Roster breakdown

Ohio State built this thing almost entirely through recruiting, not the portal — transfer data is unpublished but the blue-chip rate tells the story: 76% of 78 matched players carry a blue-chip grade at an average of 3.85★, against Maryland's 16% at 3.18★, meaning the talent gap at the point-of-attack positions (OL at 306 lbs, DL at 274 lbs) is real even if OSU's lines actually run lighter than ours. The roster skews young — 1.72 years average experience versus our 1.79, only 37% upperclassmen against our 40% — but 63 redshirts suggest deliberate roster management and depth-building rather than a program burning eligibility. Continuity is strong heading into 2025: 96% of pass production and 71% of rush production return, numbers nearly identical to ours, so this isn't a rebuild year. The 2026 cliff is worth flagging — 20% SR/GR attrition incoming — and on the DMV angle, they're holding exactly two of ours: Khmari Bing at safety and Jason Moore at DT, both names to pull into any Maryland-ties conversation with recruits.