Ohio State Football: Can the 2026 Defense Be Elite Despite Departures?

Can Ohio State’s Defense Still Be Elite After Losing NFL Draft Stars? | Buckeye Weekly Podcast

On the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr kick off “listener question season” by answering whether Ohio State’s defense can make its own mark after major NFL Draft departures from last year’s historic unit. They discuss the challenge of matching a program-best standard while noting Ohio State recently lost eight defensive starters to the draft and then seven more, yet still has the talent and coaching continuity to remain near last year’s level. They highlight how unexpected breakouts (like Arvell Reese and Kayden McDonald) can happen again, point to potential risers such as Kenyatta Jackson, and emphasize the transfer portal’s role in replacing starters with experienced players, including additions like Qua Russaw, James Smith, John Walker, Christian Alliegro, and Earl Little. They also expect schematic adjustments and possibly more aggressive, higher-variance play in 2026.

00:00 Listener Question Season
01:00 Can This Defense Match 2025
02:31 Next Breakout Stars
04:04 Portal Depth and Projection
06:51 Roster Management Reality
08:33 New Scheme and Creativity
10:57 Final Take and Wrap Up