The defensive players in this year’s freshman class will have to work hard to see playing time when the game is on the line, because Ohio State’s defense should be much improved. However, there are opportunities for a few of them to stand out.
The most likely players to get a chance to shine are in the front seven. The defensive backfield is so loaded with talented second and third year guys it would be difficult for the freshmen to get much of a chance to see the field a lot. But usually one guy will impress the coaches enough to get on special teams and see playing time at the end of the game.