Ohio State's starting left guard will return in 2026.
Luke Montgomery is coming back for his senior season at Ohio State, making it one less piece the Buckeyes' reeling offensive line has to search for in the transfer portal.
Love this place and the people pic.twitter.com/w25MySqlQl
— Luke Montgomery (@lukeMonty8) January 13, 2026
Montgomery started all 14 games at left guard for Ohio State in 2025, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors from both the conference's coaches and its media. During the regular season, he didn't allow a sack and yielded a mere 10 total pressures in 366 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
But Montgomery – as with the Buckeyes' offensive line as a whole – struggled in Ohio State's two postseason games vs. Indiana and Miami. In those two contests, he allowed a combined three sacks and six pressures. Ohio State allowed 10 sacks between the two games. He'll be hungry for a better finish to his final collegiate campaign.
A top-100 prospect out of Ohio in the recruiting class of 2023, Montgomery saw his first major stint of action during the 2024 College Football Playoff. He rotated at left guard with starter Austin Siereveld, who in turn rotated with right guard Tegra Tshabola, for Ohio State's first two CFP victories. Montgomery started at left guard and played the position full-time for the Buckeyes' semifinal and championship wins. He has 16 career games started.
Ohio State is expected to return three other starters from its 2025 offensive line: Siereveld, arguably the best piece of the Buckeyes' offensive line at left tackle this season, center Carson Hinzman and right tackle Phillip Daniels. Tshabola has entered the transfer portal, but Joshua Padilla and Gabe VanSickle, who both rotated with him at times in 2025, are back.
Still, Ohio State should be evaluating any potential offensive line upgrades in the transfer portal after a disappointing end to the season for the unit. Montgomery gives them a piece for 2026, however.
