Over and over, Larry Johnson has reloaded.
Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes, Joey Bosa, Adolphus Washington, Joel Hale, Tommy Schutt, Noah Spence and Michael Bennett each either ran out of eligibility or left Ohio State early to head to the NFL draft in the past half-decade, yet the defensive line has never had much of a drop-off. Regardless of which four linemen Johnson trots onto the field, the Buckeyes have counted on their defensive front to change games.
The upcoming year – even without Nick Bosa and Dre’Mont Jones – shouldn’t be any different. Johnson prefers to avoid using the word “replace,” but that’s exactly what he has done in his five-season Ohio State career, and that’s what he’ll do again next year.