Will Smith Jr. Still In The Race For Starting Role, Says He Has Gotten ‘A Lot Stronger’

Going into the 2025 season, Will Smith Jr. was working to earn the backup role behind eventual unanimous All-America nose guard Kayden McDonald, and he was able to do so.

He earned fourth most snaps (223) on the interior defensive line behind McDonald (446), Eddrick Houston (323) and Tywone Malone Jr. (298), per Pro Football Focus.

So after performing well enough to finish the season with 20 tackles, Smith was likely hoping he could be next up to start in the 2026 season. That became a much taller task when Ohio State went into the portal for defensive line talent.

The Buckeyes added John Walker from UCF and James Smith from Alabama out of the transfer portal and brought back Houston at the 3-tech position, so there is strong competition for the starting spot.

But Will Smith said over the spring that having those player around has only helped him as he worked over the offseason.

“With Coach Mick (Marotti) and his program, I got a lot stronger and I’ve been trying to work on my pass rush moves a lot,” Smith said. “I feel like I’ve definitely progressed in that, working with John, James and Eddrick. We’ve been putting our minds together and it’s been helping us all a lot.”

James Smith, who didn’t line up over center often at Alabama, said during the spring that he has been learning the nose guard position as well and could slot into that role next to Houston.

But it was still Will Smith who started at nose guard in the spring game and he continues to compete for the starting role. In the spring game, he deflected a pass from starting quarterback Julian Sayin that ended up in the hands of defensive end Beau Atkinson for an interception.

But even though Will Smith knew more competition was coming when Walker and James Smith came to Columbus, he didn’t want to be anywhere other than Ohio State.

“I would say it’s the culture (that kept me at OSU),” he said. “It’s the reason why I picked here. I’m also from here and I’ve always been a Buckeye.”

Will Smith Jr. is the son of the late former Ohio State defensive end Will Smith Sr., who was with the Buckeyes through the 2003 season when he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The younger Smith said that he is trying to play up to that standard when he gets on the field.

“A lot of (what pushes me) is I’m representing my dad’s name on my back,” Smith said. “I just have to make sure I play up to his standard.”