The Ohio State Buckeyes ran the table at the end of the 2024-25 season, winning the national title as the sixth-seed in the College Football Playoff. That team was immensely talented, and the NFL took notice, as 14 Buckeyes were drafted into the league — the highest number in college football. A handful of others signed with teams as undrafted free agents.
Who are the top returning players that will be a part of their national title defense? We ranked the 10 best.
Ohio State Buckeyes Top 10 Returners in 2025
10) Arvell Reese, LB
Reese played well in a rotational role in 2024, totaling 43 tackles, including 18 solo. Standing 6’4″, 238 pounds, he’s a presence in the middle of the defense and will be relied upon to up his game as a junior.
A four-star recruit in the 2023 class, Reese’s speed and athleticism have been useful tools as a sideline-to-sideline tackler and in specific pass-rushing situations, something that he could be used for more next season.
9) James Peoples, RB
A true freshman a season ago, Peoples received carries in eight games showed the talent that made him a four-star recruit and the nation’s fourth-ranked RB in the 2024 class. On the season, he carried the ball 49 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns playing behind two eventual second-rounders in the backfield.
He’ll presumably form one part of the Buckeyes’ two-headed monster in the backfield with West Virginia transfer C.J. Donaldson, who is also expected to start. While Donaldson is built like a tank, Peoples will affect the game with his tremendous agility and quickness. Still young, he has a chance to carve out a career as the next great Buckeye RB.
8) Julian Sayin, QB
The consensus top passer in the 2024 class, Sayin is widely-expected to claim the starting QB job for Ohio State. He saw mop-up duty in 2024, completing five of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. The pressure will be on however in 2025, as he’ll be tasked with leading the Buckeyes’ title defense run.
He has all the talent in the world to do so, as his arm talent and athletic ability blew the competition away at the high school level. Can he do it against Big Ten and eventually national title competition? It remains to be seen — but if he lives up to the hype, Sayin will be the next Ohio State signal-caller in the pros.
7) Caden Curry, DE
Curry was a rational pass-rusher for the team last year, contributing 15 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles — one of which in the CFP semifinals against the Texas Longhorns.
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Now with defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau gone, Curry will be asked to step in as a featured pass rusher. With his high motor and quick first step, he’s more than capable of doubling or even tripling his sack total from 2024.
6) Carson Hinzman, IOL
Hinzman started at center for the Buckeyes in 2023 before being supplanted by Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin in 2024, sending him to the bench. But when McLaughlin was injured late in the season, Hinzman stepped up and let his presence be felt on the interior.
The job will be his in 2025, where his veteran voice will be needed as they replace several starers. It wouldn’t be a surprise to be see Hinzman earn All-Big Ten honors as he enters his senior season.
5) Davison Igbinosun, CB
It’s always huge getting a starting CB back in the fold, and that’s what the Buckeyes have with Igbinosun, who has carved out a nice three year career in college football. In 2024, he had 45 total tackles, intercepted two passes, and had nine passes defensed.
He has a big frame for a cover man at 6’2″, 193 pounds. At times, he gets too handsy with receivers and is called for penalties, something he’ll have to clean up as he projects as Ohio State’s CB1 in 2025.
4) Sonny Styles, LB
Styles was nothing short of exceptional in 2024, racking up 100 total tackles, including 49 solo, six sacks, a forced fumble, and five passes defensed. It was his first season at LB after contributing as a safety during his first two seasons in Columbus.
With one more full year of practices under his belt, Styles is an early candidate for All-American and Butkus Award recognition as he’ll spearhead the Buckeyes’ defensive attack.
3) Carnell Tate, WR
A high-level depth piece during his first two seasons with the program, Tate is one of the top candidates across college football to have a breakout campaign in 2025. As a sophomore last season, he caught 52 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns — including stepping up against the Longhorns with seven receptions for 87 yards when the Buckeyes needed him most.
Tate has all the traits to be an NFL receiver once the day comes, but for now, he’ll be arguably the best No. 2 WR in the country besides the top player on this list.
2) Caleb Downs, Safety
Ohio State was able to land the top-ranked player in the transfer portal in Downs prior to the 2024 season. As a true sophomore, he had as good of a season as a safety can have, finishing with 81 total tackles, two interceptions, and six passes defensed. He was all over the field despite offenses clearly looking to avoid him.
As it stands, the 6’0″, 205-pound Downs could easily be a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft — in fact, he would’ve been a first-rounder in this years draft if he was able to enter. He’s that good.
1) Jeremiah Smith, WR
There’s a serious case to be made that Smith was the best player in college football after Ohio State’s championship run. Simply put, he did things that true freshmen aren’t supposed to do on a football field. Case in point: Smith’s five catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the first half of the Buckeyes’ trouncing of the Oregon Ducks in the CFP quarterfinals.
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Across the entire season, the 18-year-old had 76 receptions, 1,315 yards, and 15 touchdowns. He has the full package, as he has the size (6’3″, 215 pounds), speed, savviness, and route-running ability to be truly uncoverable. If Ohio State is to repeat as national champions come early 2026, it’ll be because Smith made big play after big play.
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