JAMES LAURINAITIS HIGH ON C.J. HICKS’ POTENTIAL, WANTS TO SEE “BIG SPRING” FROM OHIO STATE FIVE-STAR LINEBACKER.

Despite enrolling at Ohio State as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, C.J. Hicks has played just minimally in his first two seasons as a Buckeye.

After playing only on special teams as a true freshman, Hicks played just 75 snaps on defense as a sophomore. Nearly all of those snaps came in late-game scenarios where the Buckeyes had already won a win, save from a four-snap stint at Will linebacker in the Cotton Bowl when Steele Chambers momentarily exited the game with an injury.

Hicks’ lack of playing time over the past two seasons was mainly because he had a trusted trio of veterans in front of him in Chambers, Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Simon who played the vast bulk of linebacker snaps in 2022 and 2023. His coaches have also hinted that they didn’t feel Hicks was ready to play frequently yet.

“I thought last year we had three guys that earned the right to play,” said Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, referring to Eichenberg, Chambers and Simon.

Going into his junior year, Hicks has the ability to win a much bigger role this season. While Simon remains at Ohio State and is anticipated to be the Buckeyes’ starting Mike linebacker, Chambers and Eichenberg entered the 2024 NFL draft. That puts the starting Will linebacker job up for grabs entering this spring.

Hicks still has to prove he can be counted upon as an every-down player if he’s going to win that starting job. But Laurinaitis is confident that the open place in the starting lineup will encourage Hicks to take a huge stride forward this spring.

“I think just consistency, to be honest with you,” Laurinaitis said when asked what he hopes to see from Hicks this spring. “C.J. has all the potential in the world, he does. And I believe occasionally, he’s just gotta cut it free and go play. And I think honestly, I expect a tremendous spring from C.J. I think with the way he has attacked this offseason exercises, the way he’s carried himself, I anticipate him to take a jump.

“For some guys, it’s easy to come in right away and just go and play and for some, it takes a little bit more development. But I think C.J. is coming to a place where, maybe this spring, there’s a lot more growth. And maybe part of it will come with just the notion hey, this position is for the taking, right? And I think certain guys thrive on that. And we’ll find out kind of how he reacts to it.

“But I’m a big fan of C.J. Hicks. I always have been. He has such a raw and unusual kind of skill set to where he can, just physically, he has so many attributes that you love at the linebacker position.”

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