Entering his fourth season at Ohio State in a battle for significant playing time, Jayden Ballard would have been forgiven for moving on.
Instead, he’s remained steadfast. Ballard has drawn inspiration from former safety Josh Proctor, who needed six years to fully capitalize on his opportunity with the Buckeyes, and former wide receiver Xavier Johnson, who stuck with the program for the same amount of time while carving out a bigger role each season.
“I feel like I have a similar road to them,” Ballard said. “Been here for a long time. I redshirted, so I have two more years.