The Five Most Indispensable Buckeyes in 2026

Buckeye Weekly Podcast: The 5 Most Indispensable Buckeyes This Season

On the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr share updates on the show’s new home at Buckeye Insiders (YouTube and buckeyeinsiders.com) before discussing which Ohio State players the team can’t afford to lose this season. Using a back-and-forth format, they agree on their top five, emphasizing the roster drop-off behind each and the difficulty of relying on younger or less proven replacements. They also highlight the importance of special teams, naming kicker Connor Hawkins (and mentioning punter Joe McGuire) as potential difference-makers in a schedule expected to produce multiple close games, and they invite audience feedback on who else belongs on the list.

00:00 Welcome and New Home
01:33 Indispensable Buckeyes Setup
02:31 Cant Lose Jeremiah Smith
04:41 Quarterback Julian Sayin
07:14 Player Number Three
09:34 Player Number Four
12:04 Player Number Five
13:32 Kicker Connor Hawkins
15:20 Wrap Up and Callouts