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Published Apr 26, 2022
What does Ohio State's defensive depth chart look like after spring?
Colin Gay  •  DottingTheEyes
Managing Editor
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@ColinGay_Rivals

Ohio State's spring practice is complete.

Ahead of the summer and fall camp, what does the Buckeyes' depth chart look like?

Here's a look at what head coach Ryan Day and the rest of the coaching staff have in their arsenal heading into the 2022 season opener against Notre Dame Sept. 3, starting with the offense and now with the defense.

Starters are in bold.

Defensive tackle 

1. Jerron Cage

2. Taron Vincent

3. Tyleik Williams

4. Ty Hamilton

5. Michael Hall Jr.

Will this be the depth chart when Sept. 3 arrives?

Larry Johnson's been known as a coach that rotates talent consistently, so a "depth chart" isn't really necessary on the line.

Ohio State will likely have five players splitting time between its two spots in the middle: Jerron Cage, Taron Vincent, Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton and Michael Hall Jr. Last season. six different defensive tackles earned more than 183 snaps, four of which are returning to the rotation in 2022.

Expect the Buckeyes' two leading returners in terms of snap counts from last season — Vincent and Cage — to be the first ones on the line against Notre Dame, but don't expect one member of the defensive tackles to take the majority of the time on the field.

What could change this depth chart?

The emergence of Williams.

Williams is one of those players that showed what he could do in short spurts in 2021, finishing the season second on the team with five sacks, 0.5 sacks less than team leader Haskell Garrett.

But after earning 72 snaps between three weeks against Tulsa, Akron and Rutgers combined, Williams played 108 snaps in the final nine games of the year, averaging 12 per game and recording no more than 19 in a single contest.

Based on what the sophomore defensive tackle said during this offseason, Williams' lack of playing time was due to fatigue. After losing 40 pounds and coming into spring at 320, his personal expectations are high. If he consistently shows those dominant bursts in the middle of the defensive line, it will be hard to keep him off the field.

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