Ryan Day Identifies Three Ohio State Newcomers Standing Out This Spring

The head coach mentions tight ends Mason Williams and Hunter Welcing and safety Earl Little Jr. as early standouts as Ohio State Spring practice reaches its midpoint.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day addresses his team during Student Appreciation Day spring practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on April 4, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Halfway through spring practice, Ryan Day is not ready to lock anything in. But he is starting to see who is showing up.

Asked to identify players who have been consistent through nine practices, Day smiled before offering a cautious answer. “The minute I say this, they’re going to have a terrible practice,” Day said. “But I do think there’s a consistent level right now. It’s not perfect at all.”

That consistency has started to emerge most clearly at tight end, where two newcomers have quickly carved out early roles.

“Bringing in Mason Williams and Hunter Welcing at tight end with Nate (Roberts), they’re not perfect at all, but they’re grinding at it and they’re working at it,” Day said. “I think those guys at tight end have shown up, especially in the pass game, just seeing them make a lot more plays maybe than we’ve seen in the past.”

For a position group that has searched for consistent production in recent years, that development stands out.

Day emphasized it is not about finished products in April, but about approach. “They’re grinding at it,” he said. “They’re working at it.”

On the defensive side of the ball, a familiar challenge remains replacing elite production, particularly in the secondary. But one transfer has already earned the staff’s trust.

“Ear (Little), I mean, how do you replace Caleb Downs? You can’t,” Day said. “But Earl has been doing a great job of really communicating back there.”

That communication piece is critical in Ohio State’s defense, where safeties are responsible for aligning the secondary and reacting quickly to tempo and motion.

Day also pointed to returning safety Jalen McClain as part of that early stability. “ has been doing a good job back there too,” he said. “So that has been exciting to watch.”[He] has been

The bigger picture for Ohio State is competition. 

Across multiple position groups, Day continues to stress that roles are not settled, and that spring reps are about earning trust. “It’s very competitive,” Day said earlier in the session. “They know they’re all fighting for playing time.”

That includes veterans, transfers and young players all operating in the same mix. “There’s a winner and a loser,” Day said. “They’ve got to go back and get to work.”

With just two weeks of spring remaining, the standard is clear. And for a handful of newcomers, the first step is already underway.