There were no Ohio State offensive linemen at the combine. Not good enough…or not ready? We’ll know soon. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
The NFL Scouting Combine provided one more reminder of the talent on every Ohio State roster – and to wonder once more what might have been.
By Marcus Hartman for Press Pros
Indianapolis, IN – The NFL Scouting Combine means different things to different people.
For some, it is a chance to see the best NFL prospects up close or get to hear them talk about their football journey to this point.
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For others, it provides an opportunity to speak to NFL coaches and personnel people all in one place (whether that is Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center, Kilroy’s or Prime 47).
And then there are those fans looking for one more chance to complain about their team not winning the national championship last season.
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Maybe that is a uniquely Ohio State thing, but it was on display again this week after Arvell Reese and the Styles brothers (Sonny and Lorenzo Jr.) put on a show for NFL scouts and the NFL Network cameras at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Of course I always go to Indy looking for insight on next season — hearing who to watch according to the guys whose careers just ended is always interesting — but inevitably there is some reflection.
While what went right is often what gets discussed the most during interviews, what went wrong tends to be what bounces around the internet more, especially when fans are reminded of just how physically talented most Ohio State teams are.
So I guess it must be asked again: Did the Buckeyes blow it by not winning the national championship?
Well yes, but that is not the point.
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I wrote right after the Cotton Bowl loss to Miami they just didn’t have enough in the tank to beat the Hurricanes or Indiana when all was said and done, and I still believe that.
They COULD have beaten one or both, too, but the fact is they did not. Nor did they deserve to win those games (even if some advanced stats might say otherwise).
Ohio State fell short of a historic national championship repeat not simply for the lack of talent nor because of coaching malpractice.
Both played a big role, as did the quality of the teams Mario Cristobal and Curt Cignetti assembled in Coral Gables and Bloomington, respectively.
Gone is tight end Max Klare, a valuable weapon at tight end. Is there a replacement in sight for 2026?
The combine reminded us the coaching could have better propped up Ohio State’s weak spots, which is of course the essence of coaching.
Ryan Day and his crew failed to do so, but don’t overlook the fact the guys tearing up the track at Lucas Oil Stadium almost all had one thing in common. Sonny Styles, Lorenzo Styles Jr., and Reese not only are very fast, they also happen to play on the same side of the ball. So does Caleb Downs, who had such a good college career he and everyone else knew before hand he didn’t need to work out at the combine.
He’ll entertain the scouts who make their way to Columbus for Ohio State’s Pro Day later this month, he’ll be a top 10 (or more likely five) pick in April and everyone will be satisfied with his draft experience.
(Kayden McDonald and Caden Curry were there, too, but everyone knows the combine is not really for the defensive linemen to show their stuff no matter how important they are.)
The offense was represented by Carnell Tate, Max Klare, Will Kacmarek and C.J. Donaldson.
We know Ohio State always has plenty of Tates, a fast, explosive receiver who puts the fear of God into opposing defenses.
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The coaches seemed to wish they had more Kacmareks, a good blocking tight end who is competent in the passing game.
What they had in Klare and Donaldson, both one-year transfers, is still not entirely clear — and that is probably a big part of the problem with the 2025 Buckeyes not winning it all.
They were brought in to be a pass-catching tight end and a power running back, respectively, but neither really found their niche with any consistency.
Whether that is their fault or Ryan Day’s might never be known, but that chapter is now closed.
What’s more relevant is no quarterback, running backs or offensive linemen were representing Ohio State in Indianapolis this time around.
Why not?
Neither the quarterback nor any of the other running backs were eligible, but none were ready, either.
Had they at least looked ready, especially in those last two games of the season, then the guys at the combine might have had two championship rings instead of one.
The same could be said of the linemen. The starters were all eligible to enter the draft, though none did. Were they not ready, or are they simply not good enough?
The answer to that question very well could tell the tale of 2026, and we’ll start learning the answer soon enough.
In a perfect world, Ohio State has an offensive line capable of pounding out yards for even average running backs, but that has not been the case very often over the past decade or so.
And then the run game…will it be ready with sophs Bo Jackson and Isaiah West (above).
Perhaps Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, Phillip Daniels and (insert new starter here) will buck that trend this fall, but they might not need to if that quarterback — Julian Sayin — and the running backs — Bo Jackson, Isaiah West or perhaps someone new — don’t look like freshmen this fall.
Then again, it wouldn’t hurt either.
To that end, Mike Vrabel shared an endorsement of new Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, his former offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans when they had one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL.
Vrabel is the New England Patriots head coach, but he first made his name as a defensive lineman for the Buckeyes from 1992-95. His first coaching job also came as an assistant to Urban Meyer at Ohio State.
“I’m excited for him to be in Columbus,” Vrabel said of Smith. “Obviously, that place means a lot to me personally and my family. So having gone there and lived there, I support him.”
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Not only is Vrabel still a fan of the Scarlet and Gray, he also even knows how his fellow fanatics tend to think.
“Arthur’s a friend, so I talk to him often,” Vrabel said. “Got a lot of respect for him as a coach, but not only that, as a person and as a friend.”
But he’s also looking forward to having a direct line to the man who will call plays this fall.
“So for all the Ohio State fans, I guess we have somebody to complain to if they don’t score 50 points a game.
“Like every other Buckeye fan does.”
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