Larry Johnson’s next great defensive line? Why Ohio State’s front could become the nation’s best in 2026
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For nearly two decades, Larry Johnson has built defensive lines that have defined Ohio State football.
From Cameron Heyward and John Simon to Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, Chase Young, Sam Hubbard, Zach Harrison, J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. The Buckeyes have consistently developed elite defensive linemen capable of taking over games and eventually becoming NFL stars.
So a lot of offseasons in Columbus bring the same question. Who is next? This year, the answer may not be one player. It may be an entire unit.
Ohio State enters 2026 replacing several proven veterans from last year’s defense, but unlike previous years, the Buckeyes are not relying on one or two stars by themselves to carry the front. Instead, they have assembled what might be Larry Johnson’s deepest defensive line in years, blending experienced veterans, former five-star recruits, elite transfers and some of the most talented young edge rushers in the country.
If everything comes together, this group has the talent to become one of the best defensive lines in college football and the latest masterpiece in Larry Johnson’s remarkable career.
Kenyatta Jackson is ready to become the next face of the defensive line
Every great Ohio State defensive line has featured a player offenses fear before the ball is even snapped. That responsibility now belongs to Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
The former five-star recruit from Chaminade-Madonna arrived in Columbus carrying enormous expectations after finishing as one of the top edge defenders in the 2022 recruiting class.
Like many defensive ends under Johnson, Jackson’s development required patience. He spent his first two seasons learning behind veteran stars, refining his technique and adding strength, then eventually playing rotational snaps during Ohio State’s national championship run.
Last season everything began to click for the Florida native. Jackson finished 2025 with 28 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, but those numbers only tell part of the story. Nearly all of his production came against Big Ten competition, showing his impact translated against the highest level of offensive line play.
Rather than relying solely on athleticism, he became a far more complete pass rusher, developing better hand usage, improved counters and a greater understanding of leverage.
Physically, he checks every box NFL scouts want. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Jackson combines rare length with explosive first-step quickness. His wingspan allows him to keep offensive tackles from getting into his frame, while his improved strength has made him much more effective setting the edge against the run.
Now comes the biggest challenge. Last year he often benefited from playing alongside experienced veterans who demanded attention, like Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald, but this season he becomes the focal point. Opposing offenses will slide protections toward him, chip him with tight ends and running backs, and build protection plans around limiting his impact.
The next great Larry Johnson defensive end is not determined by recruiting rankings or athletic traits. He earns that title by consistently winning when offenses know exactly where he is. And Kenyatta Jackson has every tool necessary to do exactly that.
The talent around him may be even more impressive
While Jackson headlines the group, the reason this defensive line has such a high ceiling is because of what surrounds him. Inside, few players possess more upside than Eddrick Houston.
Another former five-star recruit, Houston entered Ohio State as one of the nation’s premier defensive prospects before transitioning from edge defender to defensive tackle in his freshman season. That move often takes time, but his physical gifts have never been questioned.
Now entering his third season, Houston looks ready to become one of the Big Ten’s premier interior disruptors.
At 6-foot-3 and nearly 300 pounds, he combines exceptional quickness with violent hands and unusual movement skills for his size. Rather than simply occupying blockers, Houston projects as the type of defensive tackle capable of collapsing pockets and creating negative plays from the interior, which is exactly what modern defenses covet.
Alongside him, Ohio State dramatically upgraded its interior depth through the transfer portal with Alabama transfer James Smith and UCF transfer John Walker, while Will Smith Jr., Jason Moore and an improving collection of young tackles provide even more competition throughout the rotation.
Instead of relying on one dominant interior player, Larry Johnson can rotate fresh bodies without sacrificing production or physicality.
The edge rotation may be even deeper. Behind Kenyatta Jackson Jr., the Buckeyes may have assembled one of the deepest edge rotations in the country.
North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson arrived in 2024 after posting 7.5 sacks with the Tar Heels and spent his first year in Columbus continuing to develop. And the staff clearly saw enough from him over the offseason and Spring camp for him to start opposite Jackson in the spring game.
Alabama transfer Qua Russaw offers a different dimension entirely, built more like a linebacker at 6-foot-2 and 243 pounds, his versatility and ability to line up in multiple spots gives Larry Johnson another chess piece to deploy in passing situations, even if his exact fit in the scheme is still being sorted out.
Then there’s Zion Grady, perhaps the highest upside player in the entire room. Now a sophomore after playing his way past Atkinson in the rotation by the end of his freshman year, Grady possesses the first-step explosiveness, bend, length, and closing speed that have long defined Ohio State’s elite pass rushers.
Many people already have Grady as the favorite to be the Buckeyes’ second best defensive end this season, and his long-term ceiling is as high as anyone on the roster.
True freshman Khary Wilder rounds out the headline names, and he arrives with a legitimate case to factor in right away, a top-50 recruit nationally in the 2026 class who impressed enough in his first spring to look like a future starter rather than just a body in the rotation.
It’s exactly the kind of room Larry Johnson has always preferred, an experienced veteran leading the way, a proven transfer/another veteran adding immediate impact, and blue-chip young talent waiting for its opportunity.
Johnson has said he wants to go six deep this fall, Jackson, Russaw, Atkinson, Grady, Wilder and maybe Sitanilei, and if that competition continues through fall camp and into the season, Ohio State’s edge rotation could become one of the deepest and most dangerous in college football.
Larry Johnson’s rotation remains the biggest advantage
Perhaps no defensive line coach in college football manages rotations better than Larry Johnson. While some programs rely heavily on four or five linemen, Ohio State in recent seasons has regularly played seven, eight, or even nine defensive linemen meaningful snaps throughout games.
That philosophy serves multiple purposes. Fresh legs create pass rush late in games. Young players develop without carrying full workloads immediately. Veterans stay healthier throughout long seasons.
Perhaps most importantly, the standard never changes regardless of who enters the game, just look at Ohio State’s national championship in 2024.
The Buckeyes rarely ask one player to play 50-70 snaps (unless it’s against Notre Dame in 2023). Instead, they attack offenses wave after wave, maintaining maximum effort throughout four quarters. That depth becomes even more valuable during the expanded College Football Playoff, where teams must survive multiple games against elite competition.
Few programs possess the personnel necessary to rotate without significant drop-off. But Ohio State appears positioned to do exactly that. With Jackson, Atkinson, Russaw, Houston, Smith, Walker, Grady, Will Smith Jr, and others all expected to contribute meaningful snaps.
The Buckeyes may field one of the nation’s deepest defensive fronts before even considering their younger developmental players.
Chasing another legendary Ohio State defensive line
Comparisons to past Ohio State defensive lines should always be made carefully.
The 2019 Chase Young group was extraordinary. The Joey and Nick Bosa years produced generational talent. The Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau era helped deliver another national championship. Those groups earned their reputations through production, not preseason projections.
This defensive line still has to prove itself. Jackson must become a double-digit sack threat. Houston has to develop into the disruptive interior force many expected coming out of high school. Grady must continue his rapid development, and Atkinson must provide production.
The transfers need to strengthen the interior rotation as well. And the entire unit must replace veteran leadership while maintaining Ohio State’s standard of physicality against the run and explosiveness rushing the passer.
That is a significant challenge, but it is also entirely realistic. The talent is obvious. The recruiting pedigree is elite. The depth rivals almost anyone in the country. And most importantly, the people responsible for developing that talent remain the same.
Larry Johnson has spent nearly two decades turning highly recruited prospects into All-Americans, first-round draft picks and championship-caliber defensive lineman.
His next great group may already be here. And if this unit reaches its ceiling, Ohio State’s defensive line will not simply be one of the strengths of the roster. It could once again become the standard every other defensive front in college football is measured against.
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