Ranking Ohio State’s Top 10 Playmakers on Defense: No. 10

The No. 10 player on our list of defensive players played in every game as a reserve for the Buckeyes last season. This year, his reserve tag is gone and he will be counted on heavily to make plays for a defense looking for stars.

No. 10 — Damon Arnette, rSo Cornerback

Damon Arnette was the Buckeyes’ No. 4 cornerback last season. Cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs went into the spring hoping that Arnette could force his way into a starting four. That never happened, but Arnette did win the job as the team’s No. 1 nickel back.

Arnette missed his freshman season because he arrived with a leg injury. There was some talk from Coombs that he could eventually move to safety when he was healthy. He stuck at cornerback last year, however, and earned some very valuable experience.

Now as a redshirt sophomore, Arnette spent the spring running with the first team. On Monday, however, Urban Meyer said that fellow redshirt sophomore Kendall Sheffield was really pushing Arnette. That’s great news for the defense, of course, as the Buckeyes are hopeful to once again employ a rotation of at least three cornerbacks.

Statistical History

What He Does Well

The fact that Damon Arnette played nickel last season lets you know that the staff is confident in his ability to defend smaller and quicker receivers. At 6-foot and 190 pounds, however, he’s got good size for a corner, which also allows him to match up against bigger receivers. He was aggressive in press coverage this spring and there wasn’t a single bad thing said about him throughout camp. Coaches and teammates were effusive and matter-of-fact in praise.

Arnette ultimately lost the nickel job to Gareon Conley after a couple of rough outings last season. Losing a job to Conley is not a point of shame, but it was apparent at times that Arnette still had improvements to make to be relied upon in a necessary manner. The year before, the very same was said about Marshon Lattimore as a redshirt freshman nickel. In 2014, Conley got a taste of life as a starter against Michigan State as a redshirt freshman. Everybody remembers how that went for him.

This is just how things go for many very talented players. Interestingly, Arnette did accomplish something that neither Lattimore or Conley were able to do — he came up with an interception as a redshirt freshman.

Damon Arnette in 2017

Making a play as an Ohio State cornerback is about more than just coming up with interceptions. It is also helping out against the run, reading screen passes quickly, blitzing, and making one-on-one tackles wherever the football may be. In order to be a starting cornerback at Ohio State, these aren’t elective courses, they are required.

Arnette was within an arm’s reach of every receiver he lined up against this spring, and there were times when that was as far away as he ever got. We don’t really know what kind of playmaker he will be this year. What we do know, however, is that he has the makeup to be involved everywhere the team needs him to be.

Arnette is a bigger corner who should be able to bring down a quarterback on a blitz, or get low enough to take out a running back. He should be strong enough to shed blocks on screens, but will still need to make the tackle after he beats his man.

Oh, and interceptions will still be important.

There is a lot to ask of an Ohio State cornerback, but as Coombs has said, very few players in the nation can do what they ask their corners to do. If they trust Arnette to be out there on the first snap, it’s because they’ve seen enough playmaking ability to ease their concerns.

What They Are Saying

“Damon Arnette. That’s the one guy that I feel like this year he’s really going to show that he can definitely play. You can just see him making plays. Any time a pass is thrown his way it’s most likely going to be intercepted or incomplete. He’s definitely showing what he can do.” — Jerome Baker

“Damon’s had a great spring. He’s had a great offseason and he’s maturing as a man, which is very important to us. He has a ridiculous skill set and when we harness all of his energy in the right direction he is going to be a dynamic football player. I’m very excited about his progression so far.” — Kerry Coombs

“Damon played a lot of snaps at the nickel and had two tough games. He gave up two catches two weeks in a row. That’s below the standard here, and so we had to make a change. He understood that. He didn’t like it, he shouldn’t have liked it, but he handled it and he came back swinging. Never complained, he never put his head down, and he’s had a great offseason and a great spring.” — Kerry Coombs

Defensive Playmakers

Nos. 20-11