Where does Ohio State stand at cornerback in 2023?

Tim Walton's been busy ever since he first arrived at Ohio State in January.

After 13 seasons in the NFL with four different teams — the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars — the Ohio State secondary and cornerbacks coach returned to the recruiting trail for the first time since 2008. But He had an advantage this time after stints with Bowling Green, Memphis, Syracuse, LSU and Miami: he was advertising his own school.

Walton was a cornerback at Ohio State, having developed on the same campus as the one he's trying to get high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to join.

“The brand is the brand, but it is next level,” Walton said when he was first hired in January.

And so far, the brand has worked.

Putting down roots in the south, Walton has secured two cornerbacks in the 2023 class: four-star cornerback Dijon Johnson out of Tampa, one of six members of the class from Florida, and four-star cornerback Kayin Lee out of Ellenwood, Ga.: the Buckeyes' first defensive player out of Georgia since Jordan Hancock in 2021 and also a former Bulldogs commit.

In his short time, Walton, along with safeties coach Perry Eliano, has kept Ohio State in the conversation for some of the top corners in the country, whether it's No. 1-ranked five-star corner Cormani McClain or Cincinnati four-star Jermaine Mathews, who's commitment date is set for July 1.

It's a defensive backs position both Eliano and Walton have kept full, adding Cedrick Hawkins and Malik Hartford to the safety room, while remaining finalists for players like Jayden Bonsu, Joenel Aguero and Caleb Downs.

On the outside, the question still remains: how many cornerbacks does Ohio State need in the 2023 class?

The succession plan at the position already seems set.

With Cameron Brown and Denzel Burke coming into the 2022 season as the clear starters, Walton has two distinct sets of replacements in second-year cornerbacks Hancock and Jakailin Johnson with newcomers Ryan Turner and Jyaire Brown behind them.

After Brown, a redshirt senior in 2022, leaves after next season, one starting spot is set to open up, which will likely move either Hancock or Johnson up to the other side of Burke while the other players take a step up the depth chart.

That's where young depth starts to come into play, especially with Burke, Johnson and Hancock all having the potential to leave at similar times knowing what one season as an Ohio State starting cornerback can do, especially with the reputation Buckeye corners have developed at the NFL level.

That's when a four-person class, like the one Ohio State had in 2021 — Hancock, Johnson, Burke and Andre Turrentine, who transferred to Tennessee this offseason — is necessary.

But there is a lot of work to be done elsewhere and a depleting number of roster spots to do it in.

Ohio State is in desperate need of depth at defensive tackle and offensive tackle, while still looking to see if it wants another body at tight end, running back. The Buckeyes also have spots to fill at linebacker and, possibly, quarterback, whether it's a member of the 2023 class. or a transfer.

And Ohio State also could be leaning toward taking another safety or two in the class, whether it's Bonsu, Downs or Aguero.

How many spots does Walton have left in his room to fill in 2023?

With targets like Mathews and McClain, the number seems to be revolving around three, which would be more than the Buckeyes had in 2021.

Walton's come on strong on the recruiting trail, beginning to build relationships with cornerbacks and players from Georgia and Florida from younger classes as well as the 2023 class.

And with a brand new defensive staff, with Eliano and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, he seems to be making his mark.