Better Know a Buckeye: Cody Haddad Gives Ohio State Another Versatile Safety But Must Bulk Up As Freshman

The Buckeyes prioritized St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) safety Cody Haddad later in the process, but the Northeast Ohio product was always going to stay home once he received the Ohio State offer he had always dreamed of. It didn't take long for the three-star safety to choose the Buckeyes, as he was offered by OSU, decommitted from Wisconsin and committed to Ohio State in the span of three months.

As the saying goes, the best in Ohio stay in Ohio, and Haddad brings the type of versatility to the Buckeyes that has become a big part of Ohio State’s secondary of late.

How He Became a Buckeye

Ohio State offered Haddad in January 2024, days after he committed to Wisconsin. The in-state safety's connection to OSU became even more evident when he decommitted from Wisconsin after a weekend visit to Columbus, days after visiting OSU for the weekend in late March of that year.

Haddad built a close relationship with Matt Guerrieri across multiple visits to Ohio State, and that was all he needed to decide the Buckeyes gave him the best opportunity to succeed both on and off the field. Haddad committed to Ohio State on April 13, 2024.

Haddad is the 22nd St. Ignatius alum to play for OSU, following in the footsteps of Buckeye greats such as LeCharles Bentley, Anthony Gonzalez and Dre'Mont Jones. He's the first St. Ignatius product to sign with Ohio State since Tommy Eichenberg did in 2019.

High School Years

A three-year starter for the Wildcats, Haddad quickly made a name for himself, notching 64 tackles, three pass breakups and one forced fumble as a sophomore. He finished as the team's second-leading tackler in his first year as a starter.

Another huge third down stop by @cody_haddad forces St. Xavier to punt. St. ignatius takes over on offense at the St. X 46 with 2:39 remaining in regulation in a 14-14 game. pic.twitter.com/Woqz8BBW0J

— Matt Lofgren (@MattLofgren1) October 14, 2023

While an injury cut his junior season short, Haddad totaled 32 tackles, a season-best four interceptions and three forced fumbles in just four games. Offensively, he had 167 receiving yards and scored three touchdowns.

In only five games during his senior season, Haddad had 45 tackles, one pass breakup and one forced fumble to close out his high school career.

Ohio State commit @cody_haddad comes up and makes an open field stop. pic.twitter.com/ZG4DmClBPw

— Matt Lofgren (@MattLofgren1) November 1, 2024

Haddad played safety and wide receiver and also served as a kick and punt returner for the Wildcats. As a safety, Haddad lined up all over the field, coming down into the box to support the run while also showing he could cover the deep middle in the passing game.

FB: ONE MAN SHOW! Cody Haddad collects his 2nd interception of the game! #GoCats

: https://t.co/vg75Xzrfra pic.twitter.com/BcK1kJ0PRk

— SIHS Sports (@SIHSSports) October 14, 2023

Haddad was a three-sport star at St. Ignatius, also playing basketball and running track in addition to shining on the gridiron.

Immediate Impact

The main focus for Haddad early on as a Buckeye will be adding to his 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. That will be necessary for Haddad to stay healthy at the collegiate level, as he missed more games than he played in during his final two years of high school.

With Caleb Downs, Malik Hartford, Jaylen McClain, Faheem Delane and Leroy Roker III set to lead Ohio State’s safety depth chart this year, Haddad is in line for a developmental first season at Ohio State. His quickest path to the field is likely to be on special teams, but he’ll likely take a redshirt in 2025 unless he becomes a regular on a special teams unit.

Long-Term Impact

Once Haddad adds muscle and weight to his frame and showcases his athleticism and football instincts on special teams, he’ll have a chance to compete for a bigger role in Ohio State’s secondary. It might take him a few years to earn a spot on the Buckeyes’ two-deep, but the versatility in the defensive backfield that originally made Ohio State fall in love with the safety during his time at St. Ignatius gives him the potential to become a future starter or key role player in the secondary as an upperclassman.

Player Comparison: Brendon White

A Columbus kid, White leaned on his do-it-all ability as a safety to line up both in the box and in the defensive backfield. He showcased his playmaking ability on special teams early on as a Buckeye before appearing in 23 games during his second and third seasons at Ohio State, highlighted by a standout performance at the end of his sophomore year for which he earned Rose Bowl Defensive MVP honors.

While White never quite lived up to the expectations he had coming out of that game and ultimately transferred to Rutgers for his final season of college football, his versatility and athleticism is similar to what Haddad will bring to OSU as long as he can add the size needed to play in the Big Ten.