Players to Watch: Devin Sanchez looks to grow into recruiting ranking
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There are few places that take their high school football more seriously than the state of Texas. Having covered high school football in that state, I have observed this firsthand. So, when a player draws attention in the Lone Star State, it’s usually a safe bet that player will turn into something special.
One of the players who shone brightly in Texas is cornerback Devin Sanchez, who finished his career at North Shore High School in the Houston area as the state’s No. 2 recruit, the No. 1 cornerback in the country, and a top-five player at any position nationally according to 247Sports.
The Buckeyes won the recruiting battle against Texas A&M and Alabama for Sanchez’s signature in the 2025 class, making him the first No. 1 cornerback to commit to Ohio State since 2017, when OSU landed both of the top two in the class in Jeff Okudah and Shaun Wade.
When you think of the caliber of those two former Buckeye stars, you get a sense of how good Sanchez can become.
During his high school career, the five-star recruit earned numerous accolades, including a spot on the MaxPreps High School Football All-America team, and the 2024 Latino High School Football Player of the Year by Esquina. He played in the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl and made the 247Sports 2025 Freaks List.
Sanchez committed to Ohio State and went to work. He appeared in 13 games during his freshman season, starting one game and seeing a total of 409 snaps across defense and special teams play. He finished the year with 15 total tackles (12 solo stops), defended two passes, and recovered a fumble (against Ohio University).
His high-water marks were his five tackles and 73 snaps against Illinois on Oct. 11, 2025.
While Sanchez’s road was sometimes bumpy during his freshman season, he showed improvement as the year went on, and earned more trust through the year. Three of his highest snap totals came down the final stretch of games in 2025, including the UCLA and Rutgers games and the College Football Playoff matchup against Miami. He played 51 snaps against the Canes, with 43 on defense.
It was clear that Sanchez worked on his coverage responsibilities and key reads throughout the season, as his poor moments grew fewer and further between. In a difficult position to break into as a young player, seeing the field for more than 400 snaps his freshman year was a good sign of future growth.
As he enters 2026, more expectations will be placed upon him, as the Buckeyes look to replace Davison Igbinosun. Sanchez and returning starter Jermaine Mathews, Jr. figure to be the starters for the upcoming season.
If Sanchez can show improvement in his second year, he’ll be on track to become the next player to impress in the position group they call BIA (Best in America).
Tim Walton is challenging the second-year player to rise to the challenge of maintaining the lofty standard set by Matt Patricia’s defense in 2025, when the Buckeyes allowed just 129.7 yards per game through the air and had more interceptions (8) than touchdown passes allowed (7). It was the nation’s top-rated pass defense (i.e., Best in America).
Every publication covering the Buckeyes seemingly has grabbed the low-hanging fruit and named Sanchez one of the most likely players to break out. If he does that, joining Mathews, Jr. as dependable coverage players who can tackle in space, there’s no reason to think Ohio State will suffer much — if any — decline in pass defense, provided quarterback pressure also remains at a similar level.
Sanchez is ready for a big year, and the Buckeyes are ready for him to have one. That makes him a player to watch in the upcoming season.
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