There are a lot of younger players to watch in the second wave of Ohio State’s upperclassman-laden defense.
Jermaine Mathews Jr. would start at corner for perhaps every college football team except the one he's on. Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Hero Kanu, Kayden McDonald and even Tywone Malone are names to watch on the defensive line. Malik Hartford flashed as a freshman at safety and Calvin Simpson-Hunt is another cornerback who’s had a great fall camp.
But when asked about young players to watch by the Big Ten Network, none of those names were the first out of the mouth of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.