From a fourth-year transfer forcing his way into the WR2 conversation to a true freshman five-star reshuffling the entire secondary, these are the five Buckeyes who’ve separated themselves through the first week of practice.
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The top five risers from Ohio State’s first week of fall camp
From a fourth-year transfer forcing his way into the WR2 conversation to a true freshman five-star reshuffling the entire secondary, these are the five Buckeyes who’ve separated themselves through the first week of practice.
1. Devin McCuin, WR
No transfer on Ohio State’s roster has been more impossible to miss through the first week of camp than Devin McCuin.
2. Jay Timmons, CB/Nickel
Ohio State fans should already know this name, and if they don’t, they will soon.
3. Eddrick Houston, DT
Houston isn’t a new name, but what he’s shown through the first week of camp has elevated him from promising rotational piece to unquestioned building block on the interior defensive line.
4. Isaiah West, RB
The biggest surprise of the running back room is not a transfer or a freshman. It is a sophomore who was expected to be a complementary piece behind Bo Jackson. Instead, Isaiah West has been working with the first-team offense to open fall camp, and the reports out of Columbus have been glowing.
5. Kenyatta Jackson Jr., DE
If the first four names on this list are about players climbing the depth chart, Jackson’s rise has been about a proven veteran raising the ceiling on what an entire defense can be.
The big picture
What ties these five risers together is more interesting than any individual storyline itself. Ohio State’s biggest camp surprises are coming from almost every corner of the roster. A fourth-year transfer, a true freshman five-star, a returning role player, a former four-star finally healthy, and a veteran leader raising his game.
That’s exactly what a program replacing 10 starters needs to see in August. None of these players have locked anything down permanently. Real competition still lies ahead, with padded practices, scrimmages, and eventually live snaps against Ball State and Texas separating hot starts from real breakthroughs.
But if the first week is any indication, Ohio State’s margin for error on a rebuilt roster is bigger than the raw number of departed starters might suggest.
The next man up isn’t just capable. In several cases, he may be much better than expected.
