Jay Timmons became the first Ohio State freshman to lose his black stripe since preseason training camp opened last week.
The Buckeyes announced Timmons earned the distinction for newcomers to the program following their practice on Aug. 12.
Timmons has made an early push to start at nickel back for the Buckeyes, taking first-team reps at the position during a handful of practices open to the public
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“He came in making plays off the bat,” safety Earl Little Jr. said. “He’s there mentally as well as physically. For a young guy, he made a tremendous amount of plays. He continues to do that.”
Timmons has not only caused disruption in coverage, but he also had a sack during an 11-on-11 period in the Buckeyes’ last open practice.
Timmons was one of the
highest-ranked high school players during the last recruiting cycle, the nation’s No. 25 overall prospect, according to composite rankings from 247Sports. He had been committed to Florida State before flipping his commitment to Ohio State in November.
The Buckeyes are looking for a replacement at nickel back after Lorenzo Styles Jr. exhausted his eligibility at the end of last year and was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the NFL draft in April. Jermaine Mathews Jr., a returning starting cornerback, has also taken reps at nickel.
Wide receivers Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. were the last freshmen to lose their black stripes after reaching the milestone during spring practice.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jay Timmons becomes first Ohio State football freshman to lose black stripe in camp
