After Ohio State's primetime 48-10 pummeling of UCLA, we share the game’s grades from Pro Football Focus, which grades every player after every game based on how they perform on a snap-to-snap basis.
We compiled the PFF grades for every Buckeye who played on either offense or defense in the eighth game of the season and highlight the three highest-graded players who played at least 10 snaps against the Bruins. For the first time in six weeks, a new name is at the top of the list, which features all players from the offensive side of the ball.
| ELITE | GOOD | ABOVE AVG. | AVG. | BELOW AVG. | POOR | VERY POOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | 80-89 | 70-79 | 60-69 | 50-59 | 40-49 | Below 40 |
1. RT Phillip Daniels (90.1)
For the first time this season, an offensive lineman graded out as Ohio State's best player. Daniels, who missed the Purdue game due to an injury, returned to the field with his best performance of the season against UCLA. The Princeton High alum graded out as the highest-rated offensive lineman in the country in run blocking (91.1) and overall grade (90.1) for Week 12.
Highest Graded Offensive Lineman from Week 12:
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 17, 2025
Phillip Daniels, Ohio State: 90.1@OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/EswgNWarQS
2. TE Nate Roberts (87.9)
Roberts made the most of his 14 snaps against UCLA as his overall grade of 87.9 was fourth-best in the nation among tight ends. This marks the first time for a tight end to be rated among Ohio State's three since Jelani Thurman graded out with a 93 against Grambling State in Week 2.
Quite a turnaround for Roberts, who graded out as the lowest-rated Ohio State offensive player (44.9) last week against Purdue.
3. RB James Peoples (86.7)
Like Roberts, Peoples made the most of his limited action on the field. His running grade of 87.2 was tops in the Big Ten and his 86.7 overall offensive grade against UCLA was second-best in the conference.
Peoples had two touchdown runs and averaged seven yards per carry, but those stats don't shine a light on his electrifying touchdown in which he hurdled Bruin defender, Cole Martin.
2nd TD of the night for James Peoples @OhioStateFB
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 16, 2025
: NBC pic.twitter.com/DQozXJ4vye
Extra Points
- Tywone Malone Jr. led the Big Ten's defensive tackles in run defense (91.8) and overall defense (86.0).
- Austin Siereveld earned a grade of 80.5 in run blocking, which was second-best in the conference behind Daniels.
- Lorenzo Styles Jr.'s 100-yard kickoff return gave him a return grade of 87.4, good for second in the nation in Week 12.
- Jayden Fielding earned the Big Ten's highest grade for kickoffs (75.6).
- Devin Sanchez (31.6) had the lowest grade of any Buckeye with at least five snaps, with David Adolph (55.7) earning the lowest offensive grade of any Ohio State player against UCLA.
- Julian Sayin leads all quarterbacks for the season with an overall grade and passing grade of 93.4.
- Sonny Styles, with a tackling grade of 91.8 for the season, has the best tackling grade in the country among all linebackers.
- Jeremiah Smith leads the Buckeye receivers with an overall grade of 90.4 and a 90.2 receiving grade.
- Carnell Tate ranks third in the Big Ten in offense (89.8) and receiving (89.5) for the season.
- Kayden MacDonald is the Big Ten's best defensive lineman against the run (91.4) this season.
- Tegra Tshabola led the team with a pass blocking grade of 84.3 against UCLA.
| GAME | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas |
DT Kayden McDonald (82.4) |
DT Will Smith Jr. (80.7) |
CB Jermaine Mathews Jr. (78.0) |
| Grambling |
DT Kayden McDonald (93.6) |
TE Jelani Thurman (93.0) |
QB Lincoln Kienholz (88.1) |
| Ohio | DE Caden Curry (92.5) | LB Sonny Styles (89.2) | QB Julian Sayin (85.4) |
| Washington | DE Caden Curry (80.3)* | OL Carson Hinzman (80.3)* | OL Austin Siereveld (75.8) |
| Minnesota | QB Julian Sayin (91.9) | WR Carnell Tate (86.9) | S Lorenzo Styles Jr. (84.8) |
| Illinois | QB Julian Sayin (86.0) | DT Kayden McDonald (85.5) | DE Caden Curry (79.0) |
| Wisconsin | QB Julian Sayin (91.4) | WR Carnell Tate (82.5) | LB Payton Pierce (80.8) |
| Penn State |
QB Julian Sayin (92.7) |
DT Eddrick Houston (92.2) | WR Jeremiah Smith (90.1) |
| Purdue | QB Julian Sayin (89.2) | DT Kayden McDonald (88.3) | WR Jeremiah Smith (87.2) |
| UCLA | RT Phillip Daniels (90.1) | TE Nate Roberts (87.9) | RB James Peoples (86.7) |
*Curry and Hinzman tied for first against Washington.
Offensive Ratings By Position
Quarterback
Lincoln Kienholz: 74.9 (11 snaps)
Julian Sayin: 72.5 (59 snaps)
Running Backs
James Peoples: 86.7 (6 snaps)
Bo Jackson: 76.1 (35 snaps)
Isaiah West: 67.4 (19 snaps)
Wide Receivers
Jeremiah Smith: 72.3 (22 snaps)
Mylan Graham: 70.2 (42 snaps)
Quincy Porter: 65.7 (57 snaps)
Brandon Inniss: 63.9 (49 snaps)
Bryson Rodgers: 61.2 (38 snaps)
Phillip Bell: 56.1 (3 snaps)
David Adolph: 55.7 (13 snaps)
Tight Ends
Nate Roberts: 87.9 (14 snaps)
Will Kacmarek: 67.6 (12 snaps)
Bennett Christian: 60.3 (18 snaps)
Jelani Thurman: 57.8 (14 snaps)
Max Klare: 56.9 (46 snaps)
Offensive Line
Phillip Daniels: 90.1 (59 snaps)
Austin Siereveld: 82.7 (59 snaps)
Isaiah Kema: 75.1 (11 snaps)
Luke Montgomery: 70.4 (59 snaps)
Carson Hinzman: 69.9 (59 snaps)
Tegra Tshabola: 61.4 (26 snaps)
Ian Moore: 59.6 (11 snaps)
Justin Terry: 59.0 (11 snaps)
Ethan Onianwa: 58.7 (11 snaps)
Gabe Vansickle: 55.8 (44 snaps)
| QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DE | DT | LB | CB | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Kienholz | James Peoples | Jeremiah Smith | Nate Roberts | Phillip Daniels | Caden Curry | Tywone Malone Jr. | Sonny Styles | Bryce West | Caleb Downs |
| 74.9 | 86.7 | 72.3 | 87.9 | 90.1 | 76.2 | 86.0 | 76.7 | 64.8 | 80.2 |
Defensive Ratings by Position
Defensive Ends
Caden Curry: 76.2 (26 snaps)
Dominic Kirks: 68.6 (3 snaps)
Kenyatta Jackson Jr.: 68.1 (24 snaps)
Zion Grady: 67.9 (18 snaps)
Joshua Mickens: 67.5 (4 snaps)
Beau Atkinson: 46.1 (17 snaps)
Defensive Tackles
Tywone Malone Jr.: 86.0 (21 snaps)
Eddrick Houston: 71.0 (19 snaps)
Kayden McDonald: 68.2 (22 snaps)
Jason Moore: 61.6 (6 snaps)
Trajen Odom: 60.4 (1 snap)
Will Smith Jr.: 51.4 (20 snaps)
Linebackers
Sonny Styles: 76.7 (29 snaps)
Riley Pettijohn: 72.3 (29 snaps)
Arvell Reese: 60.0 (29 snaps)
Payton Pierce: 51.8 (20 snaps)
TJ Alford: 49.6 (5 snaps)
Garrett Stover: 33.8 (2 snaps)
Cornerbacks
Bryce West: 64.8 (14 snaps)
Aaron Scott Jr.: 64.1 (20 snaps)
Jermaine Mathews Jr.: 61.4 (33 snaps)
Davison Igbinosun: 59.9 (27 snaps)
Devin Sanchez: 31.6 (29 snaps)
Safeties
Caleb Downs: 80.2 (20 snaps)
Jaylen McClain: 69.9 (33 snaps)
Leroy Roker III: 68.5 (15 snaps)
Faheem Delane: 68.4 (18 snaps)
Lorenzo Styles Jr.: 57.1 (29 snaps)
