Anytime a team wins a national championship like the Ohio State Buckeyes just did, the players in the spotlight get the accolades for making the team successful. But head coach Ryan Day shared recognition for some players who don’t receive the same amount of attention.
Ohio State’s Ryan Day Shines Light on Unsung Heroes From National Title Run
ESPN’s top 100 players of the 2024-25 college season had Buckeyes freshman WR Jeremiah Smith fifth on the list after he started the year unranked.
Smith was a monster on the field, breaking Cris Carter’s school freshman records with 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
Yet, Smith wasn’t the only one who deserve attention from Ohio State’s national title win. Day highlighted OL Donovan Jackson, S Lathan Ransom, and DT Tyliek Williams with On3’s Dan Morrison.
Jackson put himself on the front line at the guard position, then moved to tackle, and as Day told Morrison, “I mean, he went from guard to tackle and became one of the best tackles in the country. He was going to the NFL and finally decided he wanted to come back and play.”
Ransom is a 6’1″, 210-pound safety who nabbed a first-team All-Big Ten nod in 2024 for his play.
His Bleacher Report scouting report ranks him as a mid-to-late-round selection for the 2025 NFL Draft who could do well on special teams or as part of the secondary that he rotates in and out with other players.
KEEP READING: 2026 College Football National Championship Odds
Tyliek Williams also earned praise from Day, who said that the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for Williams as he didn’t get a chance to visit the school during recruitment. Williams turned into a beast for Ohio State, generating five sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in his first year, earning him Freshman All-American honors.
In 38 games with the Buckeyes, he had 37 career tackles, nine TFLs, and six sacks. In 2023, he had 10 TFLs, three sacks, five pass deflections, and a fumble return touchdown.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.
