Ohio State football: Which Buckeyes need a big-time bowl performance?

For a Cotton Bowl win, key Ohio State players will have to have a good game.

The Cotton Bowl is the last chance for Ohio State players to make a big impression during the 2017 season. For some, it’s to put one final exclamation mark on their draft profile.

For others, it’s to stake their claim to an increased role or national attention in 2018.

Who are those players for the Buckeyes this season?

Demetrius Knox

After Brandon Bowen went down with a broken leg, Knox stepped into the right guard role and never looked back. Knox jumped Matthew Burrell to replace Bowen and has performed well.

He’ll face a stiff test against the USC front seven, which features a handful of All Pac-12 performers.

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What’s at stake for Knox is his role on the offensive line next season. Bowen will be healthy by spring camp and Burrell will still be on the roster.

Malcolm Pridgeon will be a senior and youngsters like Thayer Munford, Josh Myers, and Wyatt Davis will compete for a spot. To gain an edge, Knox needs a standout performance to go into the offseason as the clubhouse leader to start at right guard.

Denzel Ward

Ward, an All-American at corner, is likely to jump to the NFL after the Cotton Bowl. He’ll continue a trend of Buckeye defensive backs leaping to the professional ranks a year or two early.

Ward doesn’t have much left to accomplish in Columbus, save for a national championship. He’s achieved a great deal and is going to be ranked very high going into the draft if he does in fact declare.

The Cotton Bowl matters to Ward because a huge performance on the national stage could vault him ahead of Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick on draft boards. There’s going to be an ongoing debate between Ward and Fitzpatrick for teams looking for secondary help.

With the way Ward shut down top receivers in 2017, shutting down USC’s Deontay Burnett would be icing on the cake for his draft stock.

Robert Landers and Dre’Mont Jones

Both players were “starters” throughout 2016 after Tracey Sprinkle went down with a knee injury in the season opener. Both players have rotated through the lineup due to Michael Hill’s suspension to start the 2017 year.

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Jones is a known entity to Buckeye fans as a penetrating defensive tackle and Landers had the play of the year with his non-touchdown fumble recovery against Oklahoma.

The aforementioned Hill and Sprinkle, in addition to Jaylen Holmes, will be moving on after 2017. Thus, leading the true defensive tackle spots into a wide open competition. Both players can head into 2018 as the penciled in starters with stout performances against the USC running game.

Otherwise, Larry Johnson can throw other hats into the ring, such as Haskell Garrett, Dylan Thompson, Malik Barrow, and Davon Hamilton, who himself saw plenty of action as a rotation player in 2016.

Rashod Berry

The Lorain native went to Ohio State as a defensive end. Upon his arrival, that spot was far and away the deepest on the roster, pushing him to tight end after A.J. Alexander hurt his knee during the offseason.

Berry became an effective second tight end behind Marcus Baugh. He also brought the same type of aggression in the run game as a blocker he brought as a lineman on defense.

2018 could have some depth issues at defensive end. If Sam Hubbard leaves for the NFL a year early, Nick Bosa will be looking for a new partner opposite of him.

Chase Young, Jashon Cornell, and Jonathan Cooper have all played at times this year, with Young more of the type of “rush end” in playing style like Hubbard.

But what about Berry?

He could make an impact as an experienced player at defensive end with Alexander coming back, Luke Ferrell on the roster and Jeremy Ruckert coming to campus. Berry’s Cotton Bowl film could provide some clarity on what his future position may look like.

J.T. Barrett

The Cotton Bowl will be Barrett’s last game as an Ohio State Buckeye. He’s accomplished more than his critics may point out, shattering Ohio State and Big Ten records.

He is arguably the greatest Ohio State quarterback of all-time and should be considered an all-time great in Columbus.

For Barrett, it’s one last chance to prove those critics wrong.

Sure, he’s had moments that make Buckeye fans cringe. He’s not the greatest pure passer ever, but Barrett is a winner, a leader, and a guy that just gets it done.

Barrett’s postseason play has been mixed. He led Ohio State to a blowout win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, albeit with pedestrian numbers. The same is true about the Big Ten Championship this year against Wisconsin, but that’s two postseason wins.

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Unfortunately, last year’s dud against Clemson is the last bowl game memory for Ohio State fans. Barrett can put those memories away with a standout performance against USC.

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