In our annual Ohio State football team draft, Eleven Warriors’ Dan Hope and Andy Anders went head-to-head to draft dueling lineups from OSU’s 2025 roster for a hypothetical game of Buckeyes vs. Buckeyes.
Each beat writer drafted 22 players – 11 on offense and 11 on defense – with the goal of building a lineup that would defeat the other writer’s team in a head-to-head game. Each player could only be drafted once. Each writer was required to draft one quarterback, five offensive linemen and five skill-position players (running backs, wide receivers or tight ends) on offense, and at least three defensive linemen, two linebackers and four defensive backs with two flexible positions on defense.
There was little suspense around who the first two picks would be, but things got interesting from there as Dan and Andy attempted to strategically outmaneuver each other to give their teams advantages at specific positions. Dan ultimately chose to go to mirror Ohio State’s base formations, drafting three wide receivers on offense and five defensive backs on defense, while Andy opted to go old-school by drafting two tight ends and three linebackers.
Dan won the coin toss for our snake draft and chose to take the No. 1 overall pick, after which Andy and Dan alternated selections two at a time until both teams had 22 players for a total of 44 selections. You can watch the video at the top of the page to hear us make our picks in real time, or read below for our full list of selections with explanations for each pick written by each writer.
At the bottom of the article, Dan and Andy each make their case for why they think their respective teams would win the head-to-head matchup between their squads. Finally, we invite you to cast your vote – and feel free to share your reasoning in the comments below the article – for whose team you think would win.
The Picks
1. Jeremiah Smith, WR (Dan)
I considered giving Andy the first pick, knowing I’d still be guaranteed the chance to draft one of Ohio State’s two superstars, but I simply couldn’t pass up the chance to take Jeremiah Smith.
Smith enters 2025 as college football’s best player and its biggest game-changer. The superstar wide receiver dominated nearly every opponent he faced as a freshman – and he’s bigger, faster and stronger entering year two.
2. Caleb Downs, S (Andy)
3. Kayden McDonald, DT (Andy)
With Smith off the board, there was no choice but for me to take Caleb Downs with the second overall pick in the draft. Downs is the best defensive player in college football and set the foundation of what I think is a clear advantage for me on defense over Dan's team.
Positional scarcity is key in these selections, and there's no other player on Ohio State's roster who can play nose guard to the caliber of Kayden McDonald. He's in line for a monster year this year and I'll feel comfortable against any rushing attack with he and the linebacker corps I ultimately assembled.
4. Eddrick Houston, DT (Dan)
5. Julian Sayin, QB (Dan)
I took the No. 1 pick expecting Andy to take Sayin with the No. 3 pick, so I was happy that Andy let Ohio State’s projected starting quarterback fall to me – though I had to take Houston first to ensure Andy wouldn’t land both of Ohio State’s starting defensive tackles.
I was prepared to draft both McDonald and Houston to give my team a clear advantage at DT if Andy had drafted Sayin, but I’m happy it went the way it did, given that Sayin is the Buckeyes’ most gifted passer and quarterback is football’s most important position.
6. Max Klare, TE (Andy)
7. Sonny Styles, LB (Andy)
Klare is a contender for the Mackey Award and I believe he'll be the best tight end in college football this season, even if Ohio State's incredible wide receiver arsenal might limit his touches a tad. In a stacked Buckeye tight end room, he's a cut above the rest.
I then took who I think was the best player left on the board, Sonny Styles, to anchor my linebacker corps. Styles remains a physical freak and is one of the best linebackers in the country, now entering his second full year at the position.
8. Carnell Tate, WR (Dan)
9. Austin Siereveld, OT (Dan)
Tate is the most proven star still on the board, so I decided to keep the aerial assault going and pair Tate with Smith to keep Ohio State’s elite top tandem of wide receivers intact, giving Sayin the Buckeyes’ top two wideouts at his disposal.
I wanted to make sure I protected Sayin, too, so I decided to buy the preseason Siereveld hype and draft Ohio State’s likely starting left tackle to fill the second-most important position on the roster.
10. Arvell Reese, LB (Andy)
11. Payton Pierce, LB (Andy)
Here I implemented my master strategy: corner the market on a key position. James Laurinaitis has said multiple times that the Buckeyes have three starting linebackers, so why not pay homage to classic Silver Bullet defense, run a 4-3 and scoop up each of Dan's remaining two quality options at linebacker?
Reese and Styles' athleticism can make such an alignment work, as either has the speed to cover a tight end or help in zone against a slot receiver. Pierce could be the biggest star of a third linebacker Ohio State has had since it moved to the 4-2-5 the way he's been praised by Laurinaitis this season, and I have no qualms letting him run Mike while Reese and Styles wreak havoc at Sam and Will.
12. Luke Montgomery, G (Dan)
13. Carson Hinzman, C (Dan)
Since Andy decided to hoard linebackers, I decided I’d stockpile offensive linemen. Montgomery is Ohio State’s top guard and Hinzman will be the Buckeyes’ starting center, giving my offense the top player at all three offensive line positions.
14. Tegra Tshabola, G (Andy)
15. Brandon Inniss, WR (Andy)
With Dan scooping up offensive line options, I had to grab the best one left on the board in Tegra Tshabola. I wasn't going to let Mr. Hope monopolize the wide receiver market either, and I think plenty of teams across college football would be ecstatic to have Brandon Inniss as their No. 1 wideout.
16. Kenyatta Jackson Jr., DE (Dan)
17. Jermaine Mathews Jr., CB (Dan)
I considered drafting Jackson with each of my three previous picks, so I was pleasantly surprised that Andy gave me another chance to draft him. He’ll be a steal as a pick outside the top 15 if he’s as good as everybody at Ohio State is saying he’s going to be this season.
I was torn between Mathews and Davison Igbinosun with my next pick, as I expect both of them to be among the Big Ten’s top cornerbacks this season. But I decided to go with Mathews as the first CB off the board as his performance in open practices this offseason makes me believe he could emerge as one of the nation’s elite corners this year.
18. Davison Igbinosun, CB (Andy)
19. Beau Atkinson, DE (Andy)
When (yes, I say when) Davison Igbinosun cleans up his penalty problems of last year, he's going to be a contender for the Thorpe Award. I think both he and Mathews are All-American-caliber contenders, and I'm happy to have Igbinosun locking up wide receivers while Downs anchors my safety tandem. What a foundation for my secondary.
Beau Atkinson became a clear candidate for the next selection in my defensive-front-driven strategy, with proven production at North Carolina I expect to make him a star at Ohio State.
20. Phillip Daniels, OT (Dan)
21. Ethan Onianwa, OT/G (Dan)
It’s still unclear whether Daniels or Onianwa will be Ohio State’s starting right tackle, but I didn’t have to decide between them here. With two spots left to fill on my offensive line, I decided to draft them both, giving my team five of Ohio State’s top six offensive linemen while preventing Andy from landing any of OSU’s top three offensive tackles.
Daniels will be the right tackle on my squad, with Onianwa kicking inside to right guard, since Onianwa has been cross-training at both positions during preseason camp.
22. James Peoples, RB (Andy)
23. Mylan Graham, WR (Andy)
Here I addressed two key offensive skill positions, taking who I believe is the best running back on Ohio State's roster this year in James Peoples. Mylan Graham has consistently been one of the most impressive receivers at practices open to the media this offseason, and the speedster is a fantastic complement to Inniss atop my receiver depth chart.
24. Devin Sanchez, CB (Dan)
25. Malik Hartford, S (Dan)
Sanchez looks the part of a future superstar, so I was happy to land him as my No. 2 cornerback and pair him with Mathews for a massive-upside cornerback tandem. Looking to continue filling out my secondary, I went with Hartford over Jaylen McClain to ensure I wouldn’t miss out on landing both of Ohio State’s top free safeties.
26. Jaylen McClain, S (Andy)
27. Will Smith Jr., DT (Andy)
Dan and I both needed a second deep safety after his selection of Hartford, so I snatched up easily the best one available in Jaylen McClain. My deep duo of he and Downs is a massive advantage over what Dan will present in deep coverage.
And he's going to have trouble stopping the inside running game too, as I took Will Smith Jr. to couple with McDonald, giving me two of Ohio State's top three defensive tackles and either of its options at nose guard.
28. Lorenzo Styles Jr., CB (Dan)
29. Caden Curry, DE (Dan)
Knowing that I would be starting five defensive backs on my squad, I drafted Styles to secure Ohio State’s top nickelback before Andy filled out his secondary. With Andy also needing another defensive end, I was glad he allowed me to draft Curry, who could very well give my team both of Ohio State’s starting DEs as many players have identified Curry and Jackson as the defensive linemen stepping up most as leaders this offseason.
30. Will Kacmarek, TE (Andy)
31. Ian Moore, OT (Andy)
Defensive tackle, linebacker, the last position I had available to monopolize was tight end. My decision came down to a 12 personnel look on offense with Will Kacmarek or a typical three-receiver set with Bryson Rodgers, but I settled on Kacmarek. Not only did Keenan Bailey dub Kacmarek the "best blocking tight end" in the country, which will support my weakness at offensive tackle (can't win 'em all), but he's going to see more action this year than Rodgers. Or the tight end options left for Dan.
After that pick, the draft came down to us filling the remaining holes on our roster with obvious choices. I took Ian Moore to start at left tackle, a player who's been battling to start at RT this offseason for the Buckeyes.
32. Riley Pettijohn, LB (Dan)
33. Tywone Malone Jr., DT (Dan)
With two spots left to fill in my defensive front, I drafted the players I expect to round out Ohio State’s two-deep at linebacker and defensive tackle in Pettijohn and Malone. Pettijohn gives my defense another highly touted freshman with sky-high potential while Malone seems to be making a move toward playing a bigger role as a fifth-year senior.
34. Lincoln Kienholz, QB (Andy)
35. Joshua Padilla, C (Andy)
Lincoln Kienholz was written in stone as my quarterback since Dan scooped up Sayin with the fifth overall pick, and with no threats left for steals of players I needed based on the positions we had left open, now was the time to take the man who could still possibly be the starter this fall. And I do think Kienholz will prove to be a great quarterback for a team someday, even if it's not necessarily at Ohio State should he lose this year's battle.
Joshua Padilla was the best remaining offensive lineman available and the mauler enters his third season touted as a reason why the Buckeyes are confident in their depth on the offensive line. He and Tshabola are a center-guard tandem I can have faith in, especially with Dan forced to play Malone at nose and two freshmen at linebacker.
36. Faheem Delane, S (Dan)
37. TJ Alford, LB (Dan)
I continued my trend of drafting highly touted freshmen to round out my defense with Delane and Alford, who offer the most upside to make an impact this year among the safeties and linebackers left on the board in this scenario. Delane is a natural fit to play strong safety alongside Hartford, giving my team two rangy and hard-hitting safeties, while Alford’s skill set as a speedy weakside linebacker pairs well with fellow freshman Pettijohn’s well-rounded game.
38. Aaron Scott Jr., CB (Andy)
39. Carter Lowe, OT (Andy)
Having former five-star prospect Aaron Scott Jr. as the worst member of my secondary on paper is pretty good, I think. Scott could well be Ohio State's third outside cornerback depending on where things stand between he and Sanchez. Freshman Carter Lowe is a touted prospect, if a green player, to pair at offensive tackle with Moore.
40. CJ Donaldson, RB (Dan)
41. Jelani Thurman, TE (Dan)
Once Andy drafted Kacmarek as his fifth offensive skill-position player, I knew I could wait until my last three picks to round out my offense. I was content allowing Andy to draft Peoples knowing I’d still have the chance to draft Donaldson, who I expect to make a signficant impact while splitting carries with Peoples after transferring to Ohio State from West Virginia.
Andy threw me a curveball by drafting Kacmarek as a second tight end, but I’m not upset with the consolation prize of Thurman, who’s the Buckeyes’ top receiving TE after Klare and would likely be the starting tight end for most teams around college football entering his junior season.
42. C.J. Hicks, DE (Andy)
43. Gabe VanSickle, G (Andy)
I rounded out my starting lineup with who I considered the best defensive end and best guard available. C.J. Hicks has hype growing around him after moving down from linebacker this offseason and should be a fearsome pairing with Atkinson in my pass rush, and Gabe VanSickle has cracked the two-deep with a big offseason at guard for the Buckeyes.
44. Bryson Rodgers, WR (Dan)
With one skill-position slot left to fill on offense, I considered five different players with the draft’s final pick. I could have bet on the upside of another freshman by drafting wide receiver Quincy Porter or running back Anthony “Turbo” Rogers or Bo Jackson; Rogers’ versatility to play both RB and slot receiver was appealing, while the idea of running two big backs behind my loaded offensive line was likewise tempting. I also considered following Andy’s lead and drafting a second tight end in Bennett Christian to bolster my blocking advantage even further.
In the end, though, I knew drafting a slot receiver would present the toughest challenge for Andy’s defense since he doesn’t have a nickelback. Rodgers will likely be Ohio State’s No. 5 receiver this season and pairs well with Smith and Tate as a crisp route-runner out of the slot.
Lineup Comparison
| Dan’s Team | Pos | Andy’s Team |
|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | ||
| JULIAN SAYIN (5) | QB | LINCOLN KIENHOLZ (34) |
| CJ DONALDSON (40) | RB | JAMES PEOPLES (22) |
| JEREMIAH SMITH (1) | WR | BRANDON INNISS (15) |
| CARNELL TATE (8) | WR | MYLAN GRAHAM (23) |
| BRYSON RODGERS (44) | WR/TE | MAX KLARE (6) |
| JELANI THURMAN (41) | TE | WILL KACMAREK (30) |
| AUSTIN SIEREVELD (9) | LT | IAN MOORE (31) |
| LUKE MONTGOMERY (12) | LG | GABE VANSICKLE (43) |
| CARSON HINZMAN (13) | C | JOSHUA PADILLA (35) |
| ETHAN ONIANWA (21) | RG | TEGRA TSHABOLA (14) |
| PHILLIP DANIELS (20) | RT | CARTER LOWE (39) |
| DEFENSE | ||
| KENYATTA JACKSON JR. (16) | DE | BEAU ATKINSON (19) |
| CADEN CURRY (29) | DE | C.J. HICKS (43) |
| TYWONE MALONE JR. (33) | DT | KAYDEN MCDONALD (3) |
| EDDRICK HOUSTON (4) | DT | WILL SMITH JR. (27) |
| TJ ALFORD (37) | LB | SONNY STYLES (7) |
| RILEY PETTIJOHN (32) | LB | ARVELL REESE (10) |
| LORENZO STYLES JR. (28) | NB/LB | PAYTON PIERCE (11) |
| JERMAINE MATHEWS JR. (17) | CB | DAVISON IGBINOSUN (18) |
| DEVIN SANCHEZ (24) | CB | AARON SCOTT JR. (38) |
| MALIK HARTFORD (25) | FS | CALEB DOWNS (2) |
| FAHEEM DELANE (36) | SS | JAYLEN MCCLAIN (26) |
The Case for Each Team
Andy
My defense is a league above Dan's, and I still have the offensive weaponry to move the ball.
I have the best defensive player in college football, Caleb Downs, anchoring my safety tandem with Jaylen McClain. Pair that with Davison Igbinosun, one of the best cornerbacks in America, and I have by far the better secondary as Dan is forced to start two freshmen in his back end and two freshmen at linebacker. He has the Buckeyes' No. 3 player at nose guard, which is considered the thinnest position on Ohio State's roster.
My 4-3 defense will negate Dan's rushing attack and, even with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, I like my defense against any offense forced to go one-dimensional. C.J. Hicks and Beau Atkinson will pin their ears back and pressure Julian Sayin.
With two elite tight ends in Max Klare and Will Kacmarek and Dan's weakness on the interior of his defense, I'll be able to establish my running game, especially with the legs of Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback. Mylan Graham and Brandon Inniss bring enough speed and playmaking for me to air the ball out, too, even if Kienholz has to extend plays outside of the pocket or make a lot of quick passes.
Dan
My team has five of Ohio State’s top six offensive linemen and Jeremiah Smith. Do I really need to say more?
Pairing Smith with Tate gives my team the nation’s best duo at wide receiver, with a potential star throwing them the ball in Sayin. Coupling them with my far more experienced and proven offensive line, my team has a clear and obvious advantage on offense.
I’ll give Andy credit for making some shrewd moves on defense, but I still ended up with arguably Ohio State’s two best defensive linemen (Jackson and Houston) as well as a pair of emerging stars at cornerback (Mathews and Sanchez). My 4-2-5 defensive scheme is also the better fit for the modern game, especially when considering the receiving weapons Andy’s 4-3 defense will be tasked with covering.
Cast Your Vote
