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Devin Sanchez knows that it doesn’t matter anymore that he was the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.
The five-star cornerback from Houston is just another freshman learning the ropes, acclimating to college life and the pressure that comes with playing for Ohio State. Sanchez considers himself a mature person, and that has been tested.
“Coming to a top program like this, especially them coming off the national championship, there’s really nothing easy," Sanchez said Tuesday after Ohio State's ninth spring practice. "They’re pushing for the same thing. They’re trying to go back-to-back. We (freshmen) have to step up. The hardest thing, I would say, is just having to grow up, going from high school where I’ve been the man for three years and coming here where you start at the bottom.”
Sanchez was considered the top cornerback in his recruiting class because of his 6-2 frame and elite athleticism, but cornerback is a tough position with nowhere to hide. Going against Buckeye receivers Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss can be humbling for anyone, let alone someone who would still be in high school if he hadn’t enrolled early.
More: Ohio State to spend more on football on-field support staff in 2025
“It’s been a good mental thing having to get myself ready to go against guys that are 20 or 21 years old,” Sanchez said. “Having that grown-man mindset at 18 years old is really important because up here they don’t really care about feelings.”
He said cornerbacks coach Tim Walton coaches him hard, and he wouldn’t want it any other way. He said that, during video sessions, Walton ignores the good plays and harps on the bad ones.
More: 'He's the leader of the entire team.' Ohio State football's Styles eager for senior year
“When he’s coaching you hard from the jump, that means he wants the best for you,” Sanchez said. “He’s not going to let me slack off.”
Perhaps it’s not surprising then that Walton wants to see more before he pronounces Sanchez OSU’s next great cornerback.
“He's doing a solid job, but he's learning, he's growing,” Walton said. “I like to see stuff over a long period of time. But he's doing well. He's picking stuff up. He's making some plays. But he still has some stuff to learn.”
Ohio State doesn’t need Sanchez to start right away. Davison Igbinosun is back at one cornerback spot and Jermaine Mathews is the clear front-runner at the other. But Walton wants to be able to play several players, and Sanchez is pushing to be in that rotation.
Buy Ohio State posters, books, gear from CFP title win
“He’s done extremely well,” All-American junior safety Caleb Downs said. “He’s learned a lot and he’s improved a lot from Day 1 to now. It’s been great to watch him develop and get better. He’s made some exceptional plays, and I hope to continue to see that.”
Ohio State’s cornerback room is one of the most competitive – and mouthy – units on the team. Igbinosun and Mathews are noted trash-talkers. Sanchez said he’s capable of partaking as well. Not long after his arrival, Sanchez and Igbinosun competed in a drill. The veteran prevailed, and let the freshman know it.
“It was definitely my welcome-to-college moment,” Sanchez said, “just showing that it’s real now, I’m at Ohio State. I’m not in Houston, Texas anymore. I’m far from my family. I’ve got to wake up and grow and mature fast.”
The other freshmen cornerbacks also were beaten in those drills.
“We all came together as a freshman group like, 'What are we going to do about this because they’re counting on us to step up?'” Sanchez said.
That attitude has impressed OSU coach Ryan Day.
“He’s got the right mindset,” Day said. “He’s out there competing and doing some good things. He’s also making some mistakes and learning from that.”
Sanchez has embraced the hyper-competitiveness that’s a hallmark of OSU’s program. He said his parents taught him the importance of battling for everything he earns.
“Winning is in my blood,” he said. “I’m always going to try to take what’s mine. If it’s out there, that means anybody can have it, and I’m going to be the one who’s going to get it.”
Ohio State football beat writer Bill Rabinowitz can be reached at [email protected] or on bluesky at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Five-star freshman CB Devin Sanchez eager to make mark for Ohio State
Continue reading...
The five-star cornerback from Houston is just another freshman learning the ropes, acclimating to college life and the pressure that comes with playing for Ohio State. Sanchez considers himself a mature person, and that has been tested.
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“Coming to a top program like this, especially them coming off the national championship, there’s really nothing easy," Sanchez said Tuesday after Ohio State's ninth spring practice. "They’re pushing for the same thing. They’re trying to go back-to-back. We (freshmen) have to step up. The hardest thing, I would say, is just having to grow up, going from high school where I’ve been the man for three years and coming here where you start at the bottom.”
Sanchez was considered the top cornerback in his recruiting class because of his 6-2 frame and elite athleticism, but cornerback is a tough position with nowhere to hide. Going against Buckeye receivers Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss can be humbling for anyone, let alone someone who would still be in high school if he hadn’t enrolled early.
More: Ohio State to spend more on football on-field support staff in 2025
“It’s been a good mental thing having to get myself ready to go against guys that are 20 or 21 years old,” Sanchez said. “Having that grown-man mindset at 18 years old is really important because up here they don’t really care about feelings.”
He said cornerbacks coach Tim Walton coaches him hard, and he wouldn’t want it any other way. He said that, during video sessions, Walton ignores the good plays and harps on the bad ones.
More: 'He's the leader of the entire team.' Ohio State football's Styles eager for senior year
“When he’s coaching you hard from the jump, that means he wants the best for you,” Sanchez said. “He’s not going to let me slack off.”
Perhaps it’s not surprising then that Walton wants to see more before he pronounces Sanchez OSU’s next great cornerback.
“He's doing a solid job, but he's learning, he's growing,” Walton said. “I like to see stuff over a long period of time. But he's doing well. He's picking stuff up. He's making some plays. But he still has some stuff to learn.”
Ohio State doesn’t need Sanchez to start right away. Davison Igbinosun is back at one cornerback spot and Jermaine Mathews is the clear front-runner at the other. But Walton wants to be able to play several players, and Sanchez is pushing to be in that rotation.
Buy Ohio State posters, books, gear from CFP title win
“He’s done extremely well,” All-American junior safety Caleb Downs said. “He’s learned a lot and he’s improved a lot from Day 1 to now. It’s been great to watch him develop and get better. He’s made some exceptional plays, and I hope to continue to see that.”
Ohio State’s cornerback room is one of the most competitive – and mouthy – units on the team. Igbinosun and Mathews are noted trash-talkers. Sanchez said he’s capable of partaking as well. Not long after his arrival, Sanchez and Igbinosun competed in a drill. The veteran prevailed, and let the freshman know it.
“It was definitely my welcome-to-college moment,” Sanchez said, “just showing that it’s real now, I’m at Ohio State. I’m not in Houston, Texas anymore. I’m far from my family. I’ve got to wake up and grow and mature fast.”
The other freshmen cornerbacks also were beaten in those drills.
“We all came together as a freshman group like, 'What are we going to do about this because they’re counting on us to step up?'” Sanchez said.
That attitude has impressed OSU coach Ryan Day.
“He’s got the right mindset,” Day said. “He’s out there competing and doing some good things. He’s also making some mistakes and learning from that.”
Sanchez has embraced the hyper-competitiveness that’s a hallmark of OSU’s program. He said his parents taught him the importance of battling for everything he earns.
“Winning is in my blood,” he said. “I’m always going to try to take what’s mine. If it’s out there, that means anybody can have it, and I’m going to be the one who’s going to get it.”
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Ohio State football beat writer Bill Rabinowitz can be reached at [email protected] or on bluesky at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Five-star freshman CB Devin Sanchez eager to make mark for Ohio State
Continue reading...
