Ohio State’s spring football practices are in full swing ahead of the culmination in less than two weeks at the annual spring game. While Buckeye Nation knows what they are getting with players like quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, other players are itching to make a name for themselves on the field in the scarlet and gray.
Some players have already spent some time in Columbus and have worked hard in practices and waited for their turn to get on the field for Ohio State.
Others are transfers who are spending these spring practices to get used to how Ryan Day and his coaching staff run their program, and what is expected of them on and off the field. Then there are freshmen who are looking to make an immediate impact ahead of their first collegiate season. A prime example of a freshman who is already making noise is Brock Boyd, who recently had his black stripe removed.
With football season slowly inching closer, today we want to know who you have on your radar to have a breakout season in 2026. Maybe there is a player that the Buckeyes brought in from the transfer portal who you know is going to be a hit on the field. Or it could be an Ohio State recruit who you knew might take a little bit of time to consistently see playing time, but this is finally their year. Since there are starting spots up for grabs on both sides of the football, there should be plenty of options for a Buckeye who will break out this season.
Today’s question: Which Ohio State football player is primed for a breakout season in 2026?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Riley Pettijohn
If we’re being honest, any linebacker coached by James Laurinaitis is in the running to have a breakout season. The Ohio State linebackers coach is about to see Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles drafted in the top-10 in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month. Reese and Styles certainly won’t be the last first-round picks the Buckeye legend guides since his promising coaching career is just getting started.
Even though he will miss spring practices due to an undisclosed injury, I’m expecting a big year from linebacker Riley Pettijohn in 2026. Since Reese and Styles played most of the snaps at linebacker last season, there weren’t many opportunities for Pettijohn to get on the field as a freshman. The four-star recruit from Texas finished his first collegiate season with nine tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
It’s pretty much a given that Payton Pierce will slide into one of the open starting linebacker spots. Pierce has the look of former Buckeye Tommy Eichenberg, since he’ll be around the football on every play and will likely finish the season with more than 100 tackles. Ohio State also brought in Christian Alliegro from Wisconsin in the transfer portal. The senior will bring experience and size to the linebacker position for the Buckeyes.
What makes Pettijohn such an interesting prospect are the same reasons why Reese and Styles are in high demand in this month’s NFL Draft. Pettijohn has the type of size and speed that NFL teams salivate over. They’ll love Pettijohn even more when they see his versatility, since Pettijohn could easily play the same role Styles did as the heart and soul of the Buckeye linebackers, or he could really jump off the screen and cause havoc like Reese.
The biggest reason to be excited about Pettijohn is that he is learning under Laurinaitis, who is the most decorated linebacker in Ohio State history. The production of the linebackers in the short time Laurinaitis has been coaching the group is night and day compared to what we saw a decade ago when Urban Meyer gave Billy Davis the job, since they were friends. Pettijohn has the physical tools to be a success at the next level, and there’s no question Laurinaitis will have Pettijohn mentally ready to be one of the best linebackers in the country.
Matt’s answer: Zion Grady
Brett and my picks have a lot in common. Both are defensive players in their second years in the program, and both appear in line to take over as starters. While Pettijohn feels more like a slam dunk to be one of OSU’s starting linebackers, Zion Grady will likely have to compete with Alabama transfer Qua Russaw for the edge rusher spot opposite Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Regardless of whether the sophomore ends up beating out Russaw or not, I think he is ready to have a major role for the Buckeyes. Grady is more of a traditional defensive end, while Russaw is a bit of a hybrid edge rusher/outside linebacker.
Last season for the Tide, Russaw played 215 snaps and, according to Pro Football Focus, graded out at 67.6. Conversely, Grady had roughly half as many snaps — 104 to be exact — and yet had a final grade of 74.9. Admittedly, the bulk of the returning Buckeyes’ snaps came against lesser competition, while Russaw saw 20 or more snaps against the likes of Auburn (20), Oklahoma (24), Georgia (25), Indiana (32), Wisconsin (38), and Florida State (42). Unfortunately, his average grade for those games was a 62.3. So, he, too, was benefiting from some lesser competition.
The point of this article isn’t to bash Russaw — the word on him has been very good coming out of spring practice — it’s just to show that, even without a ton of experience, Grady is still very much likely to contribute, whether he starts or not.
Grady brings an elite athletic ability to the field. At 6-foot-4, 258 pounds, he is strong, has long arms, and possesses an explosive first step. He still needs to add a little more mass, but another summer in the weight room with Coach Marroti will hopefully help him fill out a bit more for the fall.
Nonetheless, having someone who can create as much havoc as he appears to be able to will add a dimension to the Buckeye defense that we haven’t seen as much as we would like from Larry Johnson’s unit in recent years. Whoever ends up playing opposite Kenyatta will likely have a much easier go at it because of all of the attention that the veteran will command.
So, don’t be surprised if the young Buckeye ends up using his skills and athleticism to take advantage of flying under the radar.
