5 Ohio State football breakout candidates emerging after spring practice

It honestly feels like national championship or bust for the Ohio State Buckeyes this year. I mean, why wouldn't it be? The Buckeyes are the runaway favorite to come out of the expanded Big Ten. Outside of Oregon now in-conference, as well as Georgia and Texas in an expanded 16-team SEC, who else do you see realistically winning the College Football Playoff next fall? Yes, this is Ohio State's time!

Although they lost a few people to the NFL this offseason, namely wide receiver extraordinaire Marvin Harrison Jr., the Buckeyes picked up a plethora of players in the portal, including Will Howard from Kansas State, Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss and pretty much everyone under the sun from Alabama. Ohio State also landed former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to be Ryan Day's play-caller.

So what I am going to do today is take a look at five players who are flying under the radar a bit that I think could have great years for this national title contender. For as much as we love what the Buckeyes have on the offensive side of the ball, Jim Knowles appears to have this defense cooking. The only thing holding Ohio State back is some combination of Day, Michigan and themselves here.

Here are five players I suspect will have huge seasons for Ohio State after terrific spring practices.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes LB Sonny Styles

For those who have been paying close attention to the program, you probably already know about linebacker Sonny Styles. This was a position group of note in Columbus during Jim Tressel's time leading Ohio State. Although other front-seven players such as Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau headline the Buckeyes defense, look for Styles to make plays behind them at linebacker ... in style.

Overall, if Ohio State is going to contend for a national championship, they are going to need a playmaker at all three position groups of its defense. If all goes according to plan, Styles could be a candidate for the Butkus Award during his junior year with the program. Again, Sawyer and Tuimoloau will garner many of the headlines along the defensive line, but look for Styles to clean up with tackles.

If tackling fuel fuels you, look no further than the Buckeyes' weak side linebacker in Styles this year.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes G Luke Montgomery

For as much as people love to rave about the Ohio State receiving corps under Brian Hartline's watch, expect this year's offense to be a tad more ground-centric than even Ryan Day will be prepared for. This is because his mentor Chip Kelly will be calling plays, and the former UCLA head coach loves to pound the rock. One player who will be under a ton of pressure has to be guard Luke Montgomery.

Not only will Montgomery have to open up running lanes for Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, but he must comprise the integrity of a clean pocket to keep Will Howard upright. Should anything happen to Howard, look for the offense to become even more ground-centric with the unbreakable Devin Brown assuming the starting role. Also, Montgomery has a blue-chip brother...

While Ryan Montgomery is committed to Georgia, Luke Montgomery may win his ring before him.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes WR Brandon Inniss

With Marvin Harrison Jr. turning pro and Julian Fleming transferring to Big Ten rival Penn State, somebody else will have to step up and join Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate as key pieces in the Ohio State receiving corps. Given that he was on the team a year ago and was a blue-chipper coming out of high school in his own regard, a good pick to click would have to be sophomore Brandon Inniss.

He may not have a starting role in this offense, but you have to remember how deep the Buckeyes are in their receiving corps. Chip Kelly may want to keep it tight between the numbers, but Brian Hartline's willingness to spread it out might win out at the end of the day. Frankly, if Will Howard isn't looking to throw the ball a ton in Inniss' direction this season, then what are we even doing, man? I don't get it...

Look for this to be a big breakout year for Inniss because if it is not, we might have some problems.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes FS Caleb Downs

I mentioned before that everybody and their brother previously from Alabama transferred to Ohio State this offseason, right? Well, not everyone, but plenty of players who should be able to make a sizable impact in Columbus, now and in the future. For as much as I think offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin and quarterback Julian Sayin will be great players one day, I am all about Caleb Downs.

Even though he spurned my alma mater of Georgia in the end, the reason why he is No. 2 on this list is because his play at free safety could be enough to tip the scales in Ohio State's favor to win the national title. He is the type of playmaker that could break up a pass or two vs. Oregon, Georgia or Texas to give Ohio State its best season since the inaugural season of the College Football Playoff.

Downs will play this season and next at Ohio State before he becomes a first-round pick in 2026.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes WR Jeremiah Smith

Are you ready for this? For as highly touted as other Ohio State wide receivers are, and have been, whether that he Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate or even Brandon Inniss, the guy everybody keeps raving about is true freshman Jeremiah Smith. I am not saying he is going to replace Marvin Harrison Jr. all by himself, but he might got next in the great Ohio State wide receiver debate. He is the bee's knees!

This all really comes down to how much control Chip Kelly will allow Will Howard to work with at quarterback. To be fair, he may lean more on Egbuka and Tate than even Inniss and Smith this season. Truth be told, this is all about them developing their rapport for who replaces Howard. It might be Devin Brown in the short term, but between Air Noland and Julian Sayin, things are looking great!

Expect Smith to make his first big play of his college career this year in a huge spot to win a game.