It seems like an annual tradition at Ohio State for the hype train to gain momentum for a breakout freshman in the offseason, only to lose steam just as the real football gets underway. In 2013, the first-year player destined for stardom was Dontre Wilson, the speedy playmaker from DeSoto, Texas, who some pegged as the second coming of Percy Harvin. Teammates, highlighted by quarterback Braxton Miller, raved about Wilson’s speed and playmaking ability and expected him to do big things in his first year with Ohio State. That never materialized, though, as the Buckeyes utilized Wilson mainly as a decoy, and he accumulated just 460 total yards and three touchdowns in 2013. A year later, it was Curtis Samuel’s turn to make the preseason noise. The blazing all-purpose back was turning heads in fall camp, and he had head coach Urban Meyer openly wondering if he was the team’s best ball-carrier. In that backfield, though, was sophomore Ezekiel Elliott, who went on to have a historic season as he carried the Buckeyes to a national title, and Samuel was relegated to backup duty. Last year, true freshmen Mike Weber (running back) and Torrance Gibson (wide receiver) made waves in fall camp, but both ultimately took a redshirt and sat out the entire 2015 season. It’s an alarming trend that Ohio State can’t afford to continue in 2016 after the departure of superstars Elliott, defensive end Joey Bosa, linebacker Darron Lee and 13 other starters. And fortunately for Meyer and the Buckeyes, there’s no reason for history to repeat itself. The Buckeyes already have a pair of freshmen who enrolled early and proved that they’re ready to make an instant impact…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Will This Be the Year OSU Finally Unleashes Its Freshmen?
