Ohio State’s defensive backfield is among the most intriguing position groups heading into the 2026 season, and at the center of that intrigue is a cornerback room that blends experience, transfer talent,
and incoming youth.
With a pair of reliable starters locking up the perimeter and a collection of high-ceiling backups pushing for snaps, the Buckeyes appear positioned to maintain defensive continuity, but not without some depth concerns if injuries strike.
After a period of turnover that saw departures via the transfer portal and the NFL Draft, Ohio State’s coaching staff put a premium on retooling the secondary. The result is a revamped cornerback corps that combines proven starters with developmental pieces who could emerge into key contributors if given the opportunity.
Clear starters on the outside: Devin Sanchez and Jermaine Matthews Jr.
The foundation of Ohio State’s cornerback room begins with Devin Sanchez and Jermaine Matthews Jr., a pairing that blends proven reliability with high-end developmental upside on the perimeter.
Sanchez is the projection piece, and the ceiling play. As a true freshman last season, he was thrust into meaningful snaps earlier than expected and experienced the full learning curve that comes with playing cornerback in the Big Ten.
There were moments of struggle in coverage, but his physical tools consistently flashed. Sanchez’s length, fluidity, and press-man traits are evident, and when his technique held up, he showed the ability to stay attached vertically and contest throws at the catch point.
Entering this season, the expectation is that a year of live reps and offseason refinement will turn those flashes into consistency.
Matthews provides the stabilizing presence opposite him. A more seasoned and battle-tested corner, Matthews has earned staff trust through discipline, competitiveness, and reliability in high-leverage situations. He may not draw as much attention as Sanchez’s upside, but Matthews has proven capable of handling top assignments, particularly in off-man and zone coverage, where his awareness and ball skills stand out.
His consistency allows Ohio State to live with occasional growing pains elsewhere.
Together, Sanchez and Matthews represent a high-upside, high-responsibility tandem. One brings experience and steadiness, the other brings traits that could elevate the entire secondary if development meets projection. For Ohio State, that balance will define how aggressive the defense can be on the back end this season.
The nickel and secondary flexibility: Earl Little Jr.
Ohio State’s defensive staff appears to be entrusting the nickel role to Earl Little Jr., the veteran transfer from Florida State who played safety last season, but projects seamlessly into the slot. Little’s combination of physicality, coverage instincts, and experience handling quick-breaking underneath routes makes him an ideal fit for modern nickel assignments, where tight ends, and swift slot receivers all demand attention.
Though technically part of the safety room, Little’s presence will significantly impact the cornerback rotation. The nickel role is less about size and more about versatility, and Little has shown in his collegiate career that he can mirror routes with disciplined footwork and sharp anticipation.
That versatility also affords defensive coordinator Matt Patricia schematic creativity, from hybrid coverages to pressure looks built around disguising responsibility and coverage looks.
Up next: Calhoun, Kelly, Timmons, and rotational depth
Behind those three veterans lies a compelling mix of youth and transfer ability.
Cameron Calhoun, a recent Alabama transfer, enters Ohio State with valuable experience in a Power Five secondary. Calhoun’s athletic profile and competitive toughness give him the versatility to work on the boundary or in rotation packages early in the season.
His acclimation to Ohio State’s defense will be important, but his on-field experience gives him a leg up compared to many first-year rotation candidates.
Dominick Kelly, the Georgia transfer, adds another developmental but important layer. Though still just a sophomore, Kelly saw the field in multiple games for a deep Georgia secondary as a true freshman, gaining valuable exposure to elite competition and high-level defensive structure.
His length and technical foundation make him a longer-term piece with real growth potential in Ohio State’s system.
Alongside Calhoun and Kelly, true freshman Jay Timmons stands poised for early opportunity. Timmons arrives in Columbus with significant buzz. A high-level recruit with the length, burst, and coverage instincts that project well to early playing time.
Even if he begins as a situational player, appearances throughout the rotation are likely, and a strong spring and fall camp could push him into regular rotational snaps by midseason.
Beyond that trio, depth becomes more speculative. Miles Lockhart, Jordyn Woods, and Jordan Thomas offer athletic promise, but none have yet proven they can handle extended, high-leverage snaps. If Ohio State stays healthy, that won’t matter.
If it doesn’t, this cornerback room could be forced to rely on projection rather than production.
Assessment: Top-heavy strength, depth questions remain
Ohio State’s cornerback room is strong at the top. Two reliable outside starters, a versatile nickel option, and emerging contributors in Calhoun, Kelly and Timmons. That mix should allow defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to build sophisticated coverage schemes, disguise looks, and rotate players in ways that keep opponents off balance.
But the depth is decidedly less proven. If Sanchez or Matthews were to miss significant time, Ohio State’s next wave of contributors, Calhoun, Kelly, Timmons, Lockhart, Woods, and Thomas, would be tested quickly. None have yet logged significant snaps in a high-stakes Power Five rotation, and the learning curve at cornerback is steep.
What Ohio State appears to have done well is balance experience with developmental promise. The Buckeyes aren’t throwing untested freshmen into impossible roles. They’re creating a tiered system where veterans handle early downs and high-leverage moments, while ambitious young players get opportunities to grow in structured rotational settings.
If that plan holds, Ohio State’s cornerback room could be one of the more underrated units in the defense next season, one that quietly bends but rarely breaks. But if injuries strike at the top, the room’s relative lack of seasoned backups and depth could become a storyline of consequence.
In the end, this is a group built for today and tomorrow, proven performers leading a wave of high-potential defenders, all under a scheme designed to maximize both.
