Spring Preview: Buckeyes Need More Than Just Caleb Downs At Safety

Overview

Ohio State returns the best safety in college football in junior Caleb Downs, as well as a pair of backups who have each started a game or two in their respective careers. Redshirt freshman Leroy Roker is making some noise. Three true freshmen will add to the depth chart, while fifth-year senior Lorenzo Styles, Jr. will look to fend off an underclassman or two as the Buckeyes’ nickel back. That competition could include cornerback Jermaine Mathews.

Scholarship Roster

Lorenzo Styles, rSr, 6-1 195
Styles was the Buckeyes’ top dime last year, which puts him at front in the nickel line this year.

Keenan Nelson, rJr, 6-1 185
Nelson transferred in from South Carolina but only saw time on special teams. After a year of acclimating, is he ready to contribute defensively?

Caleb Downs, Jr, 6-0 205
Lived up to the hype in his first year as a Buckeye, but now looking to expand his game under a new defensive coordinator.

Jermaine Mathews, Jr, 5-11 189
Mathews spent last spring at nickel despite playing last year outside at cornerback. Safeties coach Matt Guerrieri has indicated that Mathews could be back at nickel this spring.

Malik Hartford, Jr, 6-3 194
Excelled for a true freshman in 2023, then backed up Caleb Downs at free safety in 2024. Will eventually compete for a starting job this season.

Jaylen McClain, Soph, 6-0 192
Impressed immediately upon arriving last January as a true freshman. Won the backup job at strong safety behind Lathan Ransom and could now be the favorite to replace him.

Bryce West, rFr, 5-11 196
Solid true freshman season at cornerback but could factor in this year at nickel.

Miles Lockhart, rFr, 5-9 193
Lockhart did not see any action last year as a true freshman. Will be in the mix at nickel and dime this spring.

Leroy Roker, rFr, 6-1 175
Played in just two games last year as a true freshman but lost his black stripe relatively early for a June enrollee. Became known for making plays in practice a year ago.

Faheem Delane, Fr, 6-3 205
One of the top safeties in the 2025 recruiting class. Physical presence that could play both free or strong safety.

Cody Haddad, Fr, 6-0 175
Haddad was a tackling machine in high school. Like the other two freshmen safeties, he is already enrolled.

DeShawn Stewart, Fr, 6-1 195
Still recovering from a high school injury, so his spring will be somewhat limited. He played mostly cornerback in high school.

For Starters

The Buckeyes have a new defensive coordinator in Matt Patricia, but he’s the only new face on the defensive coaching staff, so there aren’t a ton of changes expected to OSU’s scheme. Patricia with have his additions, but the expectation is that the Buckeyes will again be looking for three starting safeties. Caleb Downs returns at free safety, but Lathan Ransom and Jordan Hancock are gone at strong safety and nickel back, respectively.

New Additions

Ohio State added three safeties in the 2025 recruiting class. Faheem Delane was ranked the No. 5 safety in the class. He’s a rangy safety who can cover the post or stop the run. Cody Haddad was the No. 2 safety in Ohio. Deshawn Stewart was the No. 1 safety in the state of New Jersey. There is pliability and versatility in this group. The spring will just be the beginning of each of these guys finding a home.

Spring Depth Chart

There has been no pecking order put forward to this point, let alone knowing which players are working more at free safety than strong safety, and vice versa, so this is almost entirely an exercise of just putting names in table cells past Caleb Downs, Jaylen McClain, and Malik Hartford.

Free Safety

2	Caleb Downs
9	Malik Hartford
28	Leroy Roker
21	Deshawn Stewart

Strong Safety

18	Jaylen McClain OR
9	Malik Hartford
NA	Faheem Delane
12	Cody Haddad

Nickel Back

3	Lorenzo Styles, Jr. OR
7	Jermaine Mathews, Jr.
13	Miles Lockhart
12	Bryce West (may stay at CB)

The annual spring retreat to nickel back for Jermaine Mathews may be in the cards again this year. If it is, he’ll be working with the ones and twos. It’s hard to imagine he will stay there during the season, but that’s also contingent upon other players stepping up — or not. The Buckeyes could also be looking for a big nickel and a little nickel this season, with Mathews fitting into the latter portion of that plan.

What’s The Latest

Safeties coach Matt Guerrieri has a serious group of safeties on his hands. They got to learn from Lathan Ransom and Caleb Downs last year, and he is expecting to see the benefits of that to continue showing up. It has been a very positive offseason for Malik Hartford, Jaylen McClain, and Leroy Roker. Guerrieri isn’t hiding his expectations, telling media members on Friday that they’ll see a difference in these guys this spring. Hartford’s mentality regarding toughness and confidence are showing up “big time” according to Guerrieri.

Expectations

Expect Caleb Downs to get some good coaching experience this spring. His respite from reps will allow the gobs of young players to get some needed snaps. At the NFL Combine, Lathan Ransom was asked who would be replacing him at strong safety. He didn’t want to pick one player over another when talking about Jaylen McClain and Malik Hartford. The expectation is that they will compete to start alongside Downs, but that competition may find them on the field together when Hartford is at free safety for Downs this spring. Hartford and McClain could be the ones at free safety and strong safety for much of the spring. The end of the competition would then take place in fall camp.

Question Needing An Answer

Can somebody other than Jaylen McClain and Malik Hartford make a mark this spring? The buzz around Leroy Roker is picking up. Can Keenan Nelson get involved in year four? Will a freshman stand out early and make things interesting over the summer?

Breakout Candidate

Well, considering Jaylen McClain and Malik Hartford have already started games in their careers, let’s go with redshirt freshman Leroy Roker as the breakout candidate at the safety position. Matt Guerrieri has been thrilled with Roker’s year of growth. So much of the talk in the offseason has been centered on McClain and Hartford — and rightfully so, but Roker could be one to watch in the two-deep this spring.

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