5 Ohio State football freshmen who could carve out major roles in 2026

Ohio State football welcomes back plenty of returning starters to the 2026 season, but which freshman could be making an impact this season?

The Buckeyes have had their fair share of impactful freshmen, most recently at running back. In 2025, Bo Jackson led the Buckeyes in carries and rushing yards, and became the fifth Ohio State true freshman to top 1,000 rushing yards (Robert Smith in 1990, Maurice Clarett in 2002, JK Dobbins in 2017 and TreVeyon Henderson in 2021). Even freshman running back Isaiah West received a significant role on the Buckeyes last season, rushing for 310 yards and two touchdowns.

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Ohio State also boasts one of the best former freshmen in college football history, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith , who broke all of NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter 's Ohio State freshman records with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first season.

On defense, cornerback Devin Sanchez worked his way into the Buckeyes' regular rotation, totaling 409 snaps between defense and special teams.

Read about five Ohio State football freshmen most likely to make an impact on the gridiron during the 2026 season.

Chris Henry Jr., wide receiver

By now, most Ohio State fans are well aware of the intrigue freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. brings as a freshman to the Buckeyes.

Henry has an absurd frame for a first-year college player, standing at 6 feet 5 inches and weighing 211 pounds. In comparison, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith measured at 6-3, 215 his freshman year.

Henry's promise goes beyond his measurements. He scored a 40-yard first-quarter touchdown in the spring game on a pass from quarterback Tavien St. Clair. Henry's early separation on the route let him walk into the end zone untouched.

TSC to CHJ for six 🗣️ 📺 Big Ten Network pic.twitter.com/OPow9dkZta

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 18, 2026 After a limited junior year due to a knee injury, Henry played eight games at Mater Dei High School in his senior year. He logged 28 catches for 607 yards with six touchdowns, including a four-catch 135-yard, two-touchdown performance against St. Thomas Aquinas.

Henry has carried his hype as the No. 2 wide receiver in the 2026 recruiting class (No. 1 is Texas' TK Keys) by getting playing time with the first team in preseason camp. It was surprising that three-star recruit Brock Boyd lost his black stripe two weeks before Henry, but the catch radius and athletic talent could turn Henry into an everyday starter by season's end.

Brock Boyd, wide receiver

Boyd might not have initially been projected into a starting role as a true freshman, but he has taken first-team reps this preseason with Henry in preseason camp.

A three-star prospect out of Southlake, Texas, the 6-1, 180-pound wide receiver was the first Buckeyes freshman to lose his black stripe in 2026, doing so in the sixth practice of the spring on March 31. Last year for Southlake High School, Boyd recorded 1,145 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns and 75 receptions.

Boyd received high praise and self-comparisons from Smith.

"He was out there just making plays, diving for the ball, two defenders on him, doing a lot of crazy stuff," Smith said. "It reminded me of myself when I first got here in the spring, just out there making plays and having fun. He's going to play a lot this year.”

Jay Timmons, cornerback

Jay Timmons, the third-highest recruit signed by Ohio State, lined up as the nickel back with the first-team defense during Ohio State's first week of preseason practice.

"We expect [Timmons] to make plays for us," Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain said.

Timmons is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker Lawrence Timmons. Ranked the No. 4 cornerback in the class and the top player from Pennsylvania, he flipped his commitment from Florida State to Ohio State a month before signing.

Timmons is used to being a versatile player. In high school, he played offensive and defensive snaps for Pine-Richland. During is senior year, Timmons recorded 37 tackles, nine pass breakups and one sack on defense while catching 35 passes for 637 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. He also ran the ball 18 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

Considering the losses in depth for Ohio State on defense, Timmons seems like a candidate for snaps.

Legend Bey, running back

Legend Bey did not make the best impression during his first week of preseason camp, missing the start due to an unspecified violation of team rules . However, he returned to practice Aug. 8 as the third-team running back, but also slotted out wide for 7-on-7 plays.

Though not appearing with the first team, the Ohio State running back room does not appear to contain much depth from the outside looking in. Sophomores Bo Jackson and Isaiah West emerge as the clear 1-2 combo to lead the room, but four running backs registered more than 50 carries for the Buckeyes in the 2025 season.

That leaves room for Bey to emerge as a potential option on special packages. Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn clarified in the spring that Bey's usage would not be as a three-down or goal-line back, but his elusiveness and speed might give him opportunities as a gadget-type running back.

Another newcomer, redshirt senior Florida running back Ja'Kobi Jackson, will also likely see some carries. But Bey has an opportunity to make an impact solely because of his athletic ability, which allowed him to gain more than 4,000 rushing yards while passing for 3,500 yards as a high school quarterback at North Forney, Texas.

Cincere Johnson, linebacker

Ohio State's second-best recruit in the 2026 class behind Henry, Cincere Johnson could see some action for the Buckeyes in the 2026 season.

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