COLUMBUS, Ohio – Saturday’s spring game was the first stage for one of Ohio State’s young defensive backs to parlay praise into performance during real-life game action. Kye Stokes seized that moment, wrestling the spotlight away as a jump-off-the-page performer.

Stokes was mentioned multiple times throughout the spring by coaches and teammates as a young up-and-comer who had been thriving. We got to see previews of why he was lauded during three brief open practice windows in the spring and during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 action at a one-hour showcase for Student Appreciation Day in early April.

But Saturday was the first time when it was going to really mean more under the glitz of Ohio Stadium, and the safety capped off his strong six-week run with an exclamation point in the spring season finale.