Ohio State brought Lathan Ransom in with a singular vision in mind.
The four-star recruit and Arizona native had a penchant for making plays all over the field for the Salpointe Catholic High School defense, but former Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jeff Hafley saw Ransom as a free safety at the back end of the Buckeyes’ defense.
When Ransom emerged as the lone freshman defensive back Kerry Coombs and company felt comfortable playing in key moments during the Buckeyes’ 2020 postseason run, though, it was at a different position entirely.
“If you watched Lathan’s high school film, he was a more deep-field oriented, middle-field safety.