Devin Sanchez Says Guarding Jeremiah Smith Has Prepared Him To Cover Anyone

Ohio State cornerback Devin Sanchez discusses his growth under Tim Walton, daily matchups with Jeremiah Smith and preparing to cover the nation’s top receivers.

Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs for a touchdown past cornerback Devin Sanchez (6) during the Ohio State football spring game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After Ohio State’s first day of training camp, sophomore cornerback Devin Sanchez talked with the media about the upcoming season.

Sanchez played in 13 games with one start in his freshman season, ending the year with 409 snaps at defensive back and on special teams, 15 tackles, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery. This season, he’s hungry for more and says he feels comfortable and less timid in his role.

Learning Under Tim Walton

Sanchez credited Tim Walton—former Buckeye cornerback and current co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach and secondary coach—for much of his growth.

Sanchez said Walton isn't there to be his friend; he's a tough coach, but that's the type of direction he needs. Walton is known for his vocal leadership style, which was on display at camp.

“He's been on me hard, really hard, where sometimes it's uncomfortable,” Sanchez said. “I respect it, I know where it's coming from. And I just gotta go out there and compete. If I make a mistake, he's gonna get on me, and I gotta go out there and fix it.”

Jeremiah Smith’s Impact

With one year under his belt, Sanchez says he feels like his team is counting on him this season to go out and guard every team’s No. 1 receiver. But he’s up for the challenge, and there’s no better preparation for that than guarding Jeremiah Smith every day in practice.

“I feel like you gotta be a real stud to go out there and do that,” Sanchez said about consistently matching up with Smith.

Sanchez said Smith has had the biggest impact on his development at Ohio State, describing their relationship as one where iron sharpens iron.

“He's getting me better, I'm getting him better,” Sanchez said. “And I feel like if you ask him this, he would probably say the same thing. We're gonna butt heads every day, there's gonna be times when we get into it. But it's all coming from love.”

Ultimately, guarding the top receiver talent at Ohio State has boosted his confidence.

“Going against him made me realize I can go out here and guard anybody in the country, because obviously he's the best receiver in the country,” Sanchez said.

He also credited guarding Carnell Tate, who went No. 4 overall to the Tennessee Titans in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Previewing OSU’s Schedule

Sanchez said when he saw Ohio State’s schedule for the season, he started going through everyone he needed to guard in his head. That includes Cam Coleman for Texas in Week 2, Charlie Becker for Indiana, and Dakorien Moore for Oregon, players he knows very well.

“Friendship's gonna be out the window when we're on the field, and when those whistles blow, that whole 60 minutes, it's gonna be no friendship,” Sanchez said.

Overall, he knows what’s at stake and is committed to being a player that Buckeye Nation can count on.

“I'm counting on myself, my family's counting on me, and then this whole fan base is counting on me,” Sanchez said. “So I feel like it's a big task, there's a lot that comes with it, and it's for a guy like me that's not scared of it.”