From incoming freshmen to sixth-year seniors (and nearly everything in between), Ohio State basketball has talent across the board as it pushes towards Chris Holtmann's fifth season in Columbus.

Consistently ranked in or near the top 10 of "Way Too Early" predictions across the board, expectations are as high as they've been for the basketball Buckeyes during Holtmann's tenure-- even after a historic loss to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts in the NCAA Tournament.

Who does Ohio State bring back? Who are the new faces? Who will the Buckeyes lean on next season? What will the roster look like?

Have no fear, Marcus Horton and Jake Spegal have you covered here at BuckeyeGrove, answering all of the important questions about this prospective Buckeye roster.

Malaki Branham - The No. 41 overall player in the 2021 Rivals150, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary star and former Columbus native Malaki Branham is joining Ohio State this summer fresh off of leading his squad to a state title and claiming Mr. Basketball honors in the state of Ohio during his senior campaign. A 6-foot-5 wing with serious ability on both ends of the floor, Branham is a guy who has a shot to crack the rotation early for Ohio State next season. He is a smooth operator who plays with a great pace and makes the game look easy. Branham doesn’t waste dribbles when getting to his spots, moves well off of the ball and is efficient scoring from all three levels. While he has been “the guy” during his prep career, I don’t see there being any issues with him accepting a new role at Ohio State as he has the tools and attitude to fit into just about any system and excel. I am also excited to see the impact Branham can make on the defensive perimeter as he is no slouch on that end of the floor and has the frame to become a really, really good defender in the future. All in all, Ohio State fans should be excited for the arrival of the state's Mr. Basketball as he has his sights set on winning right away.

RELATED: Malaki Branham is a two-time state champion: What is Ohio State getting?

Kalen Etzler - Hailing from the small town of Van Wert (Ohio), the 6-foot-8 Etzler has been committed to Ohio State for nearly two years and is finally ready to join the squad on campus soon. A prospect who saw some decline in his recruiting status during the latter half of his high school career, some fans may have questions surrounding Etzler, however I think he has the potential to really excel at Ohio State over the next few seasons. Many folks are looking at Kalen as a big man and saying that he isn’t strong enough, however I see him as more of a project on the wing. It is not easy to find 6-foot-8 guys with the frame of Etzler who can dribble and knock down shots off the bounce, which is why I am so high on his potential ceiling. Although he may not find playing time at Ohio State immediately, Etzler could really benefit the program in the long run if he takes his development seriously and is given the right guidance.

Jamari Wheeler - An addition that caught some people by surprise, the Penn State grad transfer Wheeler brings the Buckeyes a gritty presence on the defensive perimeter. Wheeler led the Big Ten in steals for each of the last two seasons and was also named to the all-defensive team in the league during each season. With great lateral quickness, hands and instincts, he will quickly become the defensive stopper on the perimeter for Ohio State as they certainly needed one at times last season such as the opening round tournament loss to Oral Roberts. Wheeler has really come into his own over the last few years offensively as well-- although he is not a primary creator, he is very capable of knocking down open shots when he gets them and is a great role player overall. It will be interesting to see how Ohio State works him into the rotation as either a starter or someone to come in quickly off the bench depending on the looming draft decision of Duane Washington.

Joey Brunk - The big man that Ohio State landed to fill their desperate need of an interior presence, Brunk joins the Buckeyes after sitting out last season at Indiana with a back injury. Brunk spent three seasons at Butler, where he was recruited by Chris Holtmann, before transferring to Indiana and giving the Hoosiers one season of play where he averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. At 6-foot-11, Brunk is your typical old-school big man who can push guys around on the block. He has a soft touch near the rim, works well in the pick-and-roll and also is disciplined when defending the rim on the other end. While it is tough to gauge if Brunk will be his old self or not after missing an entire season of play, he certainly will see playing time early as the only true big man on the roster who is game ready at this point.

One of the most promising aspects of the 2021-22 edition of Holtmann’s team is its overwhelming continuity.

Since Holtmann touched down in Columbus (and even in the final years of the Thad Matta era), this is an Ohio State program that has experienced more than its fair share of outgoing transfers. That does not appear to be the case this off-season, even with a record number of collegiate athletes already in the transfer portal.

Right now, Musa Jallow (15.6 minutes per game last season) is the only Buckeye to skip town, but Jallow was walking directly into less playing time on a roster dominated by young wings. C.J. Walker is the only other member of this team to officially leave the program.

The sole issue with this much cohesion-- provided everyone else returns, including Ohio State’s two NBA Draft entrants-- may be a matter of too many capable bodies, not enough available minutes to go around.

That’s a good problem to have.

Let’s take a glance at each of the Buckeyes’ most important returnees as we inch towards the college basketball season.

It all starts at the top. E.J. Liddell and Duane Washington Jr., Ohio State’s two leading scorers from a season ago, both entered their names into the NBA Draft this spring.

Though both are maintaining their college eligibility and are expected to return to Columbus for another season, the loss of either would significantly dampen the preseason buzz surrounding this team.

Washington, the soon-to-be senior, made a name for himself on the national stage this spring with his performance in the Big Ten Tournament. The Michigan native averaged 23 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per contest during Ohio State’s four-game run to the championship game.

The 6-foot-3 guard, who posted 10 games with at least 20 points last season, will likely hold a role similar to the one he fit into as a junior. Holtmann has given him the greenest of green lights and the freedom to score whenever he wants.

If he can improve his shot selection and late-game execution, Washington immediately becomes an All-Big Ten caliber player.

Liddell, on the other hand, is already there-- he was named First Team All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches in 2021. The 6-foot-7 sophomore controlled everything on the interior for an undersized Ohio State team and showcased a newfound ability to score from the outside.

With the addition of Brunk and the return of Kyle Young, Liddell will not have to match up with much larger players as frequently as he did for much of last season, giving him more time to focus on becoming an even more effective scorer at each level.

A lot rides on the professional fates of Liddell and Washington this summer. If both return for another ride in Columbus, Ohio State likely opens the 2021-22 season as a top-10 side. Without either, its ceiling falls dramatically.

Provided Washington returns for his senior year, Ohio State will have eight scholarship players entering their fourth (or fifth!) non-redshirt season of college basketball. No, that's not a typo.

Justin Ahrens and Washington will be the only true seniors on the roster. Young returns for his free fifth year, much like the incoming Brunk and Wheeler, who are both taking advantage of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility and will play just one season in Columbus.

Justice Sueing sat out for a season after transferring from Cal as a sophomore and will be a redshirt senior. Jimmy Sotos will use his free year of eligibility and play a fifth season. Seth Towns has one more year of eligibility after transferring from Harvard with only two seasons under his belt, though the Ivy League graduate will technically be a sixth-year senior by the time the season rolls around.

All together, these eight seniors and graduates combine for a grand total of 28 seasons of college basketball experience, from Bucknell to Butler, Harvard to Cal, and everywhere in between.

In a sport where veteran leadership has proven to be the difference in the NCAA Tournament, this much experience can only be a good thing for Ohio State.

Despite the ridiculous backlog of experience above them, each of Ohio State’s three sophomores will have a very legitimate chance of seeing extended minutes in year two.

The departure of Jallow opens things up on the wing for Eugene Brown III, who will have to fight for minutes with the freshman Branham and the senior Sueing. Still, there exists a clear opportunity for Brown, who played 6.2 minutes per game as a freshman.

Another position battle awaits Meechie Johnson Jr., the youngest member of the class. After seeing crucial minutes behind Walker as an early enrollee last season, Johnson has the experience and talent necessary to soak up significant time as Wheeler's backup at lead guard. He’ll have to compete with Sotos for those ever-important minutes off the bench.

Size on the interior remains Ohio State’s largest deficiency, even with the addition of Brunk. That’s where Zed Key comes into play.

The 6-foot-8 New York native played well above his listed height as a freshman, battling on both ends of the court against more experienced, larger players. His skill in the post will always have a place in Holtmann’s rotation, no matter how crowded things are next season.

With the return of its two leading scorers and an overwhelming amount of experience, this Ohio State team has the most playable depth of any Buckeye squad in recent memory.

November, here we come.