Urban Meyer and Ohio State wanted to finish spring practice with some semblance of a depth chart after losing 16 starters from last year's team, but with that attrition and the number of players working their way back from injury, establishing a pecking order was next to impossible.
"We have 11 right now—guys that we're counting on that can't go full-speed," Meyer said at the beginning of spring camp, according to Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod. "This is uncharted waters for me."
Players such as H-back Curtis Samuel, defensive end Tyquan Lewis and wideouts Noah Brown and Corey Smith will be big factors for the Buckeyes this fall, but none will be at full capacity until fall camp.
With so much uncertainty in Columbus, Ohio State's 2016 depth chart is far from a finished product. But here's a projection for the two-deep as the Buckeyes enter summer conditioning.
One of the most closely watched position battles of the spring was at running back between redshirt junior Bri'onte Dunn and redshirt freshman Mike Weber. Fans were expecting a duel between the two in the spring game, but Dunn was sidelined after suffering an ankle injury in practice.
That shifted the spotlight to Weber, and he gave the coaching staff and Buckeyes fans everywhere a glimpse into the future by looking sharp and decisive in his first real collegiate game action. He ran the ball just eight times, but he was tough and made nice cuts on his way to a team-high 38 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State on BTN noted Weber's impressive performance:
The most uncertainty in spring practice came on the perimeter, where projected starters Noah Brown, Corey Smith and Curtis Samuel all sat out for the duration of camp. That gave opportunities to true freshman Austin Mack, who looks like the next big thing at Ohio State, according to Axelrod, and redshirt freshman and quarterback-turned receiver Torrance Gibson, who shined in the spring game with two receiving touchdowns.
Up front, the first team is solidifying itself with returning starters Pat Elflein sliding inside to center and Billy Price occupying right guard. Jamarco Jones is a lock for left tackle, and Isaiah Prince is slated at right tackle. The only opening was as left guard, where true freshman Michael Jordan is gaining an edge over Demetrius Knox.
Ohio State's defense looked further along in its process of replacing eight starters than its counterpart.
Up front, there's much more depth on the defensive line, and the starting unit is solid with defensive ends Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis and tackles Tracy Sprinkle and Michael Hill. But the wave of pass-rushers was on full display during the spring game as guys such as Davon Hamilton, Dre'Mont Jones, Jashon Cornell and Robert Landers all wreaked havoc in the backfield.
At linebacker, Raekwon McMillan is expected to anchor both the unit and the entire defense as a team captain. Dante Booker is a solid replacement for Joshua Perry, and Chris Worley has edged Jerome Baker on the other side. But Baker showcased he can be a factor on defense when he made an eye-popping, one-handed interception in the second half of the spring game, which the Big Ten Network highlighted:
The secondary is replacing three starters with the early departures of safeties Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell and cornerback Eli Apple. But the unit looks to be in good hands with Gareon Conley and a potential superstar in safety Malik Hooker, who picked off J.T. Barrett twice, one of which was returned 82 yards for a touchdown.
Former Glenville High School standouts Marshon Lattimore (cornerback) and Erick Smith (safety) were expected to step in to starting roles this fall, but both have been hindered by injuries during their collegiate careers. Until they show the ability to stay healthy, Damon Webb and Denzel Ward will get the nod here.
David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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