Jason Moore is becoming Ohio State’s defensive line surprise
After years of waiting for his opportunity, Jason Moore is finally making his presence felt on an Ohio State defensive line that could use another interior difference maker
There were not many reasons to expect Jason Moore to become a major part of Ohio State’s defensive line this season.
The 6-foot-6, 316-pound senior had played sparingly throughout his first three years in Columbus, totaling just 60 defensive line and special teams snaps as a sophomore in 2024 and 46 snaps as a junior in 2025. Last season, he finished with only six tackles and one tackle for loss across six games.
In other words, despite arriving at Ohio State with plenty of recruiting pedigree, Moore had become an easy player to overlook. That is what makes his start to 2026 so intriguing.
Through Ohio State’s first three games, Moore has recorded nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks, already surpassing his entire tackle total from 2025.
Moore opened the season with a tackle for loss on 21 snaps against Ball State, recorded three tackles while playing 27 defensive snaps against Texas, and then produced a career-high five tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and half a sack in Ohio State’s 59-3 win over Kent State.
More importantly, his role is growing.
Moore played 21 snaps against Ball State, 27 against Texas and 25 against Kent State, when he led all Ohio State defensive tackles in playing time. He also tied Will Smith Jr. for the team lead with five tackles against the Golden Flashes and shared the defense’s only sack of the game.
While saying Moore has been Ohio State’s best defensive tackle so far is admittedly an opinion, there is a legitimate statistical argument behind it. Against Kent State, Moore posted an 81.9 PFF grade, the second-highest mark among Ohio State defensive tackles who played at least 10 snaps, trailing only Will Smith Jr.’s 90.2.
Moore also graded ahead of established contributors John Walker (70.2) and Eddrick Houston (68.8) in that game.
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