The 2024 Ohio State squad is incredibly veteran-laden. However, a few second-year Ohio State players could take a step forward. While the team lost a small handful of starters to the NFL, it retained so much more. On offense, the Buckeyes return six starters. Well, five, technically, since Seth McLaughlin will supplant last year’s starter at center, Carson Hinzman. On defense, nine starters return. The two new faces? Caleb Downs, an All-American as a true freshman, and Cody Simon, a senior who logged 373 snaps a year ago.
Historically, there have been plenty of second-year Ohio State players to take not just a step but a leap forward. J.T. Barrett was thrust into the spotlight in 2014 along with Ezekiel Elliott, Jalin Marshall, Darron Lee, Joey Bosa, Vonn Bell, and Eli Apple. Second-year Buckeyes were crucial to that College Football Playoff National Championship run. Ohio State has a “natty or bust” mentality in 2024. A few members of the 2023 recruiting class could put them over the top.
Ohio State Second-Year Players Who Could Break Out in 2024
Carnell Tate
Quite possibly the most obvious of the second-year Buckeyes is sophomore receiver, Carnell Tate. With two starters gone, Tate’s role in the offense is set to expand greatly.
Last year, as a true freshman, Tate finished with the fourth-most snaps of any receiver. This year, he is expected to be the Buckeyes’ second receiver behind Emeka Egbuka. Of course, there will be freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith among a host of other highly-rated players down the depth chart to battle.
With 292 snaps, Tate hauled in 18 passes for 264 yards and a score against Western Kentucky. He showed that he is an adept route-runner and will only get better under the tutelage of Brian Hartline. He doesn’t have the top-end speed of a track star. However, he gets open and is as reliable a receiver as any. Recently, he was compared to Tyler Boyd, a receiver who has made a career being a quarterback’s best friend by being sure-handed and able to get open despite not being a burner.
Tate was lauded as being ” the next best out of [Ohio State]” by star corner Denzel Burke before last year. He excelled at catches in traffic last year. He will prove to be a solid option for Will Howard on third down to extend the drive.
Luke Montgomery
The offensive line has been a contentious point for a while now. In addition to the incoming transfer of McLaughlin, the Buckeyes have three starters returning with a battle for the vacant right guard position. After a year of learning behind all of those veterans, Ohio State second-year offensive lineman Luke Montgomery can win the job and help shore up quite possibly the weakest unit on the team.
The Buckeyes burnt Montgomery’s redshirt six weeks in and he was on the field for a total of 44 offensive snaps on the year. He came off the bench for the seldom-used “Bison” jumbo package. This year, he’s doing whatever he can to get on the field, evidenced by his kicking inside from tackle. It is assumed that Josh Fryar is going to retain his starting job at right tackle after a rough 2023 campaign.
Coming from Findlay, Ohio, Montgomery was the second-best recruit from Ohio and the fifth-best interior offensive lineman in the country. One of his best traits was his athleticism and that’s showing heading into his second year. He’s added about 20 pounds and offensive line coach Justin Frye said Montgomery was progressing very nicely during Spring practice.
He has the versatility to play guard or tackle if need be. Montgomery is certainly putting in the work and the Buckeyes need the five best offensive linemen out there if they are serious about contending.
Jermaine Mathews, Jr.
An Ohio State second-year player is going to have to earn it if he wants to make an impact in this secondary. Sophomore Jermaine Mathews, Jr. is just that player.
Last year, the Buckeyes’ top corner, Burke, missed a pair of games. In his absence, Jordan Hancock kicked outside and Mathews handled the slot and showed that he had what it took. One of the big things about Day and his predecessor is that young players get their shot on special teams and that is where they earn more playing time. Mathews was a star on the kick team. Against Purdue, he made a handful of impressive open-field tackles after getting to the returner quickly.
He was on the field for 194 defensive snaps and logged 13 tackles. However, in the win over Western Kentucky, he jumped a route and returned an interception 58 yards for a score. In the win over Michigan State, he very nearly took another interception back but the receiver made a good play to break it up.
The lights were not too bright for the freshman last year. One of those games without Burke was that top-10 matchup with Penn State where he managed three tackles and broke up a pass.
Mathews will have an uphill battle to get on the field as a corner but not due to a lack of effort or talent. The three corners ahead of him on the depth chart are three of the top defensive backs in the country. Ideally, no injuries or ejections occur but if they do, the Buckeyes can do a lot worse than Mathews in relief.
Jelani Thurman
Finally, Ohio State’s second-year tight end has an opportunity to take over the position after Cade Stover left for the NFL Draft. Jelani Thurman is an impressive athlete who could be the receiving threat to Will Kacmarek‘s blocking.
Last year, Thurman played a grand total of 24 snaps. As a true freshman at a position that is not often a priority on offense behind an NFL Draft selection, his odds were slim. Now that the room has opened up with no true alpha at the top, there’s a competition.
As we’ve said before, Thurman’s greatest asset is his receiving ability. Ohio State has him listed at 6′-6″ and 258 pounds and he uses every inch for his catch radius. 247Sports credits him with an elite frame for the position and a massive catch radius. He had experience as an in-line tight end as well as split out.
Where he would need to improve is in blocking. Thurman was considered a willing blocker in high school but needed some refinement. Now, he’s considered one of the hardest-working players in the unit and enjoys physically moving people.
By all accounts out of Spring practice, he’s made strides and is being groomed to take on a larger role. According to an interview with Eleven Warriors, Thurman said he can bring, “Versatility” to the offense and, “A lot of playmaking, a lot of down and dirty blocks because I have gotten better at blocking. Just an exciting player.”
