Honestly, if you look back at the Ohio State roster 2016, it feels like a fever dream for anyone who follows college football or the NFL. You’ve got a team that was basically an NFL developmental factory disguised in scarlet and gray. It wasn't just talented; it was historically deep. We’re talking about a group that sent double-digit players to the pros while trying to navigate one of the weirdest seasons in the Urban Meyer era.
Most people remember the 2016 Buckeyes for two things: that chaotic, heart-stopping double-overtime win against Michigan and the absolute thumping they took from Clemson in the desert. But looking at the names on that depth chart today? It’s kind of insane. You had future All-Pros, a future Heisman winner (who wasn't even starting for them yet), and a defense that felt like it was playing on fast-forward.
📖 Related: Why the Los Angeles Lakers Clippers Rivalry Just Feels Different Now
The QB Room Nobody Could Have Predicted
Let’s start with the quarterbacks. This is where it gets really weird. J.T. Barrett was the guy. He was the leader, the record-setter, the "distributor." He finished that year with 2,555 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. He was safe. He was reliable. Sorta.
But look at who was sitting behind him.
You had Joe Burrow as a redshirt freshman. Yeah, that Joe Burrow. He was just a kid from Athens, Ohio, at the time, completing 22 of 28 passes in garbage time. Then there was Dwayne Haskins, a true freshman who was redshirting. Think about that for a second. In one room, you had the most prolific quarterback in Ohio State history (Barrett), a future first-round pick (Haskins), and a future No. 1 overall pick and NFL MVP (Burrow).
Urban Meyer has often said that the 2016 team was one of his youngest. He wasn't lying. They had lost a staggering amount of talent to the 2016 NFL Draft (like Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott), so the 2016 roster was basically a "reloading" project that somehow ended up in the College Football Playoff.
Skill Positions: The Curtis Samuel Show
If you watched a single game that year, you knew the offense basically started and ended with Curtis Samuel. He was the "H-Back," a position Urban Meyer loved but rarely found the perfect fit for until Samuel. He was the only player in the country that year with over 700 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards.
He was a nightmare.
Then you had Mike Weber, the redshirt freshman who stepped into Zeke’s massive shoes and quietly put up a 1,000-yard season. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, though he often got overshadowed because Samuel was doing video-game things every other play.
The wide receiver room was... interesting. It wasn't the "Zone Six" powerhouse we see now with guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., but it had some serious workers.
- Noah Brown: Most famous for that "behind the back" catch against Oklahoma.
- Terry McLaurin: Known mostly as a "special teams ace" back then. Nobody knew he’d become "Scary Terry" in the NFL.
- Parris Campbell: A speedster who was still finding his hands.
- K.J. Hill: Just a freshman, starting to show the elite route-running that would make him a Buckeye legend.
That Ridiculous 2016 Defense
If the offense was "work in progress," the defense was "holy crap." Greg Schiano and Luke Fickell were co-coordinators, and they unleashed a secondary that might be the best in school history.
Check out this defensive backfield:
📖 Related: Florida State vs UF Game: What Really Happened in the 2025 Sunshine Showdown
- Marshon Lattimore: Couldn't stay healthy his first two years, then turned into a lockdown corner and a top-15 pick.
- Gareon Conley: Another future first-rounder.
- Malik Hooker: This guy was a human highlight reel. He had seven interceptions, and it felt like three of them were returned for touchdowns. He played centerfield better than anyone I've seen in a Buckeye uniform.
- Denzel Ward: He was the "third" corner. Let that sink in. A future top-5 NFL pick was coming off the bench.
Down in the trenches, it wasn't any easier for opponents. Tyquan Lewis was the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. You had Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes rotating. And then there was this freshman named Nick Bosa. He didn't start, but every time he got on the field, he looked exactly like his brother Joey—violent, technical, and unblockable.
The 2016 Schedule: Highs and Lows
The 2016 season was a roller coaster. They went to Norman and absolutely dismantled Oklahoma. That was the "statement" game. But then they went to Happy Valley and got caught in a white-out. That blocked field goal return for a Penn State touchdown still haunts some fans' dreams.
Even with that loss, they didn't win their division (Penn State did), but they were so good that the committee put them in the playoff anyway.
The regular season ended with "The Game." It’s still one of the most controversial endings in the history of the rivalry. "The Spot." Whether J.T. Barrett actually got that first down on 4th and 1 is something Michigan fans will argue until the heat death of the universe. Ohio State won 30-27 in double OT. It was peak college football.
Why It Matters Now
When people talk about the Ohio State roster 2016, they aren't just talking about a team that went 11-2. They're talking about a collection of talent that redefined the program.
It was a bridge. It bridged the gap between the 2014 championship team and the explosive, high-flying offenses of the Ryan Day era. It proved that Ohio State could lose 12 players to the NFL and still be a top-4 team in the country.
👉 See also: Grinnell College Football Schedule: Why Every Saturday Matters
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking back at this roster for research or just for fun, here’s how to actually use this info:
- Watch the Oklahoma Game: If you want to see this roster at its absolute peak, watch the 2016 road win against the Sooners. It’s a masterclass in aggressive defense.
- Track the NFL Careers: Take a look at the 2017 and 2018 NFL Drafts. Almost every starter from this 2016 team ended up on an NFL roster. It’s one of the best ways to understand how much "pro potential" was squeezed into one locker room.
- The Joe Burrow Lesson: It serves as a reminder that sometimes the best player on the field isn't the starter. Talent evaluation is hard, even for guys like Urban Meyer.
- Recruiting Blueprint: This class was the foundation for the "National Recruiting" model. You started seeing more kids from Florida (Bosa), Texas (Barrett), and Maryland (Haskins) becoming the core of the team rather than just relying on the Midwest.
The 2016 Buckeyes didn't win a ring. They ended the year with a 31-0 loss to Clemson that forced Urban Meyer to completely blow up his offensive coaching staff. But looking back, it’s impossible to call that season anything other than a success when you see the sheer amount of talent that moved through Columbus that year.
To get the most out of your deep dive into Buckeye history, compare the 2016 defensive stats to the 2014 and 2015 units. You'll see a massive jump in "Havoc Rate" (interceptions, sacks, and tackles for loss) that defined the Schiano era. Studying how they utilized the H-back position with Curtis Samuel is also essential for anyone trying to understand modern spread-option concepts. Regardless of how the season ended, this roster remains one of the most talented groups to ever take the field in the Shoe.