Ohio State Spring Football Observations: Who is Standing Out?

There is no such thing as an “offseason” for Ohio State Buckeyes football.

The handful of spring practices that have taken place over the last few weeks at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center have already led to numerous debate topics and questions for Buckeye fans and media alike. Most of this buzz surrounding the team comes from a variety of competitions for starting spots left open by Ohio State players declaring for the NFL Draft.

Starting with probably the most popular of the position battles, head coach Ryan Day and his coaching staff are searching for a new starting quarterback. C.J. Stroud, last year’s starting signal-caller and projected first-overall pick, has left some massive shoes in need of filling, seemingly by one of a few QBs already in the program.

Kyle McCord and Devin Brown are common names heard when discussing next year’s Buckeye quarterback, but Mason Maggs has also gotten his fair share of reps at the position as well.

For all intents and purposes, the competition seems to have become a two-man race between Brown and McCord. But with that being said, Maggs has begun to exhibit some of the accuracy, confidence and mobility one would expect from an Ohio State quarterback.

Maggs is a steak in need of some more time on the grill before he is ready to plate and serve.

However, the sophomore is starting to show some signs of growth that should get Buckeye excited

The offensive line is moving on without Paris Johnson Jr. and Luke Wyler, both of whom (like Stroud) have declared for the NFL Draft.

Two players who could fill those vacant roles upfront are program veterans Jakub James and Josh Fryar.

The pair of seniors have game experience and have even been asked to start when injuries take higher members of the depth chart out of action.

James has been taking most of his reps at center in replacement of Wyler, while Fryar is most often seen at guard or tackle, a spot he has in common with Johnson Jr.

It is unclear if these positions will be their permanent spots, as the entire point of spring practices is to experiment and find what works best before the start of the season, but where they line up during Ohio State’s upcoming Spring Game on April 15 will be some indicator if these adjustments are to be or not to be.

Finally, Jayden Ballard has emerged from the pack as a potential to up his number of catches in the wake of Jaxon Smith-Njigba's leaving for the draft.

Smith-Njigba didn't play much last season, only three games with five total receptions, but was a presence as one of the go-to receivers in the room. Ballard is also in the single digits for career catches but has looked like a solid route-runner and reliable option when targeted on deep throws.

Ballard played four games last season: against Notre Dame, Toledo, Michigan State and Indiana. The sophomore also had his most receptions in 2022 (eight of his total nine) earning 155 yards and a touchdown.

Number of catches aside, the leadership hierarchy of the Buckeye wide receiver corps is reshuffling with Smith-Njigba's departure. It is almost certain that Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka will take two of the bigger roles in this regard due to their stellar performances last season, but the rest are up for grabs.

Regardless of how things are in the team leadership department, it's clear to say from his showings at spring practice that fans and media will see a new and improved Ballard come opening weekend against the Hoosiers.