2025 Ohio State Buckeyes

[Leonardfan]

Since 2005, Ohio State has started 12, 11, 11, 10, 10, 12, 12, 8, 4, 6, 6, 3, 3, 5, 6, 3, 5, 6 and 5 white players (no writeup in 2013). In 2025 the Buckeyes are projected to start 6.

Players to watch for are QB Lincoln Kienholz, DE Caden Curry, DE Logan George, LB Payton Piece, LB Garrett Stover

Offense
QB Julian Sayin
TE Max Klare
OG Luke Montgomery
C Carson Hinzman
OT Austin Siereveld

Defense
DE Beau Atkinson

 

[KnowTheScore]

When I first started lurking (fall of 2021), Ohio State was one of the teams that made me really question the mantra that coaches only look for the best players regardless of race. I couldn't believe that a team that was consistently having at least 10 whites start would all of a sudden drop drastically. Obviously, Urban Meyer was behind this effort, but the fact that one of the top programs in the sport suddenly stopped recruiting most Whites (especially when they were winning with them) really helped me "wake up." Additionally, the summary overview of all teams really helped me realize that this was not a normal decline....I think I remember reading there were something like 36 teams starting at least 11 Whites in 2010 and there were only like 8 in 2021 (just what I remember).

 

[Phall]

Beau Atkinson arrives via North Carolina and seems like he's going to give the Buckeyes two years of great production at DE. He isn't projected highly for 2027, but that could easily change quickly.

Max Klare arrives via Purdue and currently projects as a mid/late 1st round draft pick next spring. He's roughly the 3rd-rated tight end on the big boards.

The only knock I've heard on Sayin is that he's still rather flimsy in his frame (relative to being potentially hit by so many pro-ready opponents). Kienholz sort of lost the backup job last year to Devin Brown (white), who is now at Cal. If Sayin keeps the starting job all year, I'd expect him to transfer to a lesser power conference school to start elsewhere for one or two seasons.