Three Position Battles to Watch for in Ohio State Buckeyes Spring Game
Saturday's spring game will preview a completely different Ohio State team from a year ago.
After a roster overhaul that saw the loss of 12 starters – including potential top-10 picks Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, and Arvell Reese – the Buckeyes enter this spring game with many questions on who will replace these stars.
Here are three key position battles to watch during the game.
Linebacker
It is never an easy task to replace a first-rounder at linebacker, let alone two. Styles and Reese fronted one of the elite linebacker pairings in the country last year, contributing 151 tackles and 7.5 sacks for the top scoring defense in the country.
Payton Pierce is expected to start at one of the linebacker openings, after appearing in all 14 games and recording 44 tackles last season.
The other spot is a battle between 4-star Riley Pettijohn and Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro, who has produced 119 tackles the last two years as a Badger. As Alliegro provides experience, Pettijohn possesses the higher ceiling and versatility next to Pierce. The snap counts for both these two tomorrow is absolutely something to watch for as this battle continues into summer practices.
Defensive End
Although the Buckeyes return Kenyatta Jackson Jr., they will need to find the replacement for Caden Curry, who led the Buckeyes with 11 sacks a year ago. While depth here will not be a problem for them, it is a three-man race for who will take Curry's spot.
Zion Grady is the favorite going into training camp to take the spot, after showing flashes of stardom in the limited time he saw a season ago. Qua Russaw, an Alabama transfer, is expected to be the main competition against Grady for this spot. Both could be major disruptors next to Jackson Jr.
The wild card in this battle is Beau Atkinson, who after transferring from North Carolina two years ago was expected to be a main contributor for the defense last season. Instead, he only appeared in 11 of the 14 games for the Buckeyes and recorded just 1 sack. Yet, he possesses more experience than both Russaw and Grady, and if he can return to the player he was in 2024 at UNC, the opening could end up in his hands.
Wide Receiver
All-world wideout Jeremiah Smith returns with senior Brandon Innis, but the Buckeyes brought a lot of depth to the position in the offseason that can all battle for that third spot.
Chris Henry Jr., who was the No.7 player in the class of 2026 rankings according to ESPN, has been lauded as the next great Buckeye receiver and would pose a polarizing duo with Smith. He has already lost his black stripe with the Buckeyes, and has already shown flashes of his jump-ball ability, making him an instant redzone target for Julian Sayin.
Ohio State also added UTSA transfer Devin McCuin and LSU transfer Kyle Parker. Parker will compete with Henry Jr. for the other outside receiver spot, as McCuin is expected to rotate with Innis in the slot. A breakout from spring practices so far has been freshman Brock Boyd, who became the third-fastest Buckeye ever to lose their black stripe. He is also a name worth watching tomorrow and see what group he will work in with.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ohiostate as Three Position Battles to Watch for in Ohio State Buckeyes Spring Game.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 5:09 PM.