Ohio State's success next year might just be tied to three true freshmen.
These true freshmen come into college a little bit differently these days. Gone are the days when these youngsters would come in and need a lot of development. These kids come to campus ready to play and contribute right away.
In the last two years, Ohio State has had at least one impact freshman, and this year, they may find themselves relying on a couple more.
The 2024 season was headlined by Jeremiah Smith at wide receiver, and the 2025 campaign was all about Bo Jackson in the backfield. The 2026 season will be the year of either Chris Henry Jr., Brock Boyd, Jay Timmons, or some combination of all three.
The obvious ones are on the offensive side of the ball, as the Buckeyes desperately need wide receiver help behind Jeremiah Smith. There are a couple of contenders in the room right now, but Henry Jr. and Boyd are going to be in the mix.
Those two present two totally different skill sets. Henry Jr. is your typical outside wide receiver threat. He stands 6'5" tall with great athleticism, speed, and quickness. He has incredible hands and still has a ton of room to grow into his body.
Boyd, on the other hand, is an old-school slot receiver who has everything that it takes to be a killer from the slot. He can win with precision routes; he can win with his speed, and he can kill with his quickness. He has elite hands, and everything that he does has caught the attention of his older Buckeye teammates.
On defense, another young Buckeye is making a name for himself. This one is more of a surprise for Buckeye Nation because Jay Timmons has come from nowhere.
Timmons was a very late flip from Florida State to Ohio State, very late in the recruiting process. Timmons was the No. 4-ranked cornerback in the 2027 class and was a top-50 overall player according to 247Sports.
He joins a defense and a secondary that are replacing a lot of key pieces and require a guy to pick up the slack.
Timmons could be just the guy.
In the new age of college football, having an impact as a freshman is almost a requirement. With the money that these guys require, when they come to campus, they have to be ready to play and contribute.
The Buckeyes believe they have their hands on several of the best guys who will definitely be making plays for them on Saturdays.
