Ohio State’s defensive identity this season starts at the edges of the defense.
The Buckeyes’ corner room has quietly become one of the deepest, most reliable units in the country. A blend of veteran leadership,
tested transfers and high-upside youth that has allowed Matt Patricia’s front seven to operate with fearless aggression.
Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Davison Igbinosun have given the Buckeyes the physical, press-man foundation they needed. Lorenzo Styles Jr. has been a pleasant and consistent surprise, bringing length and awareness. True freshman Devin Sanchez, even through some rookie growing pains, has flashed the kind of upside Ohio State was looking for when it made him a centerpiece recruit.
Behind them, rotation pieces Aaron Scott, Bryce West and Miles Lockhart supply the depth that keeps the room fresh and matchup flexible. Credit to Tim Walton, his coaching and development have turned promising pieces into dependable performance.
Matthews Jr.: physical, reliable, vocal leader
Jermaine Mathews Jr. has moved from high-energy rotational piece to an every-down defender and on-field leader. He brings thump at the catch point, the sort of physicality that lets Ohio State press on the outside and still feel safe in space.
Mathews’ 2025 role has expanded, he’s playing starter-caliber snaps and making plays in traffic, the kind of profile coaches covet in late-season and postseason matchups. His ability to play press, recover in off coverage, and tackle reliably in space has been a steadying force for a secondary integrating new faces.
Igbinosun: length, instincts, matchup versatility
Davison Igbinosun, the more experienced transfer on the boundary, has been the other half of that boundary equation. At 6-foot-2, Igbinosun’s size matters, he can mirror tall outside receivers and contest high throws, and he’s comfortable in a variety of alignments.
His season usage has reflected a coach-first approach, when the game requires press-man toughness, he’s in, when it requires boundary discipline, he’s in. That flexibility has allowed Patricia and Walton to mix coverage shells up front without surrendering reliability on the outside.
Igbinosun’s stat sheet (PDs, coverage snaps) supports the eye test, he is consistently targeted, consistently defended, and consistently trusted.
Lorenzo Styles Jr.: the pleasant surprise
Lorenzo Styles transferred to Ohio State as a depth piece with upside. An Ohio product who had seen action in 2024, he’s been one of the quieter surprises of the year.
Styles’ snap count and involvement in key moments have grown because he’s shown a sticky play style in man and zone, good processing speed in run fits, and the kind of situational awareness that limits big plays.
His background suggested he needed seasoning, instead he has provided instant, reliable snaps in pressure situations, giving Walton an extra toolbox piece in third-down and two-minute defense.
Sanchez: rookie flashes, high ceiling
Ohio State’s 2025 five-star cornerback, Devin Sanchez, has carried the weight of recruiting hype and, perhaps predictably, some rookie swings, but his flashes have been fantastic.
Sanchez arrived as a top-ten national recruit with elite speed, twitch and man-coverage potential, that athleticism has translated to several game-changing moments and impressive individual matchups. Where Sanchez has struggled, route discipline against pro-style releases, and tackling punctuation on the perimeter has been intermittent and coachable.
The coaching staff trusts Sanchez to learn in game reps rather than hide him and the payoff is clear.
Depth that matters: Scott, West and Lockhart
Depth isn’t a buzzword here, it’s operational. Aaron Scott Jr., Bryce West and Miles Lockhart have combined for crucial rotational snaps, special teams value and relief for the starters. That rotation allows Walton to protect young legs, give Sanchez controlled reps, and deploy matchup-driven packages.
Those three provide the trustable second line that keeps corners fresh late and lets the staff call more complex pressures up front without fearing a coverage breakdown.
Coaching: Tim Walton’s imprint
Tim Walton’s fingerprints are all over this group.
Since taking the defensive back coaching reins, Walton has emphasized pro-style press fundamentals, situational anticipation (route recognition and eyes), and progressive snap-count management for young players. The practical result is fewer busted coverages, better tackling in space from perimeter defenders, and a confidence to throw pressure packages knowing the corner room can handle two-man or single-high handoffs.
Walton’s approach, patient, methodical, development-first, has turned a mixed bag of transfers, veterans and freshmen into a cohesive room that opponents now plan against rather than plan for. The qualitative uplift is backed by game results, opposing passing games have seen their explosive play rate shrink on Ohio State matchups this season.
Why this matters for the Buckeyes’ championship case
A dominant pass rush is only as good as the corners who can force quarterbacks into hurried decisions without giving up the home run. Ohio State’s corner room has allowed the front to play aggressively.
Games this season show fewer chunk completions allowed, improved third-down conversion suppression, and the kind of coverage discipline that converts pressure into sacks and turnovers. Simply put, the corners buying time and not surrendering big plays turns scheme aggression into consistent, repeatable success.
For a team with national title aspirations, that’s invaluable.
What to watch next
- Devin Sanchez’s week-to-week progression — Are the rookie mistakes fewer and the playmaking moments more frequent?
- Snap management — Will Walton continue to protect Sanchez with situational reps or push him into more full-time usage?
- Matchup flexibility — The staff’s use of hybrid packages (nickel/overload press) will test the group against heavier slot threats and potentially SEC-style boundary offenses.
If the corners continue to execute, Ohio State’s defense won’t just be “good,” it will be historically stingy. That starts with Mathews and Igbinosun locking the outside, Styles providing the steady glue inside, Sanchez offering ceiling, and the depth chart giving Walton the rotation to keep them all fresh.
It’s a complete room, and in 2025 it’s a defining strength.
