DL Emanuel Ruffin (Official Thread)

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Better Know a Buckeye: Emanuel Ruffin Has Quickness, Explosiveness to Be Dynamic Run Stopper in Middle of Ohio State’s Defensive Line

Emanuel Ruffin has the quickness and explosiveness to develop into an excellent run stopper on Ohio State’s interior defensive line as he refines his technique.

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Better Know a Buckeye: Emanuel Ruffin Has Quickness, Explosiveness to Be Dynamic Run Stopper in Middle of Ohio State’s Defensive Line

Scouting Report​

Time and time again, Ruffin used his quickness off the snap and explosiveness off the line to get into the opponents' backfield in high school, becoming a dominant run stopper. While he will go against bigger and quicker offensive linemen in the Big Ten, Ruffin has shown the ability to use a variety of moves to get past opponents and disrupt plays at the line of scrimmage. And if a play gets passed him, he has the pursuit ability and speed to make a play downfield.

Ruffin must continue to develop as a pass rusher to become a three-down defensive tackle and needs to improve on his pad level to reach his ceiling, as he tended to just overpower his opponents without needing to bend much in high school. That said, the 6-3, 282-pounder has plenty of tools in his skill set to be a menace at defensive tackle for Ohio State as he develops his game early on as a Buckeye.

Depth Chart Outlook​

While he played all over the defensive line for Bessemer City, Ruffin will be an interior defensive lineman for the Buckeyes, likely a nose tackle. With that, he’s competing with fellow freshmen Damari Simeon and Jamir Perez for the sixth DT spot on the three-deep this season behind James Smith, Eddrick Houston, Jason Moore, John Walker and Will Smith Jr.

With a good first year of development, Ruffin will have a chance to compete for a spot in the regular rotation in 2027 and a possible starting job as an upperclassman in 2028.