One of the few question marks on Ohio State's defense entering the 2017 season centered around who would replace departed superstar Malik Hooker alongside the incumbent Damon Webb at the back end of the Buckeye defense.
Senior Erick Smith got some run early as it seemed only injury kept the big hitter from seeing more playing time in the past but eventually true sophomore Jordan Fuller put the starting spot on lockdown and never looked back.
Fuller's emergence came following a true freshman season in which he saw just 71 defensive snaps resulting in 11 tackles after arriving at Ohio State via New Jersey as a 4-star athlete and the state's Gatorade Player of the Year.