On the first day of the fall Buckeyes’ camp, Eddrick Houston sustained a lower-body injury inside the Woody Haynes Athletic Center, as he left the practice with the help of the trainers. But he bounced back (not fully) within that week as he was spotted wearing his uniform, with a knee brace on top of his right leg. With that, maybe one analyst has got his projected depth chart all rolled out. And now, as the chatter surrounding Julian Sayin continues, fans are eager to get intel on the depth chart. With the season-opener against Texas already fueling the adrenaline, Day has even described the Arch Manning–led offense as, “we got a monster.” But here’s the thing: Ryan Day does not issue an official depth chart. There’s more…

The only intel we received so far was about the QB1 pick. Not a bit less, not a mouthful more. Fans had to be content with that. Eleven Warriors’ Dan Hope has released a projected Buckeyes’ depth chart for OSU vs Texas. But, adding to that note, the offensive and defensive positions included are based on the Buckeyes’ primary formations last season. Going by that, Eddrick Houston is projected to be the starting defensive tackle.

When Tyleik Williams departed for the NFL, Houston was pegged to be the starter. However, his injury sent a jolt through the program. As OSU had been struggling on the DT line, it was quite a challenging task for another player to step up to his spot. Houston was touted as his successor, but his injury dampened the atmosphere in Columbus; he was back in no time, though in a limited capacity. Meanwhile, in an interview with Buckeye Sports Bulletin, he exuded optimism. “I feel good. I’ll be ready Week 1.” And, turns out, Eleven Warriors Hope shares the same optimism in his projections.

Defensive tackle (3-tech) per Eleven Warriors’ projection

1. Eddrick Houston
2. Tywone Malone Jr.
3. Jarquez Carter

Defensive tackle (Nose) per Eleven Warriors’ projection

1. Kayden McDonald
2. Will Smith Jr.
3. Jason Moore

Given that Eddrick Houston bounces back healthy from his knee injury to go to the trenches, he and Kayden will be the starting defensive tackles, with him describing Houston as a freak athlete. “We feel like K-Mac’s done a good job,” Ryan Day said per Cleveland.com. “Eddrick Houston’s gotta have a huge August for us. Then the list goes on because we’ve gotta build some depth behind those guys.”

The off-season saw the rise of Smith Jr. as a top backup defensive tackle, primarily rotating behind McDonald at nose tackle, as per Hope. Fans might get to (possibly) see some three-technique snaps as well, given that Houston is limited on the turf. He wasn’t a participant in the 2025 spring game, where OSU’s second wave of defensive tackles buckled. But his stock skyrocketed during the Media Days, when Smith was the first DT mentioned by Ryan Day. “Will Smith (Jr.) has stepped up in a big way,” Ryan Day had said. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson further called him an ideal player for the nose guard position.

Now, Jarquez Carter also showed some promising blocks in his first off-season. So, it is a possibility that he might turn up as the Buckeyes’ backup 3-technique over the season, but Malone still got the edge, and might likely be Houston’s top backup. Zooming in on Moore, he is a potential candidate to be the Buckeyes’ second 3-technique, per Hope. But there is uncertainty, given that he was recently spotted with a walking boot. And if Moore cannot make it to the trenches, Eric Mensah is another name to consider.

But despite all these considerations, fans would be hoping that their star Eddrick Houston would hit the Texas game. However, is it a real possibility?

Eddrick Houston injury update

Though much to the Buckeyes’ delight, Eddrick Houston’s injury did not appear to be long-term. “We think he’s going to be involved with team drills here within the next 48 hours,” Ryan Day had said. He was spotted wearing a knee brace a couple of days later. However, he didn’t participate in any of the drills or team activities. “The lower body injury sustained in practice earlier today by Ohio State projected starting DT Eddrick Houston does not look like a long-term injury. The early results are that it’s not considered serious,” Pete Thamel had reported.

In the following practice, defensive tackle Eric Mensah entered the turf, replacing him, but there was a catch. The defensive line was split between two fields. Other depth pieces  — Tywone Malone, Will Smith Jr., and others- are witnessing uphill progress. Still, the DL line has been a concern for Ryan Day throughout the entire season, and Houston was a significant offensive weapon in Day’s playbook come this weekend. Though he has avoided a long-term injury, the recently speculated depth chart by Eleven Warriors’ Dan Hope might suggest something.

Given the circumstances, Coach Day is clearly stressed about the season-opener, and a key player’s injury only deepens the concern.“If we didn’t open up with Texas, maybe… I mean, the first game is a monster, right out of the gate,” he admitted. One question remains for sure: Will his defense have enough depth to block the Arch-Manning-led offense? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.