Ohio State football preview: Buckeye newcomers to know prior to preseason

Projected new starters: QB Will Howard or Devin Brown, TE Gee Scott Jr. or Will Kacmarek, WR Carnell Tate, WR Brandon Inniss or Jayden Ballard, RG Tegra Tshabola or Luke Montgomery, MLB Cody Simon, WLB C.J. Hicks or Sonny Styles, MS Caleb Downs

In spring, Howard and Brown battled for the right to replace Kyle McCord with no one emerging a winner. They have similar skillsets, but Howard has much more experience after starting more than 20 games at Kansas State.

Receiver could be wide open behind senior Emeka Egbuka with sophomores Tate and Inniss hoping to overtake Ballard, a senior, and hold off others who have yet to gain much experience.

Scott is the heir apparent as a fifth-year senior after backing up Cade Stover and playing extensively as the No. 2 tight end last season, but it remains to be seen if he can handle being the man full time. Kacmarek’s reputation is as a blocker first, so the Ohio University figure to at least fill that secondary role if he can’t win the position outright.

Tshabola and Montgomery are both natural tackles who will look to prove they are among the best five.

That is not all the new, though.

Quinshon Judkins transferred in to share the load with Henderson at running back after two All-SEC seasons at Mississippi, and Will Kacmarek could split time with Scott as more of a blocking tight end, his role at Ohio University the last two seasons.

Seth McLaughlin could unseat Carson Hinzman at center after starting in the middle of the Alabama offensive line the last two seasons, and the loser of that battle could end up being the new starting right guard. More likely the latter will be Tshabola or Montgomery, who both have experience at tackle as well.

Simon has been around for a while, but the fifth-year senior is looking to become a full-time starter in his last go ‘round after backing up Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers last fall.

The other inside linebacker spot is up for grabs between Hicks and Styles, who might be the two best athletes on a team full of them. Coordinator Jim Knowles might also look for ways to get both of them on the field along with Hicks in a 4-3 look.

Downs was generally perceived to be the best freshmen defensive player in the country last season when he became an immediate starter and led Alabama in tackles, so he figures to step in for the graduated Josh Proctor.

What about a freshman crashing the party?

That has become increasingly hard to do with the way Ohio State recruits and can now plug holes with veterans via the transfer portal, but the two most likely would appear to be receiver Jeremiah Smith and cornerback Aaron Scott Jr.

Although both play positions full of talented players of all ages, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Smith was the No. 1-rated player in the country regardless of position in the class of 2024 and looked the part in the spring.

Scott, a five-star prospect from Springfield, also flashed during the spring game.

He has more established players to jump over to get playing time — including sophomore Jermaine Mathews Jr., who likely could start many other places — but this is a position where multiple injuries have thinned out the Buckeyes and presented chances for freshmen to play in recent seasons.