Better Know A Buckeye is our look at every member of Ohio State’s 2025 recruiting class and how they became Buckeyes as they prepare to begin their OSU careers this fall.
Jarquez Carter dreamed of suiting up for Florida as a kid, but he chose to became a Buckeye as Ohio State made the 18th-ranked defensive lineman (No. 197 overall) a priority in its recruiting efforts for the 2025 class, leading the four-star defensive tackle to reciprocate those feelings.
Carter put up huge numbers throughout his four years in high school, and defensive tackle is currently one of the biggest positions of uncertainty on Ohio State’s depth chart. Even so, Carter will likely need time to develop before becoming a player the Buckeyes can rely on to play a consistent role on their defensive line.
Jarquez Carter
- Size: 6-1/285
- Position: DT
- School: Newberry (Newberry, Florida)
- 247 Composite: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #18 DL
- Overall Rank: #197
How He Became a Buckeye
When Carter made his first gameday visit to Ohio State for the Buckeyes' final home game of the season against Minnesota in 2023, it blew him away. Carter picked up an OSU offer following the game to make it an even more memorable day for the defensive lineman.
While he didn't hold a 247Sports composite ranking then, Ohio State was the 15th Division I school to offer Carter.
“I’ve always been hoping to get this offer, so this is really a top offer to me,” Carter said of the Buckeyes at the time. "I’ve always admired the way coach (Larry) Johnson coached and have been impressed by the players they’ve produced.”
Larry Johnson made Carter a priority, which stuck out to the defensive tackle. In the end, that persistence and constant communication with Carter, and the defensive line coach's track record of developing players played a major role in his recruitment, as he committed to Ohio State on July 18, 2024.
“Just based on all the people that (coach Johnson) has developed and all the greats he’s gotten to the NFL and how they’re producing in the NFL,” Carter said of the appeal of playing for Johnson.
Carter committed to the Buckeyes over the likes of Florida, Miami, UCF and Penn State, among others. Although the Gators, the team he grew up rooting for, continued to heavily recruit Carter, he held firm with his commitment to the Buckeyes.
High School Years
Carter immediately made a name for himself early on in high school, recording 83 tackles with 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks during his freshman season. As a sophomore, Carter racked up 78 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, eight quarterback hits, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
In his junior season, Carter totaled 67 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, nine sacks and 15 quarterback hurries while leading Newberry High School to a 9-3 record. As a senior, Carter recorded 84 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, 25 quarterback hurries, four passes defended and a fumble recovery, leading Newberry to a 10-2 record and FHSAA 2A regional final appearance.
As his numbers proved throughout his time in high school, Carter was a menace when it came to getting to the opposing quarterback. And when he wasn't doing so, he was causing chaos in the trenches.
Finished the play even though my helmet came off pic.twitter.com/rONwiuVrch
— Jarquez Carter (@JarquezCarter) September 15, 2024
“I’d say I’m a pass-rush first type of guy,” Carter said in November. “I get off the ball really fast and use violent hands. I’m not going to stop until the play is over with.”
Carter also played basketball in high school.
Immediate Impact
Better Know A Buckeye
At 6-foot-1 and 285 pounds, Carter projects to be a 3-technique defensive tackle for the Buckeyes, though he believes he will be able to move around the defensive front like he did in high school.
“I see myself moving around the whole line, kind of like an Aaron Donald type,” Carter said before committing to Ohio State. “I’d say my get-off and how I use my hands (makes me dominant on the field).”
Ohio State’s depth chart coming out of spring is more open at defensive tackle than it is at any other position. Clear backups haven’t emerged behind Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald, leaving the door open for Ohio State’s freshmen – including Carter – to make an early push for playing time.
That said, Carter didn’t see much action with the first-team defense this spring as he got acclimated to Ohio State as a midyear enrollee. While it’s not out of the question that he could earn playing time in 2025 given the team’s questionable depth, this year will ideally be a developmental season for Carter as he grows physically and hones his craft with Johnson’s teaching.
Long-Term Impact
Once Carter adds more muscle and learns the speed of big-time college football after playing against lower competition throughout high school, he could push for a spot on the two-deep as soon as next season and become a key contributor on Ohio State’s interior defensive line by his third year.
Ideally, Carter will be a part of the rotation at 3-technique by his sophomore or junior season and develop into one of the Big Ten’s best defensive tackles by the end of his Ohio State career.
Player Comparison: Haskell Garrett
Early on as a Buckeye, Garrett didn't see the field much defensively, appearing in just 22 games during his first two seasons in Columbus, many of which were on special teams. He became part of the rotation at defensive tackle in his third season.
Garrett emerged as one of the best defensive tackles in the country in 2020, earning first-team All-American honors from CBS Sports even though he was shot in the face during the summer. He used his extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 to come back for another productive season in 2021, totaling 22 tackles with seven tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks as a fifth-year senior, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Like Garrett, Carter will likely ease into the rotation in his early years at Ohio State before growing into a bigger role as an upperclassman with the goal of becoming a major difference-maker in the trenches just like Garrett did in his later years as a Buckeye.
