Midseason Awards: Who is Ohio State's Defensive MVP?

Ohio State’s defense has been one of the best in the country through the first half of the season, but who has actually been the Buckeyes’ most valuable player on that side of the ball?

On this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr continue their midseason awards series by debating Ohio State’s defensive MVP.

Tom makes the case for Kenyatta Jackson as the defense’s most consistent and versatile veteran, while Tony goes to the back end of the defense with Jaylen McClain. From there, they discuss Jay Timmons’ rapid rise, Earl Little’s versatility, Eddrick Houston’s emergence on the defensive line, and several other Buckeyes who deserve consideration.

0:01 — Ohio State’s midseason defensive MVP
1:31 — Tom’s pick: Kenyatta Jackson
2:50 — Why Jackson has been so valuable
3:50 — Tony’s pick: Jaylen McClain
4:30 — The value of a dependable safety
6:19 — Earl Little enters the conversation
7:27 — Jay Timmons’ remarkable freshman season
8:45 — Could Timmons be the MVP by season’s end?
8:55 — Eddrick Houston’s emergence up front
10:16 — Timmons has delivered in Ohio State’s biggest games
11:00 — Other defensive MVP candidates
11:39 — Who would you pick?

Jackson may not lead the defense in a flashy statistical category, but his ability to defend the run, rush the passer, set the edge and even drop into coverage has made him one of Ohio State’s most dependable players.

McClain has provided similar value at safety. He has been reliable in coverage, contributed against the run, created turnovers and given Matt Patricia the freedom to be aggressive with the rest of the defense.

And then there’s Timmons. The true freshman has already flashed the ability to cover, tackle, blitz, force turnovers and make plays in some of Ohio State’s biggest games. Tony and Tom both believe he could very well be the answer to this question by the end of the season.

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