2023 Ohio State Freshman Class Report: Offensive Tackle Miles Walker

This is the 19th installment in a series where Buckeye Huddle looks back on each member of Ohio State’s 2023 signing class and the impact they had as rookies, as well as the impact they could have during the upcoming 2024 season. Up next is offensive tackle Miles Walker.

Miles Walker was the 2022 New England Prep School Athletic Council’s Class A Lineman of the Year as a senior at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He also played baseball, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering his parents were multi-sport athletes and All-Americans at Williams College.

A three-star prospect, Walker was ranked the No. 33 offensive tackle in the nation, and the No. 501 player in the 2023 class overall. He took official visits to Texas A&M, Ohio State, Duke, and Vanderbilt before finally settling on the Buckeyes.

2023 Season

Ohio State signed four offensive linemen in the 2023 class and all four enrolled early. Despite taking part in spring ball and winter workouts, Miles Walker was one of three freshmen linemen who did not see the field last year. A lack of playing time as a true freshman is pretty standard on the offensive line, so Walker’s lack of action was not unexpected.

Part of those muted expectations is because Connecticut isn’t necessarily known for its high school football. Despite that, Walker (6-5 295) possesses the size and athleticism that football coaches like. Especially when looking for an offensive tackle.

“You look at his length and his athleticism and his size,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said last December. “He’s going to start at tackle for us.”

So Now What For Miles Walker?

As a true freshman, Miles Walker was thrown into the mix with the third-team. He got some practice reps and scout-team reps, but now as a redshirt freshman he will have an opportunity to contend for a spot in the two-deep. Getting enrolled early last year will be an ongoing benefit for him.

“It’s huge. You’re doing major college workouts. You’re doing major college football practice and training,” OSU offensive line coach Justin Frye said last May. “And for a lineman it’s really critical too because it’s a whole new verbiage in the playbook. It’s a whole new speed and structure than what you’re used to. So a lot is new and not a lot is habitual.”

The Buckeyes return starting left tackle Josh Simmons and First-Team All-Big Ten right tackle Josh Fryar. There is a possibility that Fryar could move to guard this season, which would open up a spot at right tackle, though Walker may still be a year or two away from that right now.

Ohio State could look to the portal again after spring ball just as they did last year in landing Simmons. With this being the first year of the 12-team playoff, the season is going to be expanded, so the Buckeyes will need as many linemen to be ready to play as they can find. Miles Walker could be one of those linemen, especially now as he enters his second spring camp for Ohio State.

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