‘He’s a freak athlete’ – Ohio State defender doesn’t hold back on how he feels about a Buckeyes freshman
The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the middle of a two-game stretch on their schedule that looks like an ideal opportunity to rotate their depth. In the expanded College Football Playoff era, depth is as important as it has ever been. Ohio State saw the value of it last season with their offensive line when […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the middle of a two-game stretch on their schedule that looks like an ideal opportunity to rotate their depth. In the expanded College Football Playoff era, depth is as important as it has ever been. Ohio State saw the value of it last season with their offensive line when multiple players were called upon to step up. The Buckeyes took care of business against Grambling State with a 70-0 win, which allowed them to rotate through three quarterbacks and much of their healthy roster. A number of players stood out in the victory, including one freshman who already looks like a future star.
Freshman LB Riley Pettijohn drawing rave reviews
Pettijohn, a former top linebacker recruit, had a defensive touchdown on a fumble return and also forced a fumble in the blowout win over Grambling. Currently the No. 4 linebacker on the depth chart, he made his presence felt as soon as he entered the game. On Wednesday, Ohio State’s Payton Pierce offered high praise for his teammate:
“He’s a freak athlete,” Pierce said. “He’s got a good sense for the ball. He studies a lot, he’s a good student of the game, and he cares and works really hard. He’s got everything you want in a linebacker.”
Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis appears to have knocked it out of the park with his most recent recruiting group, which included Pettijohn, Tarvos Alford, and Eli Lee. Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese are the top two in the linebacker room, with Pierce as the third option. Pettijohn has already played in two games this season, and it’s clear he won’t be redshirting as a true freshman. The former Texas standout has two tackles to his credit so far.
Styles and Reese could both be headed to the NFL after this year, and Styles almost certainly will. That sets up Pettijohn to step into a starting role as early as next season, though his role this year could continue to expand. While it was “just Grambling,” Pettijohn showed he can already impact a game defensively. Ohio State has another promising defender on the roster who looks ready to contribute right now.
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