BOOM
Four-star offensive tackle Jimmy Kalis commits to Ohio State.
Ohio State held its final practice before the 2026 spring game on Friday, and the defensive backs brought their A-game.
Several stood out with strong coverage against the Buckeyes’ daunting receiving corps, with cornerbacks Dominick Kelly and Devin Sanchez topping the list. As spring draws to a close, confidence grows that Ohio State could sustain its elite No. 1-ranked pass defense in 2026, though the lack of Caleb Downs at safety will present challenges to reach such heights.
The defense as a whole had the upper hand on Ohio State’s offense, and as such, that’s where the majority of the 13 standouts from the practice listed here emerge from. Beau Atkinson continues to be a revelation at defensive end this spring, and though he’ll need to show his gains on the field in the fall, it could be a redshirt senior renaissance for the former Tar Heel.
That’s not to say there weren’t standouts on the offensive side, however; there were even several at the wide receiver position. Let’s break it all down.
CB Dominick Kelly
At every opportunity to watch Ohio State practice this spring, Kelly has done his best impression of a seatbelt. He’s like super glue on the Buckeyes’ receivers. The Georgia transfer is upping his game this offseason.
From the jump of the Buckeyes’ first red zone period, he showcased his skill, breaking up passes intended for UTSA transfer Devin McCuin and LSU transfer Kyle Parker. Those are two of the four wideouts battling to start alongside Brandon Inniss and Jeremiah Smith this fall. Every time I glanced his way in coverage, he was in phase.
Kelly is already solidifying himself as Ohio State’s No. 3 corner. But he could start pressuring Jermaine Mathews Jr. or Sanchez for a starting spot if this continues.
DE Beau Atkinson
This morning, I wrote that Atkinson was on the fringes of Ohio State’s competition to start at defensive end alongside Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Man, was I wrong. It’s far from the first time. But just how fast Atkinson proved me wrong is hysterical.
On one of the first plays of the Buckeyes’ team period, he crashed down the offensive line to invade the backfield for a tackle for loss. He stayed a constant menace to the offense throughout practice, and had one of the best wow moments by bull rushing through redshirt freshman offensive tackle Carter Lowe and planting on the ground in pass rush.
Good on Atkinson for making me eat my words. If you want to watch me eat them on video, check out Dan Hope and my's Press Coverage video giving our reactions to the practice:
CB Devin Sanchez
Sanchez’s sophomore surge continues this spring, as he nearly matched Kelly in his seatbelt ability – even winning a few reps against Jeremiah Smith (though Smith got the better of him on a few occasions). He broke up another pass intended for Parker. The five-star prospect continues rising to the promise of that rating, and ideally, it will translate to the fall.
WR Brandon Inniss
Separation is the main thing I’ve felt Inniss needed to improve on to grow from his disappointing 2025 campaign, and he sure did separate on what was roughly a 60-yard touchdown catch on a deep ball up the sideline. He made several other catches against the live defense and reached back behind him for a slick one-handed catch while running routes on air.
CB Jordan Thomas
Jordan Thomas impressed on several plays, including an interception, on Friday.
The third-most outstanding corner from my purview in practice was the freshman Thomas. Fellow freshman Jay Timmons was out, as was the current starting nickel Earl Little Jr., offering him more bites at the apple than usual. He paid it off with an interception and a pass breakup.
DT Eddrick Houston
Houston impressed on Friday as he battles for a starting defensive tackle, recording a sack and collapsing pockets around quarterbacks Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair. He looks stronger and leaner entering his junior year, which hopefully results in a breakout season.
DE Epi Sitanilei
While Atkinson, Qua Russaw and Zion Grady battle atop the defensive end depth chart to start alongside Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Sitanilei keeps impressing in practice. He smoked most of the backup offensive tackles he went up against and gave headaches to Tavein St. Clair with his pressure.
WR Chris Henry Jr.
Five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. showed how he's settling in in the final practice of his first spring.
Of the quartet battling to be Ohio State’s third starting wide receiver, Henry arguably had the best day by a slim margin. He made a fantastic contested catch against safety Terry Moore and St. Clair found him for a chunk gain on a crisp intermediate route. His hands looked steady throughout practice.
TE Mason Williams
Williams arrived at Ohio State touted for his blocking, but he flexed some nice receiving skills in Ohio Stadium. He hauled in a few receptions, including a touchdown during the red zone period, sneaking behind the second level of defense with a well-run route. Nate Roberts also had a nice one-handed grab as the tight end competition remains in full swing.
WR Devin McCuin
Henry had a good day and Parker recovered nicely after a few early drops, plus Boyd continues to look polished and fast. But if asked which of the quartet I currently expect to start at receiver, I’d still say McCuin. He showed why again on Friday, flexing his joystick-like moves after the catch, speed and route running. And savvy. One play that impressed me in particular was a slant catch over the middle by McCuin, where he shielded off a defender with his body to snare the ball.
S Jaylen McClain
Jaylen McClain looked as steady as ever in Ohio State's stadium practice.
McClain was a quiet bedrock for Ohio State in pass coverage last year, allowing just 15 receptions for 84 yards and no touchdowns in 25 targets, per Pro Football Focus. That's 3.1 yards per target. The few times the ball got thrown his way, he showed that ability once more, including a PBU on a pass intended for tight end Hunter Welcing.
WR Jeremiah Smith
Saying Jeremiah Smith had a great practice is like saying the sky is blue. Or that Michigan cheated. It’s a mere assumption and statement of fact. Still, he caught one ball through triple coverage and had another nice leaping grab, plus a one-handed catch on the sideline that was barely out of bounds.
WR Nolan Baudo
Baudo, a walk-on, won’t play any role on offense for Ohio State this season. But he made the most spectacular play of the day on a post route. St. Clair fit a tight spiral over the top of the defense, and Baudo dove out in full extension to snag it as he fell to the turf. Teammates erupted in cheers appropriately.
