It’s almost here. Yes, college football season would fit that description, and by extension, the Ohio State football season, but we’re talking about the release of EA Sports back by popular demand and NIL pondering, “College Football 26.”
Leading up to the mass release on July 10, but those who bought the Deluxe edition have access as of Monday. So, with it, we have a look at what all of the player ratings are, and that includes each and every Ohio State football player in the game.
We already know, based on previous information released by EA Sports, that Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs are the two highest-rated players in the game, and that Ohio State is the No. 3 ranked squad in the game, but now we get an under-the-hood look at each rating.
Here’s a look at every position group and the Ohio State football player ratings for each on the offensive side of the ball. We’ll bring you the defensive player ratings on Tuesday, so check back.
Quarterbacks
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Julian Sayin | 85
- Lincoln Kienholz | 80
- Tavien St. Clair | 80
This makes sense here. Though there is a quarterback battle ongoing between Sayin and Kienholz, it would be a pretty major surprise if Kienholz came out of it as the starter with the hype and skills the former 5-star recruit Sayin possesses. If anything, Kineholz should probably be rated a little higher than the freshman St. Clair.
Running Backs
The ratings from highest to lowest
- James Peoples | 87
- CJ Donaldson Jr. | 86
- Bo Jackson | 80
- Sam Williams-Dixon | 76
No issue with this at all. Peoples and Donaldson will most likely be used as a tandem just like TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins were last year. Carries should be split pretty evenly, but we’ll see how it all plays out when the season gets rolling.
Wide Receivers
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Jeremiah Smith | 98
- Carnell Tate | 91
- Brandon Inniss | 80
- Mylan Graham | 78
- Quincy Porter | 78
- Bryson Rodgers | 76
- De’Zie Jones | 72
- Bodpegn Miller | 71
I am often amazed at how realistic these ratings are from EA Sports. They really do their homework, and I have no issue here with the top six. Maybe Mylan Graham should be a little higher, but the pecking order makes a lot of sense.
Tight Ends
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Max Klare | 91
- Will Kacmarek | 82
- Jelani Thurman | 82
- Bennett Christian | 79
- Nate Roberts | 75
- Max LeBlanc | 71
- John Ferlmann | 56
Klare is clearly the class of the tight ends and is rated as such. However, I don’t know that the game is giving the next two guys — Kacmarek and Thurman — their due and think they should be rated a wee bit higher than 82. It’s hard to argue too much with where this stands, however.
Left Tackle
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Ethan Onianwa | 85
- Ian Moore | 75
- Carter Lowe | 74
This actually lines up quite well with what we project with the two-deep offensive depth chart, so no complaints here. It’s really hard to get a massive rating as an offensive lineman in the game, and that’s reflected here.
Left Guard
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Luke Montgomery | 78
- Devontae Armstrong | 69
- Jake Cook | 69
Montgomery makes sense here, but during spring, we didn’t see either of the Armstrong twins really make a move. Don’t be surprised if Devontae is further behind on the depth chart here. The rating makes sense, but not sure someone else won’t be slotted in as backup should they be needed.
Center
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Carson Hinzman: 81
- Joshua Padilla: 73
Hinzman will start, so that makes sense, but the 81 rating is a bit low considering the experience and how he played at the end of last year. I expect an All-Big Ten type of year from him.
Right Guard
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Tegra Tshabola | 80
- Gabe VanSickle | 71
- Julian Goines-Jackson | 67
The depth here is thin, but it is on the roster as well as what many consider the weakest link on the offensive line. No issues from us, but as we stated in our offensive depth chart projection, someone (Ian Moore perhaps) could slide down the line and take Tshabola’s spot if there are issues during the season.
Right Tackle
The ratings from highest to lowest
- Austin Siereveld: 78
- Phillip Daniels: 76
- Deontae Armstrong: 73
Siereveld’s rating is way too low based on what we’ve heard from the coaching staff, but the order and depth look pretty good. With the praise he’s drawing, Siereveld could be a breakout star on the offensive line, and you definitely feel better about this spot than right guard.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Every Ohio State offensive player rating in ‘College Football 26’