With the launch of Ohio State’s new website came the release of the 2018 roster, including freshman jersey numbers and heights and weights. (Or at least came the first time I noticed it even though I check it several times per week.)
For the freshmen who didn’t arrive until this summer, nothing has really changed, but we do now finally know what jersey numbers everyone will be wearing.
(And, for what it is worth, the Buckeyes are at 85 scholarships.)
You already know about the jersey numbers for the early enrollees, but I’ll throw them in here just to be complete. Players marked with an asterisk enrolled early.
+ Defensive tackle Taron Vincent (6-2 285) will be wearing No. 6, which will be a lot for him to live up to given that Sam Hubbard has done that number proud the last few years.
+ Middle linebacker Teradja Mitchell (6-2 235) will wear No. 7, which is the number of several playmakers in Ohio State history. He doesn’t seem worried.
+ Defensive end Tyreke Smith (6-3 260) will wear No. 11. Even though Larry Johnson agreed with me that Smith was a Tyquan Lewis clone, it will be Jalyn Holmes’ old No. 11 that Smith will be wearing.
+ Cornerback Sevyn Banks* (6-1 190) is in No. 12. No other changes here. Same with quarterback Matthew Baldwin* (No. 12/6-3 200) and cornerback Tyreke Johnson* (No. 13/6-1 190).
+ Safety Josh Proctor (6-2 190) is wearing No. 15. Urban Meyer has frequently talked about him as a guy to watch this season, so now you at least know what number to be looking for.
+ Wide receiver Cameron Brown (6-1 175) is in No. 16, which is a number generally worn by quarterbacks at Ohio State. Evan Spencer did wear it his first two years, however. Oh, and by the way, it appears that Brown will begin his OSU career at receiver after producing some talk that he could be at cornerback initially.
+ Defensive end Alex Williams (6-7 250) is wearing No. 17. He is still listed as an athlete. Larry Johnson said he would likely start out at defensive end. There are some who have seen him who think he eventually ends up on the offensive line. If that happens, a number change will happen as well. Until then, however, he wears the same number as past defenders Jerome Baker, Percy King, Jeremy Cash, and Marcus Freeman, as well as a fullback named Earle Bruce.
+ Wide receiver Kamryn Babb (6-1 189) will be in No. 17 as well. Some very explosive receivers have worn this number before. Chris “Tippy Toe” Sanders wore it from 1991-1994, Santonio Holmes wore it his freshman season, and Jalin Marshall managed very nicely with it from 2013-2015.
+ Linebacker Dallas Gant* (6-3 215) is still wearing No. 19 and still doing well.
+ Running back Brian Snead (5-11 200) is in No. 24, which is the same number worn by past running backs Richard Hall and Rod Smith, so it could use a better history than it has had.
+ H-back Jaelen Gill (6-1 182) is wearing No. 26, which has been worn (briefly) by Carlos Hyde and (semi-briefly) by Robert Smith.
+ Safety Marcus Hooker (6-0 185) is wearing No. 29. This number has not had a great history on defense for the Buckeyes of late, but Cie Grant did wear it as a true freshman.
+ Running back Master Teague* (5-11 215) is still in the same No. 33 he wore in the spring. Past runners like Butler By’not’e, Joe Montgomery, and Pete Johnson have had plenty of success in this number.
+ Linebacker K’Vaughan Pope (6-2 210) is wearing the No. 36 and it’s about time Ohio State tried to get this number going again.
+ Defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6-5 215) is in No. 38, which was last worn prominently by linebacker Craig Fada.
+ Defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson* (6-2 310) is still wearing No. 51 just like he was in the spring. Some great linebackers have worn this number for the Buckeyes, including Anthony Schlegel, Ross Homan, and Roedell Dupree, but it could also probably do pretty well on the defensive line.
+ Defensive end Tyler Friday (6-3 262) is wearing No. 54, and as a defensive lineman who could end up at end or tackle down the line, wearing the No. 54 is going to bring plenty of expectations with it. Don’t forget, Urban Meyer wanted to name his next-born son after the last guy to wear the number on defense — former tackle and end John Simon.
+ Center Matthew Jones* (6-4 305) is in No. 54. You have to like the confidence of somebody who asked for Billy Price’s number.
+ Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai* (6-2 300) is still in No. 72, which suited him just fine this spring. Even though he is listed at 6-foot-2, he is a smidge shorter than that now that he is no longer sporting a black stripe on top of his helmet. And if you’re going to be a defensive tackle for the Buckeyes, you can do worse than choosing Big Daddy’s old number.
+ Offensive tackle Max Wray* (6-7 305) is still wearing No. 74, repping Jamarco Jones’ old number.
+ Offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere (6-6 272) is wearing No. 77, which has been worn by many offensive linemen before him, but probably none of them ever had the amount of expectations on them that Petit-Frere does.
+ Wide receiver L’Christian “Blue” Smith (6-6 205) is wearing No. 85, and as a child of the 1980s, it is good to see receivers back in the 80s again.
+ Wide receiver Chris Olave (6-1 170) is in No. 86. It doesn’t have a great history at receiver, but perhaps Olave can start something new here. Or maybe he’ll just choose a new number when the Buckeyes lose five or six receivers to the NFL next year.
+ Tight end Jeremy Ruckert (6-6 240) will be wearing No. 88, which is a fine number for a tight end. It has been worn by Rory Nicol, Bob Houser, Alex Higdon, Reid Fragel, and Ben Hartsock.
