Last year as a senior at Mountain View High School in Stafford, Virginia, Eric Mensah was named both the district and region Defensive Player of the Year. He was ranked the No. 90 defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class per the 247Sports Composite and the No. 793 player overall.
Mensah was originally committed to Virginia Tech, but flipped his commitment shortly after receiving an offer from Ohio State and OSU defensive line coach Larry Johnson. Mensah also held offers from Boston College, Duke, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and others.
What To Like
If you’re going to play defensive tackle, you better be able to stop the run. That is the first assignment in college and it is also the final exam. Every week on the syllabus it says, “Stop the run.” Eric Mensah got a crash course in that this spring after enrolling early. He got a taste of what college football is like, and it often features 650-pound double teams with no room to move.
As Mensah showed in high school, however, a double team is only as good as its weakest point. He often displayed the quickness to split a double team. That quickness is also on display when it comes to defending the run. Also, Mensah may be listed at 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, but he looks bigger and longer than that.
The Potential
Eric Mensah played a number of spots along the defensive line in high school. As a junior he spent most of his time at nose tackle. As a senior, he moved around a bit more. Wherever he lined up, however, he used his strength and length to disrupt the timing in the backfield.
The nose tackle doesn’t have to get to the quarterback, but if he can impact the timing of a throw, then it’s a win. Larry Johnson wants pass rushing from all of his defensive linemen, and Mensah has the potential to provide that on the interior. It will never be his main job, but the better he is at rushing the passer, the more he will play.
The Expectations
The Buckeyes really only have two returning defensive tackles with significant playing time. Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams are both seniors and they will command the bulk of the playing time this year. They can’t do it alone, however. Guys like Hero Kanu, Jason Moore, Will Smith, Jr., and Tywone Malone will need to step up. This is also an opportunity for Eric Mensah to do the same.
You don’t have to watch Mensah in practice long to see a good set of skills, but you also don’t have to watch him long to see that he is just a true freshman. The spring game was clear evidence of that. There were no easy reps. He held up well for the most part in the spring game, but he also showed just how tough life can be for a true freshman defensive tackle.
The Bottom Line
Eric Mensah should be able to redshirt this season, but even in redshirting, he could still play up to four regular season games and five postseason games. Ohio State passed on offering Mensah after seeing him in person at a June camp when he was in high school, so this is an opportunity that he almost gave up on ever happening.
Now that it’s here, expect him to take every swing that he’s got.
Previous Closer Look Editions
Quarterback Will Howard | Running Back Quinshon Judkins | Tight End Will Kacmarek | Center Seth McLaughlin | Linebacker Payton Pierce | Safety Leroy Roker | Safety Caleb Downs
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