Tag: Lathan Ransom

Ohio State football starts Josh Proctor at free safety against Indiana

The Buckeyes have made their choice at safety #GoBucks

Coming into Week 1 most of the starters for [autotag]Ohio State football[/autotag] were set, but the starting free safety spot was still up for grabs.

True freshman [autotag]Malik Hartford[/autotag], Syracuse transfer [autotag]Ja’Had Carter[/autotag] and sixth year veteran [autotag]Josh Proctor[/autotag] were options to start. All three were expected to play against Indiana.

Well, that question has been answered. Proctor was on the field for the Buckeyes’ first defensive series of the game.

The senior has a great deal of experience for the Buckeyes. He was a starter on the 2020 team that went to the national title game and entered 2021 as a starter but his season ended with a leg injury in Week 2.

Last season he started four of first five games of the season before seeing his role get diminished with [autotag]Ronnie Hickman[/autotag], [autotag]Lathan Ransom[/autotag] and [autotag]Tanner McCalister[/autotag] getting the majority of the snaps at safety.

Proctor is playing well. He has a tackle for loss on each of Indiana’s first two drives, but I expect Hartford and Carter to also get snaps. The free safety starting job could remain a question mark throughout the beginning stage of the season.

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Two Ohio State defensive backs make Tim Thorpe preseason watch list

Two OSU defensive backs are on the Jim Thorpe award preseason watch list. #GoBucks

It’s no secret the back end of the defense was an issue for Ohio State last season, especially when it comes to giving up big plays against the best teams on the schedule.

That figures to be different this season with more depth, some reinforcements via the transfer portal, and a second year in the Jim Knowles’ defense. But don’t take it just from us because the folks that hand out the Jim Thorpe Award seem to agree, naming two OSU defensive backs on the 2023 preseason watch list.

Cornerback Denzel Burke and safety Lathan Ransom were among 35 names identified as players to watch by the screening committee because of their performance last year in addition to expectations for this season. The Thorpe has been around since 1987 and recognizes the best defensive back in the country yearly.

Two Ohio State players have won the award with Antoine Winfield receiving the honor in 1998 and Malcolm Jenkins winning it ten years later in 2008.

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Three Ohio State players on the Bronko Nagurski watch list

In case you missed it, three Buckeyes appeared on the 2023 Bronko Nagurski watch list. #GoBucks

We continue the march of the college football preseason watch lists with the announcement for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy that goes to the best defensive player in the country annually. The first installment of the trophy was handed out in 1993 by the Football Writers Association of America and has continued ever since.

Of the 94 names appearing on the 2023 watch list, three of them are Ohio State players. Defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, and safety Lathan Ransom — three of OSU’s seasoned leaders — were all recognized.

It says a lot that all three of these guys represent three different spots on the football field. If each has a season as everyone expects, that would mean a pretty special player on the defensive line, middle of the field at linebacker, and on the back end.

There have been two Ohio State players take the award home. Linebacker James Laurinaitis did it in 2006, and game-wrecking edge rusher, Chase Young, took the award home in 2019. We’ll continue to keep you up to speed on all the Buckeyes that make these preseason watch lists.

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Check out where Ohio State lands on Phil Steele’s defensive position group rankings

Not bad, but are folks sleeping on how good this OSU defense can be? #GoBucks

Phil Steele recently released his yearly college football preview magazine with the season about a month and a half away.

Steele provides in-depth previews for all Football Bowl Subdivision teams and one of the best components of his magazines are his top 65 position group rankings. For defense, he ranks where each team’s unit falls for defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs.

The Buckeyes’ defense the last few seasons hasn’t necessarily been bad but hasn’t quite performed to the standard needed for the team to achieve what it’s capable of.

The unit has struggled in particular against top-tier teams and has been the reason Ohio State lost some big games in recent years. The unit gave up 42 points in each of the Michigan losses the last two seasons, 35 points against Oregon, and 42 points against Georgia in the College Football Playoff semi-final matchup in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

It’s defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ second season, and, with highly touted recruits due for breakout seasons, the defense projects to improve. The question will be how consistent it’ll be and if it shows up in big games.

Steele ranked the Buckeyes in the top 12 in college football in each of the three defensive position groups. Here’s where OSU landed.

Tyvis Powell and Lathan Ransom discuss Buckeye tradition and best safeties in OSU history

More “Tradition Talk” from the Ohio State football team. #GoBucks

If you’ve been paying attention to the Ohio State football Twitter account during the offseason, then we don’t have to tell you that the folks in the creative department have been giving us a series called “Tradition Talk.”

Some of the coaching staff have sat down with current players and others to discuss some of the best players in Buckeye history and to dish on what tradition means to them in Columbus. The latest involves Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom and former defensive back, Tyvis Powell.

If you haven’t seen it, we have the video for you. It’s about 12 minutes long with the two discussing the best safeties in Ohio State history, what tradition means for both, the Michigan game, and more. Check it out below.

We’ll continue to bring you any further “Tradition Talk” videos or other notable social media moments as we continue to build to the start of fall camp and the season.

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Top three safeties in the Big Ten for 2023

Do you agree? Who else would you add? #GoBucks

We discussed that the Big Ten was stocked at cornerback with potentially five future first-rounders playing the role of lockdown stud, but the cupboard is a bit less stocked at the safety position. We have a choice in the top three from a non-premier program, but the situation is pretty cluttered after him.

I wanted to place a Wolverine on this list, but Michigan’s best safety may have just left via the transfer portal in R.J. Moten. Still, an Ohio State Buckeye does make it within the ranks based in large part due to the expectation of a leap in production, and of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without an Iowa Hawkeye making an appearance. Let’s dive into the best safeties in the Big Ten.

Ohio State safety Latham Ransom makes decision about future

The safety position should be in good hands with a mix of experience and youth. #GoBucks

Shortly after C.J. Stroud announced his decision to enter the NFL draft, safety Lathan Ransom gave Ohio State fans some good news. Ransom will return to Columbus for his senior year. Ransom’s father confirmed the news via text with the Columbus Dispatch.

Ransom had a breakout year after sustaining a gruesome broken leg covering a kickoff in the Rose Bowl win over Utah. The junior safety came back to start nine games in which he recorded 74 tackles, third most behind OSU linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers.

Ransom began the season behind Josh Proctor on the depth chart, but quickly earned more playing time and was a starter by October. The Arizona native was also named a semifinalist for the Thorp award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back.

With Ransom’s return, the addition of Ja’Had Carter from Syracuse via the transfer portal and Sonny Styles in the secondary, Ohio State could be lethal at the safety position.

Ransom was the last OSU player with draft eligibility to declare his intentions. Now the waiting game begins to see if any other Buckeyes join a relatively short list of transfer portal entries or if Ohio State goes to the portal to nab more talent.

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Draft Wire names top Ohio State NFL prospects this season

DraftWire names top Ohio State NFL prospects #GoBucks

Our friends over at Draft Wire have released a list of their favorite NFL prospects, including six Buckeyes that are draft eligible after this season and are expected to make big waves during the 2022 season. These studs deserve more than photos of them; therefore, we will provide a brief breakdown of why this group may appeal to NFL teams.

It should not be surprising that their first four ranked Ohio State prospects are on the offensive side of the football, but hopefully by season’s end more defensive players are given early rounds values. Enough talk, let’s break down these Buckeyes that have a good shot at hearing their name called in next year’s NFL draft.

Top three NFL draft-eligible safeties in the Big Ten for 2022

Top three NFL draft-eligible safeties in the Big Ten for 2022. #GoBucks #B1G

It is never too early to talk about the NFL Draft, and one of the most polarizing and fun positions to discuss is the safety position. As we said in the cornerback piece, the Ohio State football program makes a solid argument as DBU (or BIA as it may) with historic names like Malik Hooker, Vonn Bell, and Donte Whitner once roaming the Buckeye defensive backfield.

The safety class in the Big Ten is a little underwhelming with the departure of former Northwestern star, Brandon Joseph, entering the transfer portal and heading to Notre Dame. I also had high hopes for Marcus Hooker as he showed flashes, but failed to stick and opted to transfer to Youngstown State. Enough talking about who left and let’s focus don’t the top three in the Big Ten.

Five Ohio State Buckeyes who could break out on defense next season

Five Ohio State Buckeyes who could break out on defense next season #GoBucks

The Ohio State Buckeyes should be ready to rock and roll in 2022 and the defense should be much improved, mostly considering it doesn’t appear it can get any worse. I am exaggerating of course, but there were more than a few pathetic outings last season by this unit.

The 2021 season was more or less a disappointment, but the 2022 Ohio State football should be primed to make a legitimate national championship run. Now spring football hasn’t even begun, but I like everyone else like to make bold predictions and wild speculations and the following are five Ohio State players that I expect to make a bigger impact during the 2022 season.

Some of these selections are going to be insanely obvious, but I would be a fool to leave them off. With that said, some of these players may raise an eyebrow, which I welcome.