The Ohio State Buckeyes lost a significant chunk of talent from last year’s 12-2 team that was one and done in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State had 11 players drafted and over 30 players opted to enter the transfer portal, leaving the roster with plenty of holes to fill heading into 2026. With so many departures, new faces need to step into bigger roles, and fall camp will be critical in determining the starting lineup on the defensive side of the ball.

Ohio State’s secondary faces major turnover, but rising cornerback could fill right in 

The Buckeyes are replacing as many as 8 starters on defense, and the secondary took a particularly heavy hit. Ohio State has to replace Caleb Downs, Davison Igbinosun, and Lorenzo Styles, three players who anchored the back end of the defense last season. That kind of turnover forces the coaching staff to lean on younger talent, and one second-year player is generating significant buzz ahead of camp.

Cornerback Devin Sanchez, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound corner out of Texas, has the profile you’d expect from an eventual star at Ohio State. He was the No. 1 cornerback in the class of 2025 and a massive recruiting win for the Buckeyes. Ohio State threw him into the fire as a true freshman, and he played in 13 games with 15 tackles, 2 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Sanchez was not a full-time starter last season but saw his playing time increase as the year went on.

According to Alex Gleitman of Lettermen Row, a source close to the program had this to say about the young corner: “I think he makes the jump this year. Everyone expected a bit too much last year. But he got more comfortable as the year went on and those reps in big games were huge for what you’ll see this year. Less thinking, more playing. He’s going to have a big year.”

Devin Sanchez should be Ohio State’s next lockdown corner

That assessment lines up with the general expectation around Sanchez heading into his second season. The growing comfort level he showed down the stretch as a freshman should translate into a more confident, aggressive player in 2026.

Sanchez is expected to be one of Ohio State’s outside starting cornerbacks this fall, with Jermaine Mathews Jr. on the opposite side. He’ll be tasked with becoming the Buckeyes’ next lockdown corner in the secondary.

Ohio State hasn’t had a true No. 1 cornerback with Sanchez’s ceiling in quite some time. The comparison set that comes to mind includes players like Denzel Ward and Marshon Lattimore, both of whom became first-round picks in the NFL Draft. That’s the trajectory Sanchez could follow if he takes the anticipated leap this season.

He’ll have his work cut out for him early. As soon as Week 2, Sanchez will face the Texas Longhorns  a test that should reveal just how far the young corner has come.