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First-year defensive end Joshua Mickens sheds black stripe

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•10/11/23•

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Joshua Mickens by Matt Parker/Lettermen Row
Ohio State defensive end Joshua Mickens joined the Buckeyes in the summer. (Matt Parker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State true freshman defensive end Joshua Mickens shed his black stripe Wednesday night.

Mickens is the latest first-year player to officially become a Buckeye midseason. During the off week, quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and defensive lineman Jason Moore also lost their black stripes.

Like those two, Mickens joined the program this summer. He was the No. 1 prospect in Indiana last cycle, and he was the No. 14 EDGE and No. 101 overall recruit in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Mickens rounded out his career at Lawrence Central with 74 tackles, including 20.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks as a senior. The year before that, he piled up 12 sacks, not to mentioned five forced fumbles, in only 11 games.

Mickens initially pledged to LSU but flipped his commitment to Ohio State. He ended up being the Buckeyes’ lone true EDGE in their 2023 class, but, since, linebacker Arvell Reese has moved down to the defensive line to play some defensive end, too.

Reese shed his black stripe back in August. Mickens received the post-practice honor Wednesday, becoming the newest member of the “Rushmen.”

Joshua Mickens latest Buckeyes true freshman to lose black stripe

Sophomore offensive linemen George Fitzpatrick and Tegra Tshabola lost their black stripes the second week of this year’s spring practice, along with Ole Miss transfer cornerback Davison Igbinosun and true freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate. Oregon State transfer quarterback Tristan Gebbia shed his black stripe later in spring ball. And so did true freshman safety Malik Hartford and true freshman tight end Jelani Thurman.

Both transfer offensive linemen the Buckeyes brought in this offseason, Josh Simmons and Victor Cutler Jr., were the first Ohio State players to shed their black stripes in training camp. Then true freshman offensive tackle Luke Montgomery lost his, along with Ole Miss transfer defensive tackle Tywone Malone. After that, true freshman wide receiver Bryson Rodgers joined true freshman cornerback Jermaine Mathews in receiving the post-practice honor. Transfer cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. lost his black stripe the same week as Rodgers and Mathews. The most recent black stripe honorees are wide receiver Noah Rogers, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, offensive linemen Josh Padilla and Austin Siereveld and wide receiver Brandon Inniss, linebacker/defensive end Arvell Reese — all true freshmen — plus Syracuse transfer safety Ja’Had Carter and Arizona State transfer long snapper John Ferlmann. Moore, Kienholz and now Mickens are the latest additions to that list.

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