Best Ohio State football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore

Eddie George and Orlando Pace are among the best Ohio State football players ever and are half of the Buckeyes modern-era Mount Rushmore.

When talking about college football, it often doesn’t take long for the Ohio State Buckeyes to enter the conversation. Not only have they been nearly wholly dominant in the Big Ten for what seems like the past decade or more but they have a long-running history of greatness in the program. Ohio State football is always in the national spotlight and for good reason.

For as great as the teams to come through Columbus have been though, what stands out just as much — if not more — is the elite individual talent that the Buckeyes have produced. Both in the college and later in the NFL, Ohio State football has given fans some of the more memorable figures in the history of the sport.

So when looking at the modern era for the Buckeyes (since 1980), trying to find the four players who belong on the Mount Rushmore as the four best players over that span is an entirely difficult job. However, it’s a job we’re ready to take on and build the proverbial monument for in Columbus.

But first, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions that just missed out on being in the top four.

J.T. Barrett was wildly productive over his time with the Buckeyes and the record books reflect that. The dual-threat quarterback is the career leader in passing yards (9,434) and passing touchdowns (104) while also ranking eighth in rushing yards (3,263) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns (43). He was a tough omission but just missed out on the Mount Rushmore spot.

During his three years playing under the Ohio State football umbrella, Chris Spielman was a do-it-all force in the middle of the defense. Not only is he third all-time in total tackles (546) but he also logged 11 interceptions over his career as well. He made it into the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy voting twice, speaking to just how elite he was at the linebacker spot for the Buckeyes.

The most recent in a long line of elite Buckeyes pass-rushers, Chase Young‘s dominance is hard to ignore. Once he got his opportunity as a sophomore, he starred with 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. As the featured guy on the line in 2019, though, he was a Heisman finalist behind 16.5 sacks and 21.0 tackles for loss, despite missing two games. Few players have been as dominant as Young at his best.