Ryan Day Reveals Sleeper Ohio State Defender To Watch in 2025

Filling the linebacker spot is the number one priority for the Ohio State Buckeyes’ defense in the offseason.

Aug 1, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Payton Pierce (26) lines up during football camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

No one will be able to fully replace Cody Simon on the Ohio State Buckeyes’ defense in 2025. Simon will go down as one of the greatest Buckeyes of all time at his position, but he is now moving on to the NFL and his spot next to Sonny Styles is up for grabs.

The leader at the beginning of Spring practice was the sophomore from Cleveland, Arvell Reese. Reese became a special teams ace for the Buckeyes and possesses a rare athletic ability. 

He pairs his height with elite speed, strength and quickness. Reese will see his fair share of snaps on the Buckeyes defense in 2025.

However, on Tuesday, head coach Ryan Day brought a dark horse name to the surface. That player is Payton Pierce. 

Ryan Day talks about Payton Pierce, who appears to be having one of the better springs for the Buckeyes: pic.twitter.com/osV9M1qC64

— Dillon Davis (@DillonDavis56) April 7, 2025

Pierce came to Ohio State last year nursing an injury that he sustained in his senior year of high school. He wasn’t able to dive into training to be an Ohio State linebacker, but now that he has a year under his belt, he has emerged as someone who will challenge to be the starting linebacker against Texas at the end of August.

Pierce stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 223 pounds. He is a former wrestler, so toughness and tackling are not areas of concern for the sophomore. Pierce was a four-star prospect coming out of High School in Texas and is making the most of his first real opportunity in Columbus. 

Take it from the head coach, “Payton Pierce is thriving right now… he understands football at a high level.”

You have to understand it at a high level to play for former NFL head coach Matt Patricia. Patricia comes to Columbus having never called plays at the college level, but helped the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls during his time. 

Patricia’s defenses are not going to be easy and they need the right two guys leading the Buckeyes’ defense. Styles is for sure one of those guys, but who will be the second? Pierce is making his case to be that guy.