What Should We Expect From the Ohio state secondary in 2026?
Ohio State could have three defensive players taken in the top ten of the NFL Draft — a testament to the dominance of Matt Patricia’s 2025 unit, even without a national title.
A Championship-Level Standard
The unit ranked No. 1 in total defense, passing defense and scoring defense last season, and a Caleb Downs-led secondary was pivotal to that. The Buckeyes head into 2026 with three starters, Downs, corner Davison Igbinosun and nickel Lorenzo Styles heading to the NFL. It’s certainly a lot to replace, but could this year’s iteration be stronger still?
First of all, it’s important to highlight what traits Patricia looks for in his defensive backs. He came to Ohio State preaching the importance of his units being ‘fast and aggressive’. As opposed to being married to a system, the former NFL Head Coach wanted to put the talent at his disposal in the best spots to thrive, Caleb Downs being the prime example. Patricia anchored the unit around Downs’ versatility, with him lining up in the slot and both safety spots. His competitiveness and leadership proved to be the heartbeat of the defense and will be difficult to replace.
Outside cornerback Davison Igbinosun also made major strides in 2025, improving his coverage grade from 61.5 to an elite 81.0. Patricia’s focus on discipline clearly rubbed off on Igbinosun, who reduced his penalty count from 16 to a more palatable five. That transformation turned him from a Day 3 guy to a likely third-rounder.
What Changes - and What Stays
So, how do Ohio State replace that production? The answer starts with continuity. Free safety Jaylen McClain returns and looks to build on a dominant sophomore season where, per PFSN data, he had the lowest coverage yards per snap allowed of returning safeties. At outside corner, Jermaine Matthews will also be able to instil and teach Patricia’s system to the new additions from the transfer portal.
Replacing the Irreplaceable
It’s quite clear that Ohio State don’t expect to land a like-for-like replacement for Caleb Downs. Generational is a term used too often now, but in terms of the college landscape, Downs was exactly that for the Buckeyes in 2025. Rather than replacing Downs with one player, Ohio State appears set to redistribute his role across multiple positions. Patricia has strengthened the unit with experienced guys like Terry Moore and Earl Little Jr.
Moore arrives from Duke, having missed the entirety of 2025 through injury. The year before, Moore starred for the Blue Devils with 4 interceptions and 5 pass breakups. With a run defense grade in the 80’s and that coverage ability, Moore epitomises the versatility Patricia preaches. Expect him to play a mix of deep and box safety in 2026.
Little Jr is a personal favourite of mine, having followed him intently since he was recruited as a 4-star prospect by Alabama. Having failed to find a starting role in Tuscaloosa, it took him a couple of years at Florida State to blossom into the safety many expected him to be. Now, he looks likely to be deployed heavily in the slot, maximising his ball-hawking skills (4 interceptions in 2025).
The X-Factor: Devin Sanchez
Dawg: Ohio State cornerback Devin Sanchez LOCKS UP superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith at practice.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 27, 2026
Sanchez is going to be UNSTOPPABLE 🔒
(via @southflexpress) pic.twitter.com/Qi69aSBj0B
The wildcard of the new group is sophomore corner Devin Sanchez. The 6’2, 198lbs five-star prospect is potentially the most gifted player on the secondary. He got a chance to cut his teeth, playing 290 snaps at outside corner in 2025, a role he looks set to make his own this time around. He’s already causing plenty of buzz in spring practice, getting the better of the nation’s premier wide receiver, teammate Jeremiah Smith. If Sanchez reaches his ceiling in his second year, the Buckeyes may have one side of the field locked down.
It’s also important to note the addition of Cam Calhoun from Alabama. The fourth-year played his best ball at Utah two years ago, but his experience will be invaluable given the departure of many of the Buckeyes’ depth pieces to the portal. Calhoun is predominantly an outside guy who could allow Matthews to take snaps in the slot and push Little back to safety, depending on the specific matchups. It’s often overlooked how important the first man off the bench is.
Early Tests Will Tell the Story
The biggest test will come early in the season. On the road in Texas in Week 2, the reconstructed unit will go up against the explosive duo of Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman. After that, they should get some time to bed in before they face the likes of Indiana, USC, Oregon and Michigan in the second half of their schedule.
Ultimately, it’s unlikely this version of the Buckeyes defense can reach the heights of last year’s. The defensive unit as a whole was rare, and the secondary won’t get the benefit of Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Kayden McDonald terrorising opposing QBs. That said, on paper, Patricia appears to be looking to offset the loss of Downs with a range of skill sets and versatile pieces. If Earl Little and Terry Moore go some way to replace that, and Devin Sanchez is the star many have predicted, then this unit might not drop off as much as some expect.
Rory-Joe Daniels
NFL & Cfb contributor
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.