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2023 tOSU Defense

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ScriptOhio

ScriptOhio

Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.


However, that wasn't the only line of questioning Harrison received on Wednesday. He was also asked about the future of Ohio State's defensive line and what it will look like under the leadership of players like JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and others. Harrison offered nothing but praise for his former teammates.

"I feel like those guys are gonna be really dominant," Harrison said. "One of the best (defensive lines) in the country, leading the nation in sacks, TFLs and all of that. Everybody in that room is a great ball player and all of them have potential through the roof. I know that they want it. They want it bad. I'm excited to see what my guys do next year."

Harrison expects Tuimoloau, Sawyer and known commodities like Mike Hall Jr., Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton to be the leaders of the position room in 2023. Still, Harrison believes another player could break into that category as the Buckeyes dive into the regular season next fall.

"You've seen all the JTs and the Jacks play, but one guy I am excited about is Caden Curry. He's a freshman. He's gonna be a really good player. Just the way he moves, and his motor never stops. I'm excited to see what he does. Really just everybody, but he's a guy that stands out to me as a really good player."

Harrison also sees tremendous potential in two of Curry's classmates, Omari Abor and Kenyatta Jackson. He said both possess the athleticism necessary to become a frequent disruption in opposing backfields in the future. The key for Abor and Jackson to unlock that potential will be to continue to build strength in the weight room and perfect their technique under defensive line coach Larry Johnson's tutelage.

"Omari is still figuring it out," Harrison said. "You can see flashes when you say, 'Wow, it's in there.' He's gonna pull it out. He's gotta get in the weight room and get a little bigger, but I am excited to see what Omari does. He's gonna be a really good player for the Buckeyes in the future. And he's a young guy, so it's OK for him to be in that position where he is still figuring it out.

"Same with KJ. He is gonna be one of those players where it's the next step. Some of the things he does he doesn't even realize are special because he's just playing football. I'm like, 'KJ, not everybody can do what you just did,' but he doesn't even realize that. So I'm excited to see those guys get bigger, stronger and faster, and for them to get more comfortable in their body, technique and play speed."

Currently Our Lads is predicting that the 2023 DL depth chart will be:

2024 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.
www.ourlads.com www.ourlads.com

DE 44 Tuimoloau, JT RS SO 97 Jackson, Kenyatta RS FR 23 Abor, Omari RS FR
NT 58 Hamilton, Ty RS JR 51 Hall Jr., Michael RS SO
DT 91 Williams, Tyleik RS SO 93 Kanu, Hero RS FR
JACK 33 Sawyer, Jack RS SO 92 Curry, Caden SO
 
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I just wish they would use the Jack position as a package and not the base defense. Much rather see Sawyer as a traditional DE and then sub in a guy like Hicks, Melton or Powers at Jack.
 
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ScriptOhio said:


However, that wasn't the only line of questioning Harrison received on Wednesday. He was also asked about the future of Ohio State's defensive line and what it will look like under the leadership of players like JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and others. Harrison offered nothing but praise for his former teammates.

"I feel like those guys are gonna be really dominant," Harrison said. "One of the best (defensive lines) in the country, leading the nation in sacks, TFLs and all of that. Everybody in that room is a great ball player and all of them have potential through the roof. I know that they want it. They want it bad. I'm excited to see what my guys do next year."

Harrison expects Tuimoloau, Sawyer and known commodities like Mike Hall Jr., Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton to be the leaders of the position room in 2023. Still, Harrison believes another player could break into that category as the Buckeyes dive into the regular season next fall.

"You've seen all the JTs and the Jacks play, but one guy I am excited about is Caden Curry. He's a freshman. He's gonna be a really good player. Just the way he moves, and his motor never stops. I'm excited to see what he does. Really just everybody, but he's a guy that stands out to me as a really good player."

Harrison also sees tremendous potential in two of Curry's classmates, Omari Abor and Kenyatta Jackson. He said both possess the athleticism necessary to become a frequent disruption in opposing backfields in the future. The key for Abor and Jackson to unlock that potential will be to continue to build strength in the weight room and perfect their technique under defensive line coach Larry Johnson's tutelage.

"Omari is still figuring it out," Harrison said. "You can see flashes when you say, 'Wow, it's in there.' He's gonna pull it out. He's gotta get in the weight room and get a little bigger, but I am excited to see what Omari does. He's gonna be a really good player for the Buckeyes in the future. And he's a young guy, so it's OK for him to be in that position where he is still figuring it out.

"Same with KJ. He is gonna be one of those players where it's the next step. Some of the things he does he doesn't even realize are special because he's just playing football. I'm like, 'KJ, not everybody can do what you just did,' but he doesn't even realize that. So I'm excited to see those guys get bigger, stronger and faster, and for them to get more comfortable in their body, technique and play speed."

Currently Our Lads is predicting that the 2023 DL depth chart will be:

2024 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.
www.ourlads.com www.ourlads.com

DE 44 Tuimoloau, JT RS SO 97 Jackson, Kenyatta RS FR 23 Abor, Omari RS FR
NT 58 Hamilton, Ty RS JR 51 Hall Jr., Michael RS SO
DT 91 Williams, Tyleik RS SO 93 Kanu, Hero RS FR
JACK 33 Sawyer, Jack RS SO 92 Curry, Caden SO
Click to expand...

Mike Hall is not going to be a backup lol...

Have to think starting 4 is 44, 51, 91 and 33.
 
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Captain Buckeye said:
Mike Hall is not going to be a backup lol...

Have to think starting 4 is 44, 51, 91 and 33.
Click to expand...
Thats what we thought this year but the rotation went cuckoo on us.

Curry should get some serious stats while giving JackSaw and JT a breather which is at least as good as last year or better with the edge being set hard. We just didnt get the push we wanted up the middle most of the time this year with Hall and Williams limited. Get that sorted, All Americans at LB and the front 7 will make the back end look great at times this upcoming season. Otherwise the serious improvement has to come from the back while we lament the front. Dont want that
 
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As for returning starter Denzel Burke, Brown expects the Buckeyes’ third-year cornerback to raise his game in 2023 after his performance fell short of expectations in 2022.

“I’ve talked to a lot of coaches at Ohio State, and he has a different mindset coming into this year,” Brown said of Burke. “He’s young, and he was put into the fire. He’s young, he had a great season (as a freshman) and everything came right away, he had to just take off with it. But he's gonna be a great player. His potential’s off the charts. And I think that he's finally realized that he can do what he can do.”

At safety, Ronnie Hickman identified Lathan Ransom and Josh Proctor as the players he expects to lead the way in the secondary along with Burke. Like Brown, Hickman believes others around them will also step up on the back end of the defense, while he thinks they’ll get plenty of help from the defensive front, which returns plenty of experienced players including defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, defensive tackles Mike Hall, Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams and linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers.

“Those guys are gonna be ready. Those guys are gonna be prepared,” Hickman said. “Lathan Ransom, you got Josh Proc, you got Denzel, you got young guys coming up. The front seven’s gonna be off the charts. Those guys are hungry, they're highly motivated. And I'm excited to see them play. You guys should be too.”

While Ransom was already one of Ohio State’s top safeties last season, Proctor spent most of the season on the bench after losing his starting job to Ransom following the first game of the season. But Hickman is confident Proctor will bounce back in a big way.

“He's gonna be a guy who’s coming downhill, ready to hit. He's going to be another leader in that back end that guys are gonna look up to,” Hickman said. “And Josh is a playmaker. He's gonna make plays when it comes down to it. Probably one of the most athletically gifted guys I've been around, especially in that safety room. So I'm super excited for him. Praying he stays healthy and everything goes well, God willing. But he has a bright future this year.”

That said, Proctor will also face plenty of competition for a starting safety spot, with rising sophomores Sonny Styles and Kye Stokes being two of the leading candidates to push for a job. While Hickman indicated he views Proctor as a likely starter alongside Ransom, he expects big things from Styles and Stokes over the course of their Ohio State careers, too.

“Sonny and Kye are just two guys that are off the charts athletically,” Hickman said. “I mean, you’ve seen Sonny. And I think Kye is gonna be a big eye-opener as well. Those guys are willing to do whatever it takes to win. They've listened, they take the coaching well. So I'm super excited for those guys that have a really bright future.”

Asked what he thinks Stokes and Styles’ roles could be in Ohio State’s defense in the future, Hickman said “both of those guys can do it all.”

“I mean obviously, Sonny’s got a bigger kind of build. So he can drop down in that box a little bit more. Kye’s a little bit faster, more rangy kind of guy. But they’re interchangeable,” Hickman said. “So I'm super excited for those guys.”
 
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Bestbuck36 said:
Thats what we thought this year but the rotation went cuckoo on us.

Curry should get some serious stats while giving JackSaw and JT a breather which is at least as good as last year or better with the edge being set hard. We just didnt get the push we wanted up the middle most of the time this year with Hall and Williams limited. Get that sorted, All Americans at LB and the front 7 will make the back end look great at times this upcoming season. Otherwise the serious improvement has to come from the back while we lament the front. Dont want that
Click to expand...
It’d be a massive waste of talent if LJsr can’t find time for not only Curry, but Abor and Jackson! And that freaking rotation needs to be settled if OSU is going to get over the hump for another NC
 
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Captain Buckeye said:
Depends what they'd do with him.

Sonny has the build to naturally get to 245 pounds if he wants. It'll be hard for him to just maintain 220.

I think he would be great in those spots where they can rush him or drop him.
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IMO, as long as he can keep his speed and coverage skills, he can stay at S or be a hybrid depending on how creative Knowles wants to get. I could see Styles being more like a Sean Taylor at S, or be a guy who plays S, but moves up at times to fill the role Hickman did this past season and play like Isiaih Simmons did at Clemson, or Kyzir White who's with the Philadelphia Eagles
 
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Sonny is a great player and freak of an athlete...we need to find ways to get him on the field and if we don't, that is on the staff. Not an indictment of last year at all, kid was too young to play big minutes and was developing. But next year is the year to have Sonny become a big player (along with Curry, Abor, Hicks and our transfer portal DBs).
 
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RB07OSU said:
Sonny is a great player and freak of an athlete...we need to find ways to get him on the field and if we don't, that is on the staff. Not an indictment of last year at all, kid was too young to play big minutes and was developing. But next year is the year to have Sonny become a big player (along with Curry, Abor, Hicks and our transfer portal DBs).
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Agreed... this defense needs stars.

That's why Styles and Hicks have got to have major roles this year.
 
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Captain Buckeye said:
Agreed... this defense needs stars.

That's why Styles and Hicks have got to have major roles this year.
Click to expand...
Agree with those 2. But like @RB07OSU said, we also NEED those 2nd year DEs to step up this year! My worry now even more than the players at this point though, is the butting heads of Knowles and LJsr about the DL and its rotation. And also who will be playing the Jack position. Will Knowles insist on Sawyer, or will he let a LB have a shot?
 
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