Jalen Pace ready to follow in Hall of Fame footsteps with Buckeyes

COLUMBUS — After completing his prep career at Mary Institute & St Louis Country Day School, 2021 linebacker Jalen Pace announced on Tuesday that he’s accepted an opportunity to play football at Ohio State.

The prospect may be a bit of an unknown since the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is unranked by the recruiting services. But his last name should ring a bell — his father Orlando is a bit more well-known.

Jalen had a couple of opportunities to play college football elsewhere, including scholarship opportunities at Division II schools like Dayton and Lindenwood University. But the lifelong Ohio State fan told Lettermen Row he just couldn’t pass up the chance to follow in his father’s legacy. His budding relationship with coaches in Columbus helped him feel comfortable in the decision.

“I just talked to a bunch of recruiters there and they told me that they were offering me a preferred walk-on spot and liked my film,” the younger Pace said. “I’ve also been the biggest Ohio State fan, and now that I am part of the team it’s just a dream that became true. I’m just honestly excited to be a part of the team.”

His Hall of Fame father is equally excited.

“He has a great opportunity to live out one of his dreams of being a Buckeye and putting on the Scarlet and Gray,” Orlando Pace told Lettermen Row. “I know he’s excited, and we’re all excited for him.”

For Jalen, it’s about a chance to develop as a football player in a program that gets players next-level ready, but it’s also about the chance to do something he’s wanted his entire life. He’s not thinking about the footsteps he’s following in, no matter how big they are.

“Ohio State is in my family’s blood,” Jalen Pace said. “My older brother attends Ohio State right now as a student. My dad just had a big influence on us, and I just wanted to go down a similar path as him. All my dad has basically told me was that he hated the college conditioning and how terrible it was. He honestly hasn’t told me much about the traditions there, the only tradition that I know is that you always want to end the regular season beating the Team Up North.

“I’m just looking forward to just having that uniform on. To get to the Ohio State program and be part of the team with all the guys.”

He won’t be the only preferred-walk on with a familiar names heading to Columbus as preferred this summer. He’ll be joined by Toby Wilson, the son of Buckeyes offensive coordinator Kevin, Zak Herbstreit, the son of for Ohio State captain Kirk and Cayden Saunders, whose father Cedric played alongside Herbstreit in the early 1990s.

When Jalen Pace arrives on campus with the Buckeyes this summer, he’ll get a crash course in life with Ohio State. And though his bloodlines should make that easier, but it won’t be easy.

“My experience at Ohio State was so phenomenal,” Orlando said. “When I tell people about how great it was, people don’t believe me. Everybody else’s experience won’t be like that. Everybody else’s journey is different.”

Jalen’s experiences to this point have come from the sidelines, and he’s been there for some of the biggest moments in recent Buckeyes history.

“I was at the national championship in 2015 and the Ohio State game against the Team Up North when Curtis Samuel scored the game winning touchdown in double overtime,” he said. “I was also at the Ohio State game against Penn State with the big fourth quarter comeback in 2017, and I have been to a couple of Big Ten championships, too.

As a linebacker, Pace believes his instincts are the strongest part of his game. He had four interceptions from his outside linebacker spot as a senior and plays the position fast and aggressively. Clearly, he’s not as physically imposing as his dad, but he’s still growing on the field and into his body — and is fine with that. In fact, he may be thinking about recruiting his brother Landon to Ohio State a few years from now.

“It honestly doesn’t bother me too much,” Jalen said. “My younger brother has potential to have the size closer to my dad. He’s in eighth grade right now and already my size.”

His dad knows that there are going to be big expectations put on his son but has done his best to prepare him for what’s next.

“I think he’s has his best football ahead of him,” Orlando said. “What better place to develop his skillset than in Columbus with the Buckeyes? One thing I did share with him was that college football was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.

“Just from conditioning, your first time away from home, all the different challenges you have to face, you have to really grow up.”

The St. Louis prep star is ready to take that on, thanks to his dad.

“Throughout my life he always taught me that hard work pays off,” he said. “I feel like throughout my life I have gotten mentally and physically stronger, and that’s helped me on and off the field.”

Now Jalen Pace is getting the opportunity to make his own name known at Ohio State.

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