Ranking the Ohio State players from Texas who will matter most when the Buckeyes play the Longhorns
Ohio State has eight players from Texas on its roster. Who will matter the most when the Buckeyes travel to Austin in September?
COLUMBUS — Ohio State has eight players from Texas on its roster, tied with California for the third-most from any state behind Ohio (49) and Florida (11). All eight of those Buckeyes from Texas could be factors when OSU travels to the Lone Star state for a week two matchup against the Texas Longhorns.
It’s Ohio State vs. Texas week here at BAD Enterprises, where we’re diving in all week with early previews of this key nonconference tilt, the third game between these two programs in as many years.
We kicked things off with an OSU-Texas version of Around The Shoe on Monday, which you can watch for free on our YouTube channel:
One of the questions we discussed on that show is which non-quarterback would be the most important player for either team, which got me thinking about the Buckeyes from Texas. It’s not uncommon for Ohio State to have a strong contingent of players from other football-rich states. In fact, it’s necessary. But I didn’t realize how realistic it was for all eight of those players from Texas to potentially have a role in Austin on Sept. 12.
So here’s a breakdown of each player, ranked by how important they’re likely to be for the Buckeyes as they look for a third-straight win against Texas:
1. CB Devin Sanchez
From: Houston, Texas
Class: Sophomore
Did Texas offer him? Yes. Sanchez was a five-star prospect in the 2025 class and the No. 4 player in Texas. The Longhorns pursued him aggressively, even after he committed to Ohio State in January 2024, but Sanchez was a long-time Buckeye lean who stuck with his pledge.
Texas’ receivers combined for seven receptions, 90 yards, and one touchdown in last season’s loss to Ohio State. The position group as a whole was a disappointment for the Longhorns last year, so they added Cam Coleman, the top-ranked transfer receiver in the portal, from Auburn. Ohio State has not been a defense that travels its top corner with the opponent’s top receiver, but Sanchez — who could be OSU’s top corner in his first season as a full-time starter — will find himself in marquee matchups with a player whom Texas is looking toward to be a gamebreaker for its offense this year. Sanchez played 11 snaps against Texas as a true freshman last year, allowing one catch for 30 yards on three targets. Coleman versus Sanchez and Buckeye corner Jermaine Mathews is a key matchup, maybe the top matchup.
2. K Connor Hawkins
From: Liberty Hill, Texas
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Did Texas offer him? No. Hawkins was the No. 2-ranked kicker in the state in the Class of 2024 and signed with Baylor out of high school. He transferred to Ohio State back in January after two seasons with the Bears.
The last two games between these teams have been close. There was the 28-14 OSU win in the Cotton Bowl in 2024, and a 14-7 OSU win last year in Columbus. Surprisingly, neither team attempted a field goal in either game. But Ohio State brought Hawkins in from Baylor to make big kicks in big games. This would qualify as such.
3. LB Payton Pierce
From: Lucas, Texas
Class: Junior
Did Texas offer him? Yes. Pierce, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024 and the No. 33 player in Texas, had the Longhorns among his finalists when he committed to Ohio State in April 2023.
Pierce has played 294 snaps for Ohio State’s defense over the last two years. He’s missed three tackles. He had one tackle in 15 snaps played against Texas last year, but he’ll be on the field a lot more in this second matchup, with Pierce penciled in (more likely written in ink) as OSU’s starting Mike linebacker this year. He doesn’t have the same athletic profile as the outgoing Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, but he’s a smart, sure-tackling backer who will be key in shutting down Texas’ running back duo of Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State), the No. 2 and No. 5 backs in the transfer portal this year.
4. WR Devin McCuin
From: Jacksonville, Texas
Class: Senior
Did Texas offer him? No. McCuin was a three-star prospect in the 2023 class who wasn’t recruited by a bunch of blue bloods and ultimately signed with UTSA, where he played three seasons before transferring to Ohio State in January.
Texas has done a nice job of limiting Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith in the last two matchups. Smith has seven catches for 46 yards and no touchdowns in those two games. The explosive passing plays came from TreVeyon Henderson in 2024 (a 70-yard screen pass for a touchdown) and Carnell Tate in 2025 (a 40-yard pass from Julian Sayin for a touchdown). Who’s the non-Smith pass catcher who can make Texas pay for over-playing Smith? Could be McCuin, the speedster from UTSA who’s looking to give the Ohio State offense more yards-after-the-catch punch this year.
5. LB Riley Pettijohn
From: McKinney, Texas
Class: Sophomore
Did Texas offer him? Yes. Texas hosted Pettijohn, the No. 11 player in the state in the Class of 2025, for an official visit on June 14, 2024. He committed to Ohio State on July 6.
The 2025 season opener against Texas was the coming-out party for Arvell Reese. Could we see the next uber-athletic linebacker at Ohio State do the same back in his home state? Pettijohn was out for the spring, so it’s been difficult to get a handle on how exactly he fits into the picture. But he’ll be a factor, and could provide some pass-rushing juice either as a blizter from depth or lined up on the edge like Reese was at times last year. Texas returns both starting offensive tackles from last year’s team, but one of them, Brandon Baker, is moving to guard. He struggled in Columbus last year. Maybe the Buckeyes can still isolate him with interior pressure from someone like Pettijohn.
6. WR Kyle Parker
From: Allen, Texas
Class: Redshirt junior
Did Texas offer him? Yes. A four-star prospect in the Class of 2023, Parker was set to officially visit Texas in late June of 2022 before LSU landed his commitment a week earlier. Parker spent three seasons at LSU and followed receivers coach Cortez Hankton to Columbus this offseason.
Much of what we said about McCuin applies to Parker, but McCuin just has a lot more production in his career. The one thing Parker has going for him is that he’s coming from LSU and has played on bigger stages than McCuin, even if he wasn’t a main contributor for the Tigers during his three seasons there. Parker’s perimeter blocking could also be key in helping OSU generate some more explosive plays against Texas.
7. WR Brock Boyd
From: Southlake, Texas
Class: Freshman
Did Texas offer him? No. Boyd, a three-star prospect in the Class of 2026, initially committed to TCU in July 2024. Ohio State offered him six months later, and he eventually flipped to the Buckeyes in April 2025.
Boyd certainly has a strong chance to make his way into the receiver rotation as a true freshman after emerging as one of the breakout stars of the spring. There’s a lot of competition to be the next receiver into the game behind Smith and Brandon Inniss, and Boyd will be in the mix. Ohio State appears to have the pieces to go six deep at receiver this year, but will it be ready to do so in week two? Or might the staff prefer to stick with the older players in a tough road matchup?
8. RB Legend Bey
From: Forney, Texas
Class: Freshman
Did Texas offer him? Yes. The Longhorns offered Bey on Nov. 7 of his senior year, three days before he decommitted from Tennessee and flipped to Ohio State. Bey still initially (and surprisingly) signed with Tennessee in early December, but ended up back with the Buckeyes.
Head coach Ryan Day has lavished Bey with high praise for his athletic gifts and explosiveness, but how comfortable will the coaching staff be with putting the ball into a true freshman’s hands on this kind of stage? That question is especially pertinent when Day has also referenced the need for greater consistency in discussing Bey. Bey seems like a future star in Columbus, but it may be a bit early for that to show up in the second game of his freshman season. Or … maybe he’ll make the Henderson/Tate type of play that blows the thing open for the Buckeyes. He has that potential.