COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State is going to have a revamped roster after its national championship run.

The Buckeyes lost eight starters on defense and are replacing a quarterback and two running backs, along with one starter at receiver and at tight end and two on the offensive line.

That’s a lot for a program to replace, but Ohio State is one of the few programs in the country with national title expectations every year, because of its recruiting success. The Buckeyes have the talent to replace some of the big names who left the roster, but some are unknown.

Here are five under-the-radar players who could make a bigger impact this offseason than some think and will play a key role in Ohio State’s depth next season.

Bo Jackson, Fr., RB

The top two players in the rotation are James Peoples and West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson. They’ll likely lead the running back group next season, but unlike last season, I could see a world where Ohio State uses more than two running backs in its rotation.

If that’s the case, Jackson could be the one who benefits the most from the expanded carries. Jackson, the No. 10 running back in the 2025 class, will have to stay healthy after missing the end of his senior season with an injury, but he has all of the tools to make a push.

Jackson was one of the priority recruits by running backs coach Carlos Locklyn for a reason: He’s a high-ceiling prospect who did everything in his high school career for Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland. He’s a 6-foot, 205-pound running back who has good speed to pair with that size.

If he stays healthy, his combination could help him push both Donaldson and Peoples this offseason. Don’t be surprised if he’s the third running back getting the snaps that Peoples got last season.

Faheem Delane, Fr., S

Five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez was the big-name pickup for the Buckeyes, but Delane was another big defensive priority for Ohio State during the 2025 cycle. The four-star prospect from Maryland was the No. 5 safety and No. 55 player in the country, and when people talk about him, it sounds like he’s the perfect fit for a safety-driven defense.

He’s a versatile player who, at 6-2 and 195 pounds, played high safety, in the box and even in the slot during his time at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School.

“We ask Faheem to do a lot of things,” coach Andy Stefanelli said last summer. “That probably made the evaluation easier because he’s already doing things we’re gonna want him to do in high school.”

Even with former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles gone, that sounds perfect for Ohio State because versatility has been a focus in the secondary since cornerbacks coach Tim Walton was hired and continued with safeties coach Matt Guerrieri.

It shouldn’t be a surprise if Delane finds a home on the second-team depth chart, at least, and makes an impact if he’s called upon because of an injury.

While Jaylen McClain and Malik Hartford will battle for the second starting safety position, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to see a player like Delane push for snaps even in the nickel position vacated by Jordan Hancock.

Players with the versatility of Hancock and unanimous All-American Caleb Downs are hard to find, but Delane has some of those traits. He surely will be called upon more once Downs leaves for the NFL next offseason, but for now, Delane is a player Ohio State will want to get reps early. He should play this year, and even if it’s in a limited role, he’s a name to watch for the future.

Aaron Scott, Soph., CB

Scott didn’t redshirt last season, playing in seven games with six coming in the regular season. He tallied one tackle and one pass breakup, and he made some impressive plays in his 73 snaps even though he only played on the second team.

Davison Igbinosun coming back makes things a little bit more difficult to push for starter reps, with him and Jermaine Mathews Jr., expected to lead the group. Even five-star freshman cornerback Devin Sanchez will add to the competition, but Scott is a talented player and showed that last season.

A five-star recruit in his own right, Scott is ready to push for more playing time in his sophomore season.

The expectation is for Lorenzo Styles to play in the slot, which means Scott should be in line to get more reps on the outside behind both Igbinosun and Mathews heading into the spring.

The competition at cornerback should be fun to watch this spring with Scott, Sanchez and former four-star recruit Bryce West all pushing for more time.

While it’s unlikely that Scott jumps Igbinosun and Mathews as a starter next season, he’s one injury from being thrown into the fire, and Ohio State likes his potential.

Mylan Graham, RS Fr., WR

Ohio State has a wealth of talent at receiver that seems unfair from a national perspective.

The Buckeyes won a national championship with three five-star receivers starting, including freshman Jeremiah Smith, who made an argument for being the best receiver in the country right away. But while Ohio State went on that run, it had two more five-star recruits waiting for their chance: sophomore Brandon Inniss and Graham.

Inniss is poised to turn into a superstar next season. People at Ohio State love him as a leader, and the energy he brings is contagious. When he gets on the field, he looks the part. Missing Emeka Egbuka in the slot will hurt, but Inniss has a chance to fill that role nicely next season.

The player I want to highlight is Graham. Last season, Ohio State’s top three receivers played more than 600 snaps each. I’d expect that will be the case again next season, but Graham can push for the snaps that Inniss got as the fourth receiver. Inniss played 193 offensive snaps, and Graham is an immensely talented receiver who flies under the radar because he didn’t get to campus until the summer last year.

A full offseason will be crucial for Graham as he looks to challenge the rest of the depth chart. At worst, he’ll be an important special teams player and a weapon who can show off his potential on the second team. But even if he doesn’t get meaningful snaps this year, he’s going to be an impact player sooner rather than later. This spring is just the next step in that journey for him.

Another receiver to watch for is Bryson Rodgers. He played 160 snaps last season, and there’s another five-star receiver coming in, freshman Quincy Porter. Ohio State has the deepest receiver group in the country, once again.

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Payton Pierce, Soph., LB

Ohio State’s linebacker corps is extremely deep. James Laurinaitis has done a nice job reshaping the unit since he took over a year ago. He’ll return Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese to lead the group, with C.J. Hicks as an option, too, if he doesn’t turn into a pass rusher.

The Buckeyes also brought in a talented freshman group with Riley Pettijohn, the No. 2 linebacker in the class, four-star Tarvos Alford from Florida and three-star, in-state recruit Eli Lee.

It was just a year ago, however, when people were talking about Pierce as the next standout freshman. The No. 15 linebacker in the 2024 class had a good freshman season.

He played 148 snaps last season with 118 coming on special teams and 30 on defense, but in that time, he made four tackles.

His numbers won’t jump out to anybody, but people at Ohio State love Pierce’s potential. He should be pushing for a spot in the two-deep this offseason, which means more linebacker reps, especially with Gabe Powers transferring to Kansas State.

If things go as expected this offseason, Pierce will be playing in garbage time with the second unit, at the worst. But, as good as Styles and Reese were last season, Ohio State is going to use a third linebacker at times or even rotate them in. That role is there for Pierce to grab with a strong offseason.

(Top photo of Aaron Scott Jr.: Ian Johnson / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)