There are almost always a few talented true freshmen on a given Ohio State roster who create a name for themselves before the year is up.
Those players this past season included Jermaine Mathews Jr., who started in a big spot against Penn State and played effectively with some other bright moments throughout the year. Carnell Tate found work on the offensive side of the football out wide, hauling in 18 receptions for 264 yards with a few spectacular diving grabs mixed in. Malik Hartford made two starts at safety.
Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class offers the potential for more freshmen to make an immediate impact.
The Buckeyes’ 20-player class of signees includes five five-star prospects in the 247Sports composite rankings. Fifteen of those prospects, including four of the five-stars, arrived on campus to begin their Ohio State careers as early enrollees.
The full list of early enrollees is as follows:
Offense
- Jeremiah Smith, five-star wide receiver
- Air Noland, five-star quarterback
- James Peoples, four-star running back
- Ian Moore, four-star offensive lineman
- Deontae Armstrong, four-star offensive lineman
- Sam Williams-Dixon, three-star running back
- Devontae Armstrong, three-star guard
Defense
- Eddrick Houston, five-star defensive end
- Aaron Scott Jr., five-star cornerback
- Bryce West, four-star cornerback
- Miles Lockhart, four-star cornerback
- Jaylen McClain, four-star safety
- Garrett Stover, four-star linebacker
- Payton Pierce, four-star linebacker
- Eric Mensah, three-star defensive lineman
As those 15 Buckeyes begin their Ohio State careers, we highlight five of them who could have the most potential to make an immediate impact for the Buckeyes in year one.
WR Jeremiah Smith
Being the No. 1 overall prospect in a recruiting class and hyped as a generational talent is enough to warrant inclusion in a story like this, but it’s a combination of Smith’s polish and Ohio State’s roster attrition that makes him such an obvious candidate to get on the gridiron immediately.
Smith’s tape is littered with catches that show pro-level hands, body control, high-pointing and advanced route-running. South Florida, where he’s from, tends to be a hotbed when it comes to developing receiving talents. His work with the heralded 7-on-7 squad South Florida Express and a premier high school program in Chaminade-Madonna has capitalized on his long list of athletic gifts and made him a Power 5-ready superstar.
A full spring and summer with Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline won’t hurt in that regard, either.
Smith looked ready to play at the collegiate level at last week’s All-American Bowl, where he showed out against some of the nation’s best defensive backs both in practice and during the game.
Ohio State signee Jeremiah Smith scores the first touchdown of the All-American Bowl. pic.twitter.com/UD4rqtno1W
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) January 6, 2024
The Buckeyes are losing their biggest star at the position, Marvin Harrison Jr., to the NFL draft. Fellow starter Julian Fleming has transferred to Penn State. Even if Emeka Egbuka elects to stay in Columbus for his senior season, Smith should be a clear candidate to start right away alongside Egbuka and Tate, though he might have to compete with another five-star prospect in rising sophomore Brandon Inniss.
DE Eddrick Houston
With the return of Jack Sawyer and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry waiting in the wings, Ohio State’s defensive end rotation is currently in a good spot for 2024, but Houston’s talent is such that he could demand early playing time.
The nation’s No. 26 overall prospect and No. 5 defensive lineman, Houston was a massive retention on Early Signing Day for the Buckeyes. Out of the football factory of Buford (Georgia) High School, Houston should come to Columbus with plenty of polish.
Eddrick Houston's talent is such that a deep defensive end room might not stop him from playing time.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has been known to get his top prospects early looks. The Bosa brothers, Chase Young, Zach Harrison, Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau – another player with a draft decision still to make – all got substantial reps in their respective first seasons, and Houston should be next in line.
RB James Peoples
One of two four-star prospects to make this list, Peoples fills a massive recruiting lull after Ohio State failed to bring in a running back in the 2023 class. He was ranked as the No. 95 overall prospect and No. 7 ballcarrier in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2024 class.
Ohio State is awaiting the NFL draft decision of star rusher TreVeyon Henderson and appears to have a shot at landing Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins, but there could still be an opening for Peoples to earn some playing time as a true freshman. The only other scholarship running backs currently on the Buckeyes’ roster are redshirt sophomore Dallan Hayden and fellow freshman Sam Williams-Dixon. Both Chip Trayanum and Evan Pryor transferred out following the regular season and Miyan Williams already declared for the NFL draft.
High school production – in the second-highest classification of Texas, no less – lends credence to Peoples’ ability to contribute right away. He racked up 2,044 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground as a junior. His senior year, curtailed by an undisclosed injury, still saw him pick up 898 yards and 10 scores.
Peoples could be as high as second or third on the running back depth chart next season, and the Buckeyes are no stranger to using multiple running backs in games. They used at least three running backs in 11 of their 13 contests in 2023, counting the times wide receiver Xavier Johnson was deployed as a running back.
CB Bryce West
Joining five-star Aaron Scott Jr. as one of two top-60 cornerback prospects hauled in by Tim Walton in the 2024 class, West’s versatility earns him a spot on this list just as much as his talent.
He has the feet and tough mentality to play nickel, which is another position that awaits a key NFL draft decision from cornerback Jordan Hancock. Outside of Hancock, options to play the spot appear limited for the Buckeyes in 2024.
Sonny Styles rotated with Hancock for much of the season before starting at strong safety full-time after an injury to Lathan Ransom, but his coverage skills against slot receivers proved to be a drawback to deploying him against spread offenses. Two second-year corners who worked at the spot, Jyaire Brown and Ryan Turner, have both transferred elsewhere.
Even if West stays outside, he’ll have a chance to compete for a spot on the two-deep at cornerback, especially if Denzel Burke departs for the NFL draft. Lorenzo Styles Jr., Calvin Simpson-Hunt and Scott will be his top competition for playing time behind Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr.
QB Air Noland
The commitment of former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard lessens the already-slim chance that Ohio State’s five-star quarterback commit will win the Buckeyes’ starting job as a true freshman. That doesn’t mean he won’t make some waves, though.
Roster attrition is still a possibility following the spring, and if someone transfers out then Noland could be in the mix to become Ohio State’s No. 2 quarterback right away.
Noland comes in with plenty of acclaim. He won a state championship in the highest classification of Georgia football with Langston Hughes as a junior, tossing for 4,095 yards and 55 touchdowns, the third-most in state history.
He came out on top of the Elite 11 quarterback competition in June, where he was named one of the 11 top-performing gunslingers in the event.
Noland followed that up by passing for 2,140 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, surpassing 10,000 yards and 125 touchdowns for his high school career.
