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There are plenty of bigger names along Ohio State’s defensive line entering 2026. Former five-stars James Smith and Eddrick Houston bring enormous upside, while John Walker arrives from UCF with proven Power Four production.
Then there is Will
Smith Jr.
He may not generate the same offseason hype as those players, but Smith enters his fourth year in Columbus in perhaps the most important position of his career. With Kayden McDonald and Tywone Malone Jr. gone, Ohio State has to replace two experienced interior defensive linemen, and Smith is one of the few returning players who already knows exactly what it takes to play meaningful snaps for the Buckeyes.
This makes him one of the more intriguing players to watch on Ohio State’s defense.
Smith’s development has been gradual. He redshirted in 2023 after injuries limited his first season, appeared in seven games in 2024 and then took another significant step forward in 2025.
Last season, he played in all 13 games and logged 233 defensive and special teams snaps, finishing with 20 tackles. The statistics do not jump off the page. There were no sacks or tackles for loss, and Smith was never asked to be one of the primary playmakers on the defensive line. But that is precisely why 2026 is so interesting. His role is about to change.
Smith arrived at Ohio State as a four-star recruit after a massive senior season at Dublin Coffman, where he recorded 47 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and five sacks in 10 games. He was named first-team All-Ohio and the Division I All-Central District Defensive Player of the Year.
Smith also became one of the highest-ranked prospects in Ohio after initially being viewed as a more developmental defensive tackle prospect. His recruitment itself was a reflection of both his development and his Ohio State connection.
The son of former Buckeye All-American and 2002 national champion Will Smith Sr., he grew up around the program and attended Ohio State camps regularly before earning an offer. He ultimately committed to the Buckeyes in January 2022. But the younger Smith has never been just a legacy player.
Ohio State’s staff has spent years developing his body and his game. Smith told reporters last spring that working with strength coach Mickey Marotti had transformed him physically, while Larry Johnson’s development program has gradually turned him into a more complete interior defender.
That physical development is particularly important now. Ohio State lists Smith at 6-foot-3, 303 pounds, giving him significantly more size than he had when he arrived in Columbus.
There have been signs that the additional strength is translating as well. During the spring, Smith specifically pointed to improvements in his strength and pass-rush repertoire, saying he had been working on adding more moves to his game.
Smith also started alongside Eddrick Houston in Ohio State’s first spring practice and earned the start over John Walker in the spring game, an indication that the coaching staff views him as a legitimate option rather than simply depth.
That does not necessarily mean Smith will be a full-time starter. In fact, Ohio State’s defensive tackle situation appears much more likely to operate as a rotation, particularly early in the season. Matt Patricia has indicated that he expects a committee approach, and the Buckeyes have four legitimate upperclassmen competing for major interior snaps.
That could actually be perfect for Smith. Ohio State does not need him to suddenly become Kayden McDonald. They need him to become a dependable, physical interior presence who can handle 20-plus snaps, hold his ground against the run and give the defense something when it gets into obvious passing situations.
There is reason to believe he can do more than simply eat space. Smith’s high school production showed that he has the ability to disrupt plays, while his development as a pass rusher gives him another avenue to expand his role.
Smith does not have to produce double-digit sacks from the interior to be valuable. If he can consistently collapse the pocket, occupy blockers and create opportunities for Ohio State’s linebackers and edge rushers, his impact will be considerably larger than the box score suggests.
The competition will be fascinating. John Walker probably has the highest floor as a proven nose tackle, while James Smith and Eddrick Houston possess enormous physical upside at the three-technique. Smith sits somewhere in between, he has experience in the program, knows the defense, has continued to add strength and has already shown the staff enough to earn meaningful opportunities.
That is why he could be one of Ohio State’s more important wild cards this season. A year ago, Smith was the guy waiting behind the veterans. Now, those veterans are gone, and the opportunity is finally his.
If Smith takes another step as a run defender and turns the pass-rush improvements he talked about in the spring into actual disruption on Saturdays, he could go from a rotational developmental piece to one of the most trusted defensive tackles on the roster.
And suddenly, the player who spent the first few years of his Ohio State career waiting for his opportunity could become a force right in the middle of the Buckeyes’ defense.
