Ohio State Preview 2024: 3 freshmen who could become trump cards for Ryan Day's championship hopes

The Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up for their sixth season under head coach Ryan Day. After leading them to back-to-back Big Ten titles during his first two seasons, Day has struggled to find the same kind of success over the past two seasons.

However, Day has revamped the Ohio State Buckeyes roster ahead of the 2024 season, bringing in several talents and establishing them as a top team competing for the national championship this year. They have also been ranked second in the Preseason AP Top 25 poll. But which freshmen will prove to be key for Day's team this year?

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Top 3 freshmen for Ryan Day's Ohio State for the 2024 season

#1 Jeremiah Smith

One of the top freshmen to look out for this upcoming season is Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith. He was named as the No. 1 recruit of the 2024 class by 247Sports. The former five-star prospect is expected to be a key player for the Buckeyes in their quest for the national championship this season.

Last year, Smith led his high school team to its third consecutive state title while recording an impressive 1,389 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. Moreover, with the likes of Emeka Egbuka, the Buckeyes have quite the firepower in their offensive arsenal. The team's OC and WR coach Brian Hartline had high praises for Smith amid offseason training.

"He has a lot of tools," Hartline said, "He works extremely hard and I will say this, I would say we've never had an 'Iron Buckeye' from coach Mick as a freshman."

Expect Smith to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the offense this upcoming season when things get tough.

#2 Julian Sayin

Another top freshman prospect in Ohio State for the upcoming season is former five-star QB Julian Sayin. Despite Ryan Day naming Will Howard as the starter for the 2024 season, Sayin is still a talent one cannot ignore.

While Devin Brown is expected to step up for Howard, Sayin still makes that backup QB position interesting with his talents. The freshman got first-team reps during the Buckeyes' offseason training. Furthermore, Sayin was a key contributor during his high school days.

Day could put his faith in the freshman to get a feel for the college game with limited playing time. If Sayin impresses using the opportunity, he may be a strong plan B for Ohio State if things get tough.

#3 James Peoples

Another freshman prospect who could make an impact this upcoming season is RB James Peoples. The young talent out of Veterans Memorial High School was initially not given importance as an early enrollee in an RB room boasting the likes of TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins and Dallan Hayden.

However, the depth in the Ohio State Buckeyes' RB room slowly faded when Hayden transferred to Colorado this offseason following the departure of Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams.

This now opens the opportunity for Peoples to prove his worth to Ryan Day and the Buckeyes and solidify his place in the RB depth chart. He also lost his black helmet stripe and completed the rite of passage to be recognized as a full-fledged Buckeye. Now, it's all about making a significant impact on the gridiron and helping the team realize its natty dreams.