Ohio State's new starting linebacker Payton Pierce sets an incredible standard heading into the 2026 season.
Being the guy after the guy is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. The expectations are sky-high, and the term "fill his shoes" gets thrown around a lot.
For Ohio State linebacker Payton Pierce, he is in that exact position heading into the 2026 season. Pierce is penciled in to replace the seventh overall selection in last year's NFL Draft, Sonny Styles, in the middle of the Buckeyes' defense next year.
Styles built himself up to arguably one of the best defensive players in the entire country over the last two seasons after he transitioned from safety to the linebacker position. He was a force each and every Saturday and was the type of player that opposing offenses have to account for on every play.
Pierce has to somehow replace it.
If there was ever a question about his chances of doing that successfully or even just being a leader of the Buckeyes defense and their team, those have absolutely been squashed.
In a news story that should never have come to light, it was publicly revealed that Pierce received the most votes to be the captain of this year's team over everyone else. That sets quite the bar for where his teammates see him.
He is one of the seven Buckeyes who were named a captain on this team for next year, and it was very well deserved.
Pierce is entering his third year on the Buckeyes' defense. In that year, as the Buckeyes ran to the National Championship, he appeared in 12 games while only recording four tackles.
Last year was his coming-out party. He played in all 14 games for the Buckeyes in a backup role, where he finished with 43 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and one fumble.
He did what he was supposed to do, and then, when the opportunity arose, he took full advantage of it this offseason.
Pierce will play a critical role on this team this year. He is the focal point of a defense that is looking for a leader on that side of the ball. After Styles, Caleb Downs, and Arvell Reese all went in the NFL Draft, there are positional holes to fill, but also leadership roles.
It is fairly obvious that Pierce has done enough to et the first chance to fill both for the Buckeyes' defense in 2026. He will not only be exciting to watch, but he will quickly become a fan favorite in Columbus.
