Ohio State football has a freshman that’s not being talked about much right now, but he’s going to be an eventual star for Matt Patricia’s defense
Several Ohio State football freshmen have made headlines early on in Columbus. However, there’s one defender for the Buckeyes who is going to be a key starter one day, and it wouldn’t surprise if he sees the field in 2026.
The Ohio State Buckeyes know how to produce pass rushers, especially under defensive line coach Larry Johnson who has been doing it in Columbus for well over a decade.
Ohio State just watched Caden Curry be its latest draft pick, heading to the NFL, and the Buckeyes were able to return Kenyatta Jackson. Continuing to produce NFL pass rushers is the expectation at Ohio State, and I believe they landed another who is in his freshman season.
Ohio State freshman EDGE Khary Wilder getting on the field early on wouldn’t be a surprise
The Buckeyes are likely to start Jackson and Beau Atkinson off the EDGE, at least that’s the current picture. Atkinson is a former North Carolina transfer who was quiet in his first year at Ohio State, but could be in for a second-year breakout in his senior season. Past those two, Zion Grady and Alabama transfer Qua Russaw are impact players to watch.
Freshman Khary Wilder is the youth in the room to watch and it wouldn’t surprise me if he sees the field some as a freshman. Wilder looks the part at 6-foot-4, 248 pounds and he can add weight and play even bigger. There’s potential for Wilder to end up being an impact player from the 3-tech spot, but I’d much rather see him live at EDGE for the duration of his college career.
Ohio State made it a point to have Wilder as their guy in the class of 2026 out of California. Coach Johnson is sky high on what he can be. Wilder will compete to be in the three-deep in his first season with EDGE Epi Sitanilei. Wilder showing up to Ohio State with a physical build close to ready for the college game and being an early enrollee has allowed him to hit the ground running.
Last year we saw Grady get some early run as a freshman at Ohio State off the EDGE, this year that guy is Wilder. He has some Zach Harrison to his game as a defensive lineman, and one we need to watch early on in years one and two in Columbus.