Which Freshmen Will Have Major Roles This Season?

Which Ohio State freshmen are ready to become major contributors during the 2026 season? Tony Gerdeman and Juck Miletti examine the Buckeyes’ incoming freshmen and predict which players will join the 100 Snap Club. They look back at recent Ohio State classes, explain why 100 snaps is such a meaningful benchmark for a true freshman, and compare this year’s group with the loaded 2021 class that helped build the 2024 national championship team. The discussion includes Sam Greer’s opportunity on the offensive line, the expectations for Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd at receiver, Legend Bey’s potential role at running back, Khary Wilder’s upside at defensive end, and several young defensive backs who could force their way onto the field. 0:00 — Welcome to the Buckeye Weekly Podcast 0:18 — Why the 100 Snap Club matters 0:51 — Recent trends for Ohio State freshmen 2:47 — Comparing recent classes with the loaded 2021 group 5:02 — What the best freshman classes have in common 5:57 — Freshmen who reached 100 snaps under Ryan Day 6:58 — Can offensive lineman Sam Greer get there? 9:15 — Tight end Nick Lautar’s chances 9:29 — Chris Henry Jr., Brock Boyd and the freshman receivers 10:31 — Could Jerquaden Guilford also reach 100 snaps? 11:42 — How Cortez Hankton’s rotation could affect the receivers 12:18 — Legend Bey and the freshman running backs 13:59 — Quarterback Luke Fahey’s outlook 14:13 — Freshman defensive tackles to watch 15:22 — How Ohio State may divide the defensive tackle snaps 16:38 — Why all three defensive tackles could fall short 17:33 — Khary Wilder’s path to immediate playing time 19:04 — Could Wilder approach Chase Young’s freshman total? 20:13 — Freshman linebacker projections 21:16 — Why 100 snaps is rare for Ohio State linebackers 22:18 — Jay Timmons and the backup nickel role 23:09 — Why Ohio State wants Timmons on the field 24:36 — What makes Timmons such an unusual cornerback prospect 26:01 — Jordan Thomas’ path into the cornerback rotation 27:25 — Blaine Bradford and the safety depth chart 29:02 — How transfer retention could affect freshman playing time 30:52 — Final predictions for the 100 Snap Club 31:13 — What matching the 2021 class could mean Which Ohio State freshmen do you think will play at least 100 snaps this season? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, turn on notifications, and give the video a thumbs up to help more Buckeye fans find the show. For more Ohio State football coverage and discussion, join us at BuckeyeInsiders.com.