Ohio State can thank Shaun Wade for not needing to hit the panic button.
Had the potential All-American cornerback remained opted out for the 2020 college football season, deciding to spend his time over the next few months preparing for the next NFL draft rather than playing as a redshirt junior, the Buckeyes’ already worrisome defensive backfield outlook would have taken a further hit. They’d already lost two first-round corners – Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette – and a multi-year starting safety in Jordan Fuller. Adding Wade to the list as a late departee would have forced new defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs to replace the entire secondary.