The Ohio State Buckeyes are entering College Football Playoff preparation mode after being Penn State. They'll have two big games at the end of November, including a showdown with No. 8 Indiana and The Game versus Michigan, but the Buckeyes should win each. Matchups against Purdue and Northwestern offer some reprieve.

Now is the time to get young players on the field. Building depth ahead of the College Football Playoff is important. The Buckeyes have learned hard lessons in the past after enduring injuries to key playmakers at the worst time of the year. 

Several of Ohio State's stars of tomorrow have the ability to play in games before losing their redshirt eligibility. We've identified a few who could be asked to play in the Playoff on a whim, and it'd be wise for Ohio State to get them more game reps before it's too late. Some of these players also don't have to worry about redshirting, but need real experience. 

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Julian Sayin, QB

The most obvious choice to see action over the next two games is Julian Sayin. The true freshman has played in two games but only attempted seven passes. If the worst-case happens, and Will Howard goes down with an injury, Ryan Day will need to consider whether Sayin is the better option over Devin Brown.

These next two games are a perfect blend of opportunity and non-threatening situations for Sayin. However, we'd love to see Sayin run a functional offense and not just an end-of-game unit that has him taking one or two passing attempts. Exposing him to an entire second-half with a dedicated gameplan will give him the chance to be properly prepared, coached, and receive meaningful feedback.

Sayin has the best talent in the room outside of Howard, so he should absolutely play over the next two weeks. It can't just be handing the ball off or on trick plays, though. 

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Mylan Graham, WR

Star freshman Mylan Graham has played four snaps this season as he's been buried behind Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and Jayden Ballard. While playing Ballard would be nice because he'll be a fifth-year senior next year, the Buckeyes are better off getting Graham more time. There's a decent chance he could fight his way into being the team's fourth-best receiver in 2025.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder has the profile of being a downfield burner and impact return man. Graham is naturally behind others who also have that physical skill set, and it's fair to expect more targets funneled to Tate and Inniss. But can we please see Sayin throwing some bombs to Graham?

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Aaron Scott Jr., CB

Aaron Scott has been dealing with an injury, but should be available to play. With only 47 snaps on the season, the talented freshman has not been on the field as much as expected. He is the future of the position, though, and the Buckeyes have traditionally done well to integrate next year's talent into a rotation.

With his health looking up, Scott should see the field early and often now. He's the favorite to start in 2025, depending on the incoming freshmen who come in, but it's hard to continue saying that based on recruiting rankings alone.

Consider that Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun have less to gain against Purdue and Northwestern, and the pathway to playing time for Scott should be quite clear.

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Jelani Thurman, TE

Do you remember the 19-yard reception Jelani Thurman hauled in against Penn State? Pepperidge Farms does, and this should be the time the Buckeyes integrate the sophomore playmaker more. While the catch itself looked unnatural, the Buckeyes have to find out whether they need to add a transfer portal addition for 2025 or if Thurman can be a part of the passing offense.

The measureables and athleticism is there for Thurman to be a quality contributor. The upside of playing tight end at Ohio State isn't high, barring a Cade Stover-level change to the unit, but there has to be a level of functional threat at certain times. Just think of how nice it is when Gee Scott catches a pass.

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Eddrick Houston, DL

An elite 5-star freshman who is in the midst of transitioning from the edge to defensive tackle, Eddrick Houston has likely been held out of a bigger role because he's young and the Buckeyes have a lot of bodies in front of him. With only 31 snaps played across six games, Houston is far from starting. Guys like Kenyatta Jackson, C.J. Hicks, Mitchell Melton, and Hero Kanu are justifiably in front of Houston. 

But the window is right now for Houston to be given a few drives to rotate in. He won't have a massive role until 2025 at the earliest, but the Buckeyes should show future recruits they can work in their elite talent into a deep core of talent and give them exposure.