Ohio State football has a trio of players that I'll be watching to potentially breakout and be game changers.
Ohio State football has been back on the practice field for a couple of weeks now in fall camp, and the Buckeyes held their first scrimmage over the weekend.
Week 1 against Ball State on Sept. 5 is getting closer, and Ohio State has a much different looking team this year. The Buckeyes will roll out eight new starters on defense while returning much of their starting offense, outside of one new offensive lineman and the loss of wide receiver Carnell Tate.
New players break out every year for Ohio State, and this season should be no different. After looking at the roster coming out of fall camp, three Buckeyes stand out as players who can change the trajectory of the 2026 season, whether through huge production or by showing up in the biggest moments.
McCuin, the transfer from UTSA, is going to have a big role for Ohio State this season. He has the tools to be the second-leading receiver on this team, and he's set to do a lot of damage from both the slot and the outside as a versatile pass catcher.
Ohio State wants to get a lot more explosive this season with players who can create after the catch, and that's exactly what McCuin can do. The Buckeyes need someone to replace Tate's production from last year, and McCuin is the next most productive wide receiver in college football on the roster behind Jeremiah Smith , even if that production came at UTSA. A breakout season is on the table for him.
Ohio State wants to have a two-headed approach at running back with West and Bo Jackson , and that much is clear. West has had a monster offseason. He's up to 220 pounds, 12 more than last year, and he's rocked up into a physical-looking back who is going to be hard to bring down.
West is poised to go from minimal production last year as the third running back by the end of the season to Ohio State's No. 2 back behind Jackson. By "second," he's still likely to be a guy who gets eight to 10 carries a game. West has a chance to be special for Ohio State, and his ceiling is high enough that he could end up at the top of the running back room depending on how it shakes out.
Atkinson didn't have the season he wanted at Ohio State last year after transferring from North Carolina , where he had 7.5 sacks and 35 tackles in 2024. In 11 games with the Buckeyes in 2025, he had just one sack and 11 tackles as a reserve pass rusher. With the loss of Caden Curry, Ohio State needs someone else to step up alongside Kenyatta Jackson, and Atkinson is a strong possibility to do so.
Atkinson, along with players like Qua Russaw, Epi Sitanilei, is expected to step up in the pass rush room. Atkinson has the most overall college football experience among that group, and he had a strong offseason. By all accounts, Atkinson has put in as much work as anyone on this team to bounce back in his senior year. He might not be a double-digit sack guy, but five to seven sacks is realistic, and that would be a strong year for him.
The Buckeyes have the talent to make another run in 2026, but how these three players develop over the season could go a long way in determining just how far Ohio State can go.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 3 players I'm putting on breakout watch that could change Ohio State football's season
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