Ohio State football: 5 players to watch for the second half of the season

Ohio State’s first half of the 2021 season has certainly not lacked for stars. Anybody who follows college football knows names like Stroud, Henderson, Olave and Wilson. But OSU is still very much a work in progress, and there will be other names that are key for the Buckeyes’ second half of the season.

Whether it’s freshmen who were late on the scene, transfers who belatedly took over starting jobs, or guys who moved from offense to defense, every developing player to watch has a story. That’s where we come in. Here are 5 Buckeyes to watch down the stretch of the 2021 season.

Emeka Egbuka, WR

A highly-regarded prospect, Egbuka has had trouble getting on the field simply because it’s hard to get guys like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba off it. Depth will matter, even in what is likely the nation’s best wide receiver group. Egbuka has shown an impact on special teams, where he is a constantly dangerous kick returner, averaging over 34 yards per return so far. He has caught only 4 passes, but he caught 3 in OSU’s last game, against Maryland, so watch Egbuka to develop further as the season continues.

Tyleik Williams, DL

Ohio State returned both talent and depth up front, but it hasn’t kept Williams from seeing his way to opportunities as a freshman. He didn’t even play in OSU’s opener against Minnesota, but 5 games later, Williams leads OSU in sacks (4) and is 2nd only to Haskell Garrett in tackles for loss (4.5). Not bad for a guy still waiting to make his first career start.

Cameron Martinez, DB

The Buckeyes pass defense has had a few issues, and Martinez is one of the guys trying to alleviate them. From his days of being recruited as an offensive player or maybe a two-way guy, he’s truly set at defensive back now. He started against Akron and Rutgers, and has helped OSU get the situation moving in the right direction. His 4 passes broken up rank 3rd on the squad, and his pick-6 against Tulsa showed his massive upside. For a guy who is still learning his way, Martinez’s hasty development is ridiculous.

JT Tuimoloau, DL

A late arrival to OSU’s freshman class, Tuimoloau has earned his way to a pair of defensive line starts. His numbers are still fairly modest (8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 QB hurry, and 1 pass break-up), but there’s no denying his combination of NFL size and talent. Much like Williams, above, as the season goes, there’s no reason to think his learning curve will not continue to trend rapidly upward.

Noah Ruggles, PK

A transfer from North Carolina, Ruggles hasn’t had a ton of focus because, let’s face it, in the front half of OSU’s schedule, there weren’t a ton of competitive games that could hinge on a kick. The back end has more potential to leave OSU relying on Ruggles for a big kick or two. The good news is that so far, he’s certainly been up for the job. Ruggles is 6-for-6 on field goals, with a long of 44 yards, and is also perfect on 37 extra point attempts. But he’s an unknown quantity on a big kick.