Projecting depth chart for revamped Ohio State linebackers

The summer offseason is in full swing, and Lettermen Row is trying to survive it with our annual Position Week breakdowns. By the time all nine units and coaching staff at Ohio State have been covered, training camp and media days will nearly have arrived, and the return of football in the Horseshoe will be just around the corner. Our positional weeks roll along with the intriguing Buckeyes linebackers unit.

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COLUMBUS — Jim Knowles knows how his Ohio State defense should look, and the Buckeyes haven’t even played a game for him yet.

The new defensive coordinator, tasked with fixing a proud unit that has underachieved the last two seasons, believes his system is ‘safety-driven,’ but it won’t revolve just around the back end. No, the linebackers in his scheme need to be elite playmakers.

Ohio State has the athletes at the position needed to get the job done.

“That’s why they do get a lot of stats, because we put them in position to make plays,” Knowles said. “A lot of times we funnel things to them, and the safeties. They’re there, and they’ve got to get the job done. So they have to understand the scheme and where they fit.”

Where do the Buckeyes linebackers fit in the new 4-2-5 system Knowles and his staff are implementing? Who will be the starters on Sept. 3 against Notre Dame? And who is entering the mix after a strong spring showing? Lettermen Row is wrapping up Linebackers Week with a projected depth chart for the Ohio State Silver Bullets.

Projected Ohio State starters

Tommy Eichenberg: As he enters his third season with Ohio State, Tommy Eichenberg is beginning to emerge as a true tone-setting leader of the Buckeyes linebackers unit. He took control of a starting position last fall and never let it go. Don’t expect him to this season, either. Eichenberg had the most tackles of any Ohio State linebacker last year, including 17 against Utah in the Rose Bowl. He’ll be a stalwart for the Buckeyes defense as training camp approaches.

Steele Chambers: A breakout star from a season ago, Steele Chambers ends this summer with massive expectations for Year Two as an Ohio State linebacker. Chambers was fifth on the defense last year with 47 total tackles, and he can only add to that total with another strong fall. He is athletic enough to do everything Jim Knowles wants from him, and he can add a physical nature to the linebacker spots, as well. He is pencilled in as a starter alongside Eichenberg because of those factors.

In the mix for Buckeyes

Cody Simon: After entering last season with high expectations, Cody Simon had an up-and-down year full of promise — despite battling through injury for most of it. Simon worked his way back and can still be a factor in the linebacker room this season, although he is unlikely to be in the starting lineup again this fall. Simon was fourth on the defense last year with 54 tackles, giving him a nice springboard to an even bigger season ahead.

Teradja Mitchell: After waiting patiently for his turn to be the leader of the Ohio State linebackers, Teradja Mitchell still didn’t see the breakout he wanted to last fall. He was part of the rotation, but he fell out of the starting lineup and into a situational role. He has one more season to break out with the Buckeyes. In a new defense, don’t discount his experience and knowledge.

Chip Trayanum: A former Arizona State running back, Chip Trayanum returns to his home state with a flip over to the defensive side of the ball. Steele Chambers was able to make that transition last year, and he became a starter by the middle of the year. Trayanum’s rise up the depth chart might not be as pronounced, but he is athletic enough to have an impact for Jim Knowles and the Buckeyes.

Palaie Gaoteote: Ohio State made a big splash in the transfer portal last summer when it landed former USC linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, who was a five-star prospect coming out of high school. Gaoteote didn’t have a big impact last fall. This year has a chance to be different with the new coaching staff.

Reid Carrico: One of the breakout stars of spring camp, Reid Carrico enters his second season with the Buckeyes as a prime candidate to be a surprising playmaker this fall. Carrico’s hard-nosed style and ability to take coaching well will give him opportunities to be a factor as early as September.

Freshman focus

Ohio State doesn’t need C.J. Hicks or Gabe Powers to emerge as contributors during their true freshman season. But if either of them do, it’ll come as an added bonus to a Buckeyes linebacker room bursting with potential. Hicks, a former five-star, has every tool to be a superstar during his college career. Powers will become a factor during his time with the Buckeyes.

Both top-120 overall players can have their impact on special teams, for sure. Can they work their way onto the field for meaningful reps this fall alongside other linebackers on the roster? That remains to be seen. But both give the Buckeyes plenty to be hopeful about into the future — and maybe even sooner than later.