Ohio State Defensive End Will Smith Jr. Sheds Black Stripe After 11 Spring Practices
Another Buckeye shed his black stripe on Friday with Will Smith Jr. becoming an โofficialโ Buckeye.
Smith is now the eighth to lose his black stripe this spring along with Jeremiah Smith, Brennen Schramm, Caleb Downs, Quinshon Judkins, Will Howard, Seth McLaughlin and Will Kacmarek, who also lost his black stripe on Friday.
Smith, a sophomore defensive end, was part of the 2023 recruiting class for the Buckeyes and is taking part in his second spring with Ohio State. He is the son of the late Will Smith, who played on Ohio Stateโs 2002 national championship team and went on to the NFL to play for the New Orleans Saints.
Smith Jr. was a four-star recruit out of Dublin Coffman High School, and rated as the 31st best defensive line prospect in the country, and the seventh best recruit in the state of Ohio.
He spent most of last season injured, but now gets the opportunity to contribute in the 2024 season now that he has shed his black stripe.