Training camp exposes each roster’s balance issues. If the offense is too good, the defense gets put on blast. When it comes to the Bucks, losing Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, and Arvell Reese is going to be a tough core to replace over just one offseason.
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After Ohio State’s second training camp practice indoors Friday, defensive coordinator Matt Patricia did not hide his concern about freshman wideout Chris Henry Jr. The former NFL head coach was asked on 97.1 The Fan if the 6-foot-5 teenager could be a nightmare to scheme against, and Patricia quickly widened the conversation.
“Yeah. Well, there’s another guy, JJ (Jeremiah Smith),” Matt Patricia said on 97.1 The Fan. “I’m like, okay, all that stuff I just said about 4, make sure we’re getting it about this guy, too… As the defensive coordinator, I’m coming into our meeting room going, ‘Guys, if we’re going to let a guy that should be in third period math class right now keep running through the middle of the defense, I’m going to lose it.’”
Matt Patricia isn’t looking at Chris Henry Jr. like some kid who needs time to figure things out. The freshman already looks the part at 6’5 and 211 pounds. He came to Columbus with plenty of hype after finishing at Mater Dei. He caught 28 passes for 607 yards and six touchdowns in eight games as a senior. The year before was a different story. A knee injury cut his junior season down to just two games, but it barely dented his reputation.
Chris Henry Jr. gave Ohio State fans a preview in the spring game. He caught four passes for 96 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown from Tavien St. Clair. Now that the camp has started, he keeps getting noticed. This is good for Columbus to continue cementing its reputation as Wide Receiver University, especially now that WR whisperer Brian Hartline has taken his coaching talents to South Florida.
Suffice to say the offense is looking to be elite with Sayin returning for his second year as starter and Jeremiah ready to dominate and get that Biletnikoff that was denied to him last year.
The big question mark is on the other side of the field. 2026 marks the second consecutive year that Patricia has faced a massive talent exodus. In his debut 2025 season, he took a defense with few returning starters and led them to the No. 1 ranking nationally in total and scoring defense. To repeat that feat, Patricia is heavily altering his scheme and camp approach.
Last year, Patricia relied heavily on elite individual playmakers and stars. In the 2026 camp sessions, he is shifting the defense toward a more team based approach with high rotation between starters to keep players fresh and get the most out of his roster depth.
The NFL approach to defense is still in play. The Buckeyes are training defensive backs and linebackers to seamlessly alternate between Patricia’s signature diamond front, which is a 3-3-5 alignment, and third-down blitz packages to confuse opposing quarterbacks.
With Styles and Reese gone, second-year linebacker Riley Pettijohn has to step up and take a leading role. Safety Jaylen McClain and cornerback Jermaine Mathews have also stepped up as vocal leaders in camp, taking over the vacuum left in the defensive backfield.
All of these changes will be tested against elite wide receivers like Chris Henry Jr. But there’s a twist. He may not actually be the receiver making the strongest push for a starting job right now. That distinction belongs to Devin McCuin.
The fourth-year transfer from UTSA was the standout of Friday’s practice. Devin McCuin caught multiple big passes from quarterback Julian Sayin, including a deep ball over the middle against Cam Calhoun, a toe-tapping touchdown in the corner of the end zone, and a long catch-and-run where he spun away from coverage.
Ohio State needs more than somebody who can run deep. The Buckeyes are replacing Carnell Tate opposite Jeremiah Smith and want more juice after the catch, too. Devin McCuin showed both during the second practice. He also took most of the first-team reps alongside Smith and Brandon Inniss. That makes the receiver picture a lot more interesting.
Devin McCuin spent three seasons at UTSA and broke out last year with 65 catches, 726 yards and eight touchdowns. The obvious question is whether that production carries over against Big Ten competition. His experience against Power Four teams is limited, and he managed only 15 catches for 95 yards across games against Tennessee, Texas, and Texas A&M.
Two practices in, McCuin has taken early command of the starting conversation. While Chris Henry Jr. remains the freshman prodigy everyone is watching, veteran depth like McCuin creates a real problem. Patricia’s frustration isn’t just about young stars running free. It is the realization that Ohio State’s defense has another lethal target to worry about every single snap.