ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Current Situation
Jaden McKenzie has been injured for much of his first two years on the Ohio State campus. He played in two games as a true freshman and then two games last year. This year he walks into a defensive tackle situation with four seniors who are going to command the bulk of the playing time. That being said, there is still wiggle room here if McKenzie can stay healthy and show defensive line coach Larry Johnson what he can do at full strength.
What to Like
When Jaden McKenzie was being recruited, Larry Johnson loved his ability to get into the backfield. But McKenzie wasn’t just a north-south guy because he could also get up and down the line and make plays outside. You don’t average over 80 tackles a year as a junior and senior without being able to chase the ball. McKenzie is a defensive tackle who will continue to chase a play, which is sometimes half the battle for guys on the interior.
What’s the Ceiling This Year?
Jaden McKenzie hasn’t really been able to show what he can do as a Buckeye and nobody is more excited about changing that than he is. His ceiling this year is a spot in the rotation, but he’s got some veterans in front of him. Patience can be a virtue, but this being McKenzie’s third year on campus, he is probably tired of waiting and he wants to play. If he’s finally healthy, then he will be able to control whether or not playing time happens.
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