To date, we have covered quarterbacks, linebackers, centers/guards, defensive ends and wide receivers in the Four Kings series. This week, we put the spotlight on the players who clog up the middle of the field and open holes for linebackers to make plays, defensive tackles.
To help you out, we've listed 15 of Ohio State’s most accomplished defensive tackles with a description of their storied careers.
Note: The stats shown are based on the end-of-season stats for each player. Some fumble recovery stats were gathered by accumulating individual game stats.
Note: Cameron Heyward was not included with the defensive ends because my fuzzy memory had Heyward playing defensive tackle for Ohio State. As a freshman, Heyward was listed as a DT, but was listed as a DL for his final three seasons. Although the roster did not designate Heyward as a DE, that is the position he played the majority of his Buckeye career. Due to the defensive end voting already being completed, my sincere apologies for not giving Heyward the opportunity to be a selection for this series.
Heyward played 52 games during his time with Ohio State and was an All-Big Ten honoree as a senior. Heyward amassed 163 tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Bill Willis (1942-44)
Started all three seasons playing on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. He dominated on the defensive side and became Ohio State's first African-American to be honored as an All-American, which he did twice. Willis was a contributor to the 1942 national championship team and is in the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Jim Stillwagon (1968-70)
The two-time All-American and All-Big Ten honoree became the first player to ever win the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award during the same season. Stillwagon helped the Buckeyes win the national championship in 1968. Stillwagon was named to the Ohio State All-Century Team and is a member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame
The Green Bay Packers selected Stillwagon in the 1971 NFL Draft, but he elected to play for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Pete Cusick (1972-74)
Was All-Big Ten as a junior and senior and a team captain and an All-American as a senior. Ohio State won three straight Big Ten titles with Cusick on the team. He was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and was named to the Ohio State All-Century Team in 2000.
The New England Patriots selected Cusick in the 1975 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | 22 | 242 | NA | NA |
Nick Buonamici (1973-76)
The two-time All-Big Ten honoree was a three-year starter for the Buckeyes. Buonamici had a reputation of being one of the toughest players in school history. The Chicago Bears selected Buonamici in the 1977 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | 20 | 282 | NA | 4 |
Aaron Brown (1974-77)
The captain, two-time Big Ten honoree and All-American as a senior finished his career with an impressive 314 tackles. Brown is a member of the Ohio State All-Century Team and was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 2021.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Brown in the 1978 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | 31 | 314 | NA | NA |
Jerome Foster (1979-82)
The two-time Big Ten honoree started four seasons at defensive tackle and finished his Ohio State career with 43 tackles for loss. The Houston Oilers selected Foster in the 1983 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 43 | 290 | 3 | 4 |
Dan Wilkinson (1991-93)
Arrived in Columbus as an offensive lineman, but switched to defensive tackle following his redshirt freshman year. Wilkinson flourished at his new position and was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, a consensus All-American and the Big Ten's Defensive Lineman and Defensive Player of the Year during his last season with Ohio State.
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Wilkinson with the No. 1 overall pick of the 1994 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | 23.5 | 91 | 0 | 1 |
Luke Fickell (1992-96)
Following his redshirt freshman season, Fickell started in a school record 50 straight games. The Buckeyes won the 1997 Rose Bowl during his senior season.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 26 | 212 | 1 | 1 |
Tim Anderson (1999-03)
The All-American and All-Big Ten player was a three-year starter for Ohio State. The 2002 national champion was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 2004 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 25 | 125 | 2 | 3 |
Darrion Scott (2000-03)
An All-Big Ten honoree and national champion in 2002, Scott was a three-year starter for the Buckeyes and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2003 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.5 | 25 | 139 | 6 | 2 |
Quinn Pitcock (2002-06)
The All-American and All-Big Ten tackle started his Ohio State career as a guard. As a senior, he started every game at defensive tackle and was named a captain and the team MVP.
The Colts selected Pitcock in the 2007 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 27.5 | 133 | 0 | 1 |
Johnathan Hankins (2010-12)
One of the largest players in school history, Hankins worked his way into playing condition and was a starter in his final two seasons with Ohio State. Hankins was named an All-American and All-Big Ten honoree during his final year with the Buckeyes.
The New York Giants selected Hankins in the 2013 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 16.5 | 138 | 0 | 1 |
Michael Bennett (2011-14)
An All-American and captain of the 2014 national championship team, Bennett’s 18 sacks are the most all-time for an Ohio State defensive tackle. He wore the No. 53 during his final three games as a Buckeye to honor his fallen teammate Kosta Karageorge and recorded a career-high four tackles for loss against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game in the first game he wore No. 53.
He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2015 NFL Draft, becoming the first Ohio State player ever selected by the Jaguars.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 31.5 | 112 | 7 | 3 |
Adolphus Washington (2012-15)
Washington forced a key fumble in Ohio State’s 2012 win over Michigan as a true freshman and went on to help the Buckeyes win a national championship in 2014 and earn All-American honors in 2015.
The Buffalo Bills selected Washington in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.5 | 25 | 142 | 3 | 1 |
Haskell Garrett (2017-21)
Garrett earned first-team All-American honors in 2020. He earned All-Big Ten honors and became the first Buckeye to be named the Polynesian Football Player of the Year during his final season in Columbus.
| Sacks | TFL | Tackles | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | 13.5 | 62 | 0 | 2 |
