4 Second-Year Buckeyes Ready To Make Splash at Ohio State

Even after the yearly tradition of losing a ton of talent to the NFL Draft, the Ohio State Buckeyes have once again reloaded under head coach Ryan Day, expecting to compete for the program’s 10th National Championship.

Among the group of youngsters expected to take on major roles in 2026, four players stand out from the rest:

Here are four second players the Buckeyes are relying on to make a splash during the 2026 season:

Isaiah West, running back

The easy answer here would be to just name fellow sophomore running back Bo Jackson, but he already made a huge splash as a freshman, running for over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns. With Jackson’s running mate C.J. Donaldson gone to the NFL, it’s now on West to take on a larger role and keep the Buckeyes on schedule in the ground game.

As a true freshman, West tallied 59 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns, and that production should see a dramatic improvement during his second year, despite some interesting incoming competition from incoming transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson.

Nate Roberts, tight end

Ohio State lost its two main tight ends from last year, Max Klare and Will Kacmarek, so there will be a nice changeover at the position.

Sophomore Roberts will get the first jab at the starting role, despite the Buckeyes adding Hunter Welcing and Mason Williams through the portal. Roberts, a 6’5’’ 240-pounder, saw action in 13 games as a freshman, giving him a one-year advantage in the system over the newcomers.

As a testament to his versatility, Roberts already contributed to the offense as a fullback last year, and might have to do so again this time around.

Devin Sanchez, cornerback

Sanchez is easily the most important sophomore on the team, after making one start in 13 games appearances last year. He’s expected to command one of the corners opposite senior standout Jermaine Mathews Jr.

There’s no lack of confidence for the former five-star prospect, as he’s already promised to be one of the best in the country.

“I feel great. I feel like I can be one of the best corners in the nation. I'm gonna be one of the best corners in the nation. I feel like guys should really watch out for me because I'm not freshman Devin no more,” stated Sanchez, who possesses ideal size and length for the boundary at 6’2’’ and 200 pounds.

Of course, lining up against Jeremiah Smith everyday in practice for second straight year gives him an edge nobody else in the country has.

Riley Pettijohn, linebacker

Last year, Ohio State’s linebacking duo of Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese was head and shoulders above the rest of the Nation, The Buckeyes are aiming for something similar this year with Payton Pierce and Pettijohn, who should get the first crack at the starting job alongside him, even over Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro.

Pettijohn, who played 13 games last year, already has a 9.0 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one pass defended and one fumble returned all the way to the house on limited reps. Those numbers should skyrocket with more minutes under Matt Patricia’s tutelage, even if Pettijohn will also have to deal with some stiff competition from true freshman Cincere Johnson.

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