Last year, the Ohio State offensive line was solid…until it wasn’t. Given that having to face off against NFL-bound defensive linemen is tough for anyone, the front five did the offense no favors by allowing 12 sacks in the final two games. Now, heading into 2026, all eyes are on a unit that is returning almost everyone. The season was derailed by poor offensive line play down the stretch, so does that change this year? Does returning almost everyone help the Buckeyes, or will it be more of the same?
With Ohio State Fall Camp inching closer, we shift our attention to the offensive side of the ball!
More Fall Camp previews: DL | LB | CB | SAF
2026 Ohio State Fall Camp Primer: The Offensive Line
What Was Lost
In terms of raw numbers, the offensive line was tied with the wide receivers for the second-most players to leave via the portal. Add in the one lineman who was drafted (somehow), and there could be a concern. However, it may be addition by subtraction.
In total, Ohio State lost one player with starting experience in Columbus: Tegra Tshabola. Last year’s starting right guard landed in the SEC, but he struggled for the Buckeyes in both seasons as a starter. In total, he started 28 games and logged 1,388 snaps. However, last year, he was a bottom-half of FBS guard. According to PFF, out of 493 qualified guards at the FBS level, Tshabola was 321st in run blocking, 349th in pass blocking, and 392nd overall.
The depth lost was not as concerning. In total, the offensive line lost Justin Terry (57 snaps), Isaiah Kema (31 snaps), Jayvon McFadden (15 snaps), and Devontae Armstrong (no snaps). The guys battling to replace Tshabola (and maybe another incumbent starter) are expected to be much better.
Finally, we have to address the lone NFL Draft pick from the offensive line: Ethan Onianwa. Heading into Fall Camp last year, it looked like Onianwa was the favorite to be the starting right tackle. However, he lost the battle and only suited up for 96 snaps. Despite that, he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round. Wild.
The New Guys
Despite losing all of that depth, Ohio State didn’t do much in the portal, much to the chagrin of the Fringe™. When the dust settled, the Buckeyes brought in Vasean Washington. This year, Washington will be a fifth-year player on the offensive line. He spent each of his previous four seasons at the FCS level at Dartmouth. In that time, he appeared in 26 games at both guard and tackle. Over the course of his 700-plus snaps, he only allowed one sack.
On the recruiting side, however, Tyler Bowen started to heat up. His 2027 class already has a handful of commits, but his 2026 class was an impressive haul with four signees. Leading the way is high-end four-star tackle Sam Greer. 247Sports has him as the sixth-best tackle in the class and the 35th-best player regardless of position. Coming from Archbishop Hoban in Akron, Ohio, Greer has already turned heads in spring practice. If there is a first-year to earn snaps on the offensive line, it’ll likely be Greer.
The other four-star first-year also comes from Ohio. Interior offensive lineman Max Riley was the ninth-best tackle in the class and the 168th-best player. He’s a mauler in the run game, but will need a little refinement in pass blocking. It’s going to be hard for a first-year lineman to see snaps regardless, but Riley could be a late-game substitution in mop-up duty if he keeps impressing.
The final two newbies are three-stars Mason Wilhelm (son of former Buckeye Matt Wilhelm) and Tucker Smith.
Experience Matters
Of the top eight offensive linemen in terms of snaps in 2025, seven return. Despite losing Tshabola to Kentucky, Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, and Phillip Daniels return, potentially setting the Buckeyes up as one of the most experienced groups in the country. Phil Steele even ranked it as the second-best, just behind Notre Dame. Those four, plus Ian Moore (third-year), Gabe VanSickle (third-year), and Joshua Padilla (fourth-year), are expected to be at the top of the depth chart.
Between those seven Buckeyes, Ohio State boasts a unit with 5,905 offensive snaps and 101 starts (and that’s not including special teams snaps).
One of the hottest topics this offseason is who will be the “best five” that the Buckeyes will lean on this year. Siereveld could be left tackle, but he could also be the answer at right guard, or he could bump Daniels from right tackle. Moore and Padilla looked good against Miami (FL) in the Cotton Bowl, so they are the favorites to earn significant playing time. Could we see Siereveld-Montgomery-Hinzman-Padilla-Daniels, Moore-Montgomery-Hinzman-Siereveld-Daniels, or even Moore-Montgomery-Hinzman-Padilla-Siereveld?
At this juncture, it looks like Ohio State has a good problem that it has six, seven, or even eight offensive linemen the coaches trust. How those linemen are configured will be something to watch. Thankfully, the Buckeyes get a proverbial tune-up/try-out before the first test this year, unlike last year.
All Eyes on the Trenches
It could be argued that most of the pressure this year is on the offensive line. Last year, the Buckeyes squandered the most accurate quarterback in program history, potentially the top one-two punch at receiver (injuries notwithstanding), and a dynamic first-year running back because the offensive line couldn’t be trusted to play up-tempo, and it all came to a head.
There are no excuses this year for Bowen’s group.
Jeremiah Smith is within striking distance of the career receiving records and has a legitimate shot to own the single-season records. Bo Jackson is the unquestioned RB1 this year, thus giving a little more consistency and predictability for the offensive line’s planning. Julian Sayin has to take that year-two jump to prove the doubters wrong and head to the NFL as a top pick. A lot is riding on the offensive line play this year, and it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that this unit will be what decides if Ohio State gets back to the top of the Big Ten and/or makes a run for the program’s 10th national championship.
