether it be counter, anything like that, ‘cause he was so used to it coming out of Texas. Like a lot of guys come into college and they’ve never seen counter-OY or counter-OT, things like that.
He was used to that. He showed up early and I think he’s gotten more comfortable and he’s gonna take a huge step this year.”
That kind of praise lines up with what Pierce already showed last season. As a sophomore, he played in 14 games and started three, finishing with 43 stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. With Styles and Reese gone from the picture, Pierce is set to take on a lead role.
Ohio State’s secondary has its own new faces worth tracking. Incoming transfer Aaron Little is expected to take over the nickel spot, a role mostly handled by cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. last season.
On paper, the Buckeyes look loaded at safety, with Jaylen McClain and transfer Terry Moore projected as the starters deep. Little should work closer to the line of scrimmage in the slot, but his versatility gives him a chance to make plays all over the field.
The Buckeyes also added another transfer who could matter right away up front. Smith is projected to work at nose tackle as part of an interior rotation that includes Eddrick Houston and Will Smith Jr.
After three years at Alabama, his experience should help fill the void left by Ty Hamilton and Kayden McDonald in back-to-back years. Smith is now listed at 315 pounds, and he told Buckeye Huddle in March that he’s moving toward the nose spot while also learning the 3-technique.
“I’m playing nose here too,” he said. “Yeah, we’re moving towards that. I’m learning the 3-technique, but I’m trying to go play nose too.”
Another freshman who could force his way onto the field is five-star cornerback Devin Timmons. Like Johnson, he’ll have to earn his snaps, but the talent is obvious.
Ohio State is projected to start Devin Sanchez and Jermaine Mathews Jr., with Little in the slot, yet Timmons should still have opportunities because rotation at corner is part of the deal. The son of former Pro Bowl linebacker Lawrence Timmons, he’s described as lightning fast, and that kind of speed tends to find its way onto the field sooner rather than later.
In Other News...
Ohio State Is Suddenly Building Something Big In The 2028 Class
Ohio States 2028 recruiting board is starting to take on a familiar shape, and it begins with wide receiver Jett Harrison already in the fold. The Buckeyes have not stopped there, either, as they continue to work on other highly regarded pass-catchers, including Carson LaCombe, who earned an offer after his visit to campus.
The bigger picture is just as intriguing because the staff is also pressing ahead on quarterback Christopher Vargas, another top 2028 name who has already been to Columbus. With Harrison committed and more elite skill talent still on the radar, Ohio State is laying early groundwork for a class that could become something substantial if the momentum keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One Lingering Problem That Could Derail 2026
Ohio States special teams has been a lingering concern for a while now, and the numbers have not exactly offered much comfort. Even during the Buckeyes national championship run in 2024, the unit ranked around 82nd in efficiency, then slipped again in 2025, leaving a part of the roster that should provide hidden value instead feeling like a weekly source of unease.
The problems have shown up in the most avoidable ways, from missed field goals to shaky punt-return work and too many self-inflicted errors. With a demanding 2026 schedule looming, Ohio State does not need special teams to be flashy, just steady, clean and dependable enough to stop handing away field position and momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A New QB Pipeline Question
Ohio States quarterback room has hardly ever been the issue under Ryan Day, but the recruiting pipeline is suddenly worth watching again. Brady Edmunds remains committed to the Buckeyes 2027 class for now, yet there is real movement around his future, and that has put a little extra pressure on Ohio State to keep the position stocked the way it usually does.
Day is already working on the next wave, and Christopher Vargas has emerged as the name to know in the 2028 class. The five-star has visited Columbus multiple times and seems to have a strong feel for the program, which is why Ohio State is in a promising spot, even if nothing is locked in yet. For a staff that likes to stay ahead of the curve at quarterback, this is one of those recruitments that could shape the depth chart well beyond the current era. [Read more 🡒]