Ohio State football: 5 Buckeyes poised for breakout seasons in 2020
Ohio State football players in line for a breakout season.
It was a fantastic season for Ryan Day in his first full season at the helm of the Buckeyes. He led Ohio State to a 13-1 record, the only loss coming to Clemson in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
With key players such as Heisman finalist Justin Fields and potential first-round phis year’s draft Shaun Wade returning, the Buckeyes seem primed to be just as successful in 2020.
That being said, they still need to replace a few guys that either graduated or left for the NFL. Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, Damon Arnette, J.K. Dobbins, K.J. Hill Jordan Fuller are just a few names on a long list of great Buckeyes that left the team. These players unquestionably made great plays that ultimately led to the season that the Buckeyes had in 2019.
But they won’t be back in 2020 and there will have to players that step up in the wake of their exits. The potential replacements seem to be endless, it’s a big reason why Ohio State is known as one of the elite contenders in college football. Five-stars are littered up and down the roster, chomping at the bit to make their names heard in Columbus.
Who are the guys that are most likely to make big names for themselves in the Scarlet and Gray this season? Let’s get into five potential Ohio State football breakout players.
Julian Fleming | Freshman | WR
The lone freshman on this list, Julian Fleming comes in from a class in 2020 that is loaded with talent. Despite how loaded it is, Fleming stands at the top as not only the No.1 wide receiver in the class but the No. 3 overall player in the class according to 247Sports.
Fleming is a 6-foot-2, 199-pound wide receiver hailing from Southern Columbia High School in Catawissa, Pennsylvania. His size and speed combo is exactly what you look for in elite receivers as well as his jumping ability to go up and catch the ball in the air. According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, his comparison is Julio Jones. If the Buckeyes get something close to that, they will be over the moon.
Fleming’s timing greatly helps him make this list too, as Ohio State lost three crucial receivers from the 2019 squad. K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor, and Austin Mack are all graduated leaving space for Fleming to come in and make a real impact right away.
Returning receiver Chris Olave, who was Ohio State’s best receiver last season, will continue to be that in 2020. But with Justin Fields at the helm once again and questions at running back for the Buckeyes, there will be plenty of love to go around in the passing game.
The Brian Hartline era as the receiving coach in Columbus is really going to start to come to fruition this year. With Fleming shaping up to be the third-best receiver on this roster, behind Olave and someone coming later in this article, look for Fleming to put up some impressive numbers as a true freshman.