Ohio State football player received even more fuel to the fire of him being a starter for the Buckeyes this fall

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The Buckeyes played their spring game on Saturday and Beau Atkinson made his presence felt. The former North Carolina transfer is trending toward being a difference maker for Ohio State football this fall.

Ohio State football was back on the field this past weekend for the spring game to get a look at what the 2026 team is going to look like with all of the new additions. 

Plenty of new faces flashed why they’re at Ohio State on Saturday, but I was impressed with a returning player who is returning for a starting spot. 

Beau Atkinson looks poised to be a starter for Ohio State in 2026 

The Buckeyes returning Kenyatta Jackson for the 2026 season was huge, there’s no way around that. Opposite of Jackson it’s a three-man race to be the other starting EDGE and Atkinson just might be the leader in the clubhouse. The former North Carolina transfer had a sack and an interception on Saturday, and he’s moving much better than last season. 

“He took his mobility and his flexibility seriously over the offseason,” Jackson said of Atkinson after the spring game. “I believe, in my opinion, he was overthinking a lot when he got in last year. I don’t think he’s overthinking now [and] he’s playing much faster and more explosive.”

Atkinson had 11 tackles and a sack in 11 games as a backup for Ohio State last season on the end. Just a season before at North Carolina, Atkinson had 7.5 sacks and was a force in the ACC. The jump to playing at Ohio State is tough and it looks like the 6-foot-6 defensive lineman is going to be a key contributor in 2026. 

Larry Johnson’s statement about Beau Atkinson is telling 

“I think he’s done a 360 so far, but we haven’t played a game yet,” defensive line coach Larry Johnson said recently. “I think I like where he’s at. He’s much better, he’s more flexible right now than we’d like him to be. Again, he’s a transition guy coming from the University of North Carolina and trying to play this way, and how do we do it, it’s different.”

It really is, and I think he embraced it. Never had a dull moment, never fought away from it, not even shied away from what we’re doing. Now it’s his moment and his time.”

Atkinson jumping to Ohio State was likely a two-year plan in the end to become the most complete player he can be. He’ll have a chance to turn himself into a draft pick in 2026 if all goes to plan

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