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From 2022 through 2024, defensive end Caden Curry has patiently waited for his turn. With the likes of Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, Zach Harrison, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste ahead of him during his Ohio State career, Curry has still made himself impossible
to keep off the field.
Joining Kenyatta Jackson Jr. in Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class, the native of Greenwood, Indiana announced his commitment to the Buckeyes in December of 2021 out of Center Grove High School.
Curry played on special teams in his first college game in a 21-10 win over Notre Dame to kick off the 2022 season. He saw snaps on the defensive side of the ball the next week in a 45-12 rout of Arkansas State. Later that year, he recorded half a sack against Iowa. Spelling starters and closing out games, Curry added 1.5 sacks in 2023 and 2.5 sacks in 2024.
In his first three seasons with Ohio State, the 6-foot-3 senior has amassed 45 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. He broke up one pass, recorded three quarterback hurries, and forced two fumbles. He even blocked a punt at home against Purdue last season.
Curry’s explosiveness has never been in question. What Ohio State fans have been waiting to see is consistency. With a composite rating as the No. 123 overall player and the No. 13 defensive end by 247Sports in the 2022 class, Curry helped lead Center Grove to a Class 6A title in Indiana in 2021, racking up 65 tackles, seven sacks, and 24 tackles for loss. That gave him a prep career with an incredible 290 tackles, 28 sacks, and 83.5 tackles for loss.
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesSome players in Curry’s position might have transferred out — he was heavily recruited by his home state Indiana Hoosiers and could have been a star in Bloomington — but he stayed loyal to the Buckeyes, Ryan Day, and position coach Larry Johnson Jr., and now he has the opportunity to build his legacy in Columbus.
He and Jackson are the expected defensive end starters, but there will be pressure to perform, as there are highly rated younger players pushing for playing time of their own.
Curry’s main attribute is his quickness. Smart opposing coaches can use that against players at times. To become an every down defensive end and live up to the lofty standards of those defensive ends who came to Ohio State before him, Curry will need to prove he can be versatile, set the edge, create stalemates against linemen to allow the secondary to make a play.
He must also mix in a variety of pass rush moves so opposing coaches and players can’t take advantage of him leaning on an upfield, outside-shoulder rush against offensive tackles. If he can do that enough to stay on the field for most of the important snaps, he has the talent to put up numbers as good or better than Sawyer and Tuilomoau a year ago.
The time is now. The talent is there. Now it’s up to Curry to show consistency and growth to become the type of defensive leader Ohio State needs.
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