Are you over the Fiesta Bowl yet? Don’t worry, all in good time.
The 2019 Ohio State football season may be over now, but we’re always looking ahead. We now know more-or-less who will be available for this team in 2020, so we’re taking a stab at ranking the top ten players for the Buckeyes next year, one that promises to be another one in which OSU has a shot at doing some pretty special things.
There will of course be some guys that develop and jump up out of nowhere, but here’s the guys we know and love that’ll be coming to a television set and streaming device near you before you know it.
Next … No. 10
No. 10 – Thayer Munford, Left Tackle
Ohio State got a trio of offensive linemen back that all good have headed off for a payday in the NFL, and Munford is the anchor at left tackle that protects Justin Field’s blind-side. He was an All Big-Ten performer and has been drawing praise from the coaching staff for the last three years.
Munford flies under-the-radar with little fanfare but will be a huge part of the offense. He’ll no doubt be playing at the next level after next season.
Next … No. 9
No. 9 – Master Teague, Running Back
Master Teague separated himself as the clear No. 2 behind all-everything J.K. Dobbins. Now that Ohio State’s single-season rushing yard leader is headed off to the NFL, the job is most likely going to land to the 5-11, 220 lb. battering ram.
Teague is a big, strong tail-back with exceptional straight-line speed in the mold of a Beanie Wells or Carlos Hyde. He’ll get more time to shine in 2020 behind an offensive line that should be able to provide some open lanes for him to show off. He might turn into a superstar, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Next … No. 8
No. 8 – Wyatt Davis, Right Guard
Wyatt Davis is another All-Big Ten performer at the right guard spot that surprised a lot of people by putting off the NFL for another year. He helped make the middle of Ohio State’s offensive line one of the best in the country. At 6-4, 313 lbs., he has the power and athleticism to open up huge holes in the running game.
When the Buckeyes needed some yards on the ground, they often went behind the right side, largely because of his ability to move the line of scrimmage. He’s another guy that’ll be playing on Sundays.
Next … No. 7
No. 7 – Josh Myers, Center
Did we mention Ohio State had three offensive linemen tell the NFL to shove it and come back for another run? Perhaps none of the three are bigger than Josh Myers’ return. The center position was one of the most hotly contested jobs needing to be filled in 2019, but Myers locked it down.
He’s the quarterback of the line, responsible for recognizing defenses and getting the blocking assignments hammered out. At 6-5, 310 lbs., he’s another big body up the middle that will move the line of scrimmage for the Buckeye ground game. There’s a good chance he ends up being an All Big-Ten performer once again.
Next … No. 6
No. 6 – Jonathon Cooper, Defensive End
2019 was supposed Jonathon Cooper’s last year, but he struggled with injuries from the start of the season. He got into a few games, but was able to take advantage of the four-game redshirt rule and will now be back at defensive end for 2020. That’s a huge bonus for Larry Johnson and Ohio State.
Cooper brings back a ton of experience and has a motor off the edge to create havoc. It’ll be exciting to see what kind of year he has once healthy, and should be able to mitigate the big hit from losing Chase Young to the NFL.
Next … No. 5
No. 5 – Zach Harrison, Defensive End
Zach Harrison might be the next great defensive end at Ohio State. He was a five-star recruit out of the Columbus area that every school wanted. He’s rangy, has fast-twitch ability and can run like a deer for his size.
He had 24 tackles and 3.5 sacks in limited duty this season, but you can expect his role and impact to increase significantly next year. He has the potential to be every bit as good as the Bosas and Chase Young. Look for a breakout season for him in 2020.
Next … No. 4
No. 4 – Shaun Wade, Cornerback
Cornerback Shaun Wade surprised many when he decided to put off the NFL and come back for one more season. It might be the best recruiting job Ryan Day performed for 2019-2020. Without him, the Buckeyes faced the real possibility of replacing all four DB positions for next season.
With him back though, he’ll provide a lock-down cover guy that can be built around. He was considered the No. 3 corner last season but has the ball skills and athleticism to be the trusted No. 1. There’s a good chance he improves his stock and becomes a high first round NFL draft pick after 2020.
Next … No. 3
No. 3 – Garrett Wilson, Wide-Receiver
We began to see flashes of what the five-star receiver could do towards the end of 2019. Garrett Wilson came to Ohio State with a lot of hype, but wasn’t immediately thrown to the fire largely because the Buckeyes already had a deep and talented wide-receiver room. But he is just too great of a talent to keep off the field, so we began to see him really emerge in the Michigan game and beyond.
OSU loses three quality receivers, so there’s no doubt Wilson be a big, big part of things next year. He has great ball skills, speed and body control, and is going to put together quite the highlight montage in 2020. Bank on it.
Next … No. 2
No. 2 – Chris Olave, Wide-Receiver
There’s no doubt Chris Olave is ready to get rollin’ onto another season in Columbus. He separated himself as the biggest play-threat in the Ohio State passing game this past season, and will only continue to get better. He has elite speed to take the top off of defenses and runs great routes.
Olave’s combination of possession and big-play potential makes him a matchup nightmare. His last play in a Buckeye uniform from 2019 is one to forget, but he’s going to be a monster and potential 1,000 yard guy next season. Ohio State will likely feature the passing game heavily in 2020, and Olave might get more targets than anyone.
Next … No. 1
No. 1 – Justin Fields, Quarterback
Did you expect anyone else to be at the No. 1 spot? Just think for a moment how impressive and unexpected it was for Fields to do what he did last year as a first-year starter. He had to learn a new offense and get settled into a new culture. He did so well he got an invite to New York as a Heisman Finalist. The kid threw 41 touchdowns to just three picks, completed almost 70% of his passes, and led an offense that was a top five unit in almost every category in 2019. And he’s only going to get better.
Can you imagine what Fields will do with one more year under his belt? Add that to the fact that he didn’t play a ton in the second half of some games, and that he was dealing with an injury at the end of last year, and Fields is going to put up some huge numbers in 2020. There’s a possibility that he could go to New York again, but this time take some hardware home.
