We are now a bit into fall camp around the college football landscape and the season is going to be here before we know it. Entering the 2024 season, Ohio State is a trendy pick to win it all, and for good reason .
The Buckeyes have a loaded roster thanks to what returned from last year’s team and their work in the transfer portal. Still, every season we see new players step up and that again will happen in 2024.
Three names specifically have some buzz around them and they have emerged into the plans for the Buckeyes this season.
WR Carnell Tate
Tate played a small role for the Buckeyes as a true freshman last season but he enters 2024 poised for a much bigger role . As a freshman, Tate had 264 receiving yards and a touchdown. It is tough for a freshman wideout to make an impact at Ohio State, so that was a hint at just how good he could be in Columbus.
Only Emeka Egbuka has more production in the room than Tate. The vibe around State is high right now and he’s been a player that has been talked about plenty as a standout so far in camp. Guys like Brandon Inniss and Jeremiah Smith are going to have a role too, but expect Tate to have a big season for the Buckeyes .
LB Gabe Powers
Ohio State is set to start Cody Simon in place of Tommy Eichenberg, who is now in the NFL and left a void at the MIKE linebacker spot when he left. Simon is an experienced player who can hold it down and the depth behind him is shaping up. Powers is going to be the backup MIKE and it is finally his time to have a role in Columbus.
Powers didn’t hardly play as a freshman and then appeared in 10 games last season but recorded only seven tackles. The Marysville, Ohio native is a strong 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker who can be a sure tackler for this defense. While he won’t be a starter, Powers could end up being one of the more important depth pieces on the roster.
S Malik Hartford
Hartford was not a five-star player or even close to one coming out of high school but he made an impact for the Buckeyes last year and played in 10 games. During that time, the sophomore recorded 10 tackles and two backups. Now, Hartford is set to take a step forward with the Buckeyes in Year 2.
Entering the season, Hartford appears to be the No. 3 safety behind Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom. This means that the sophomore is going to be playing plenty, especially early in the season. I expect that Hartford will be the top backup this year and start next year in place of Ransom.
Related: Ohio State’s Ryan Day dropped a telling quote about his freshman quarterback Julian Sayin
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