Ohio State freshman guard Josh Padilla loses black stripe
COLUMBUS — Ohio State true freshman offensive lineman Josh Padilla has lost his black stripe.
Padilla joined classmate Brandon Inniss, a highly-touted Buckeyes wide receiver, in becoming the two Ohio State players who received the post-practice honor Monday, two days removed from the second scrimmage of training camp.
Padilla is a product of Wayne High School in Ohio, where he was the No. 7 prospect in the state, as well as the No. 258 prospect nationally and the No. 15 interior offensive lineman in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
Padilla was the second Buckeyes player in his class to commit. Now, he’s the second Ohio State true freshman offensive lineman to ditch his black stripe this year. Standout offensive tackle Luke Montgomery was the first.
Padilla earned All-Southwest District honors, was a two-time Ohio Prep Sportswriter Association honoree and was a 2022 state runner-up at the heavyweight class in wrestling.
Standing 6-foot-3, 293 pounds, the Huber Heights native enrolled early at Ohio State in January.
ICYMI: Ohio State freshmen Kayden McDonald, Noah Rogers shed black stripes over weekend
As Ohio State football training camp wears on, more and more Buckeyes players are losing their black stripes. Next up, after Ohio State’s second preseason scrimmage, were another pair of true freshmen: wide receiver Noah Rogers and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.
Rogers was the third Ohio State wideout in the 2023 class to shed his black stripe, joining Carnell Tate and Bryson Rodgers. Rogers’ name has recently been mentioned in the same breath as Tate, when the potential immediate offensive impact of Buckeyes’ new receivers is discussed. He impressed in spring ball, including in the spring game when he broke three tackles during a 57-yard, catch-and-run score.
Unlike Rogers — an early enrollee — McDonald arrived at Ohio State in the summer. McDonald was the No. 273 overall prospect and the No. 37 defensive lineman in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. The North Gwinnett product turned in a senior season in Suwanee, Georgia, that saw him pile up 68 tackles and, most notably, 13 sacks and a staggering 40 tackles for loss. The 6-foot-2, 319-pound interior D-Lineman also added 409 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground that season.
For more on Rogers, go here. And for more on McDonald receiving the post-practice honor, go here.
Others to lose black stripes
Sophomore offensive linemen George Fitzpatrick and Tegra Tshabola lost their black stripes the second week of this year’s spring practice, along with Ole Miss transfer cornerback Davison Igbinosun and true freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate. Oregon State transfer quarterback Tristan Gebbia shed his black stripe later in spring ball. And so did true freshman safety Malik Hartford and true freshman tight end Jelani Thurman.
Both transfer offensive linemen the Buckeyes brought in this offseason, Josh Simmons and Victor Cutler Jr., were the first Ohio State players to shed their black stripes in training camp. Then true freshman offensive tackle Luke Montgomery lost his, along with Ole Miss transfer defensive tackle Tywone Malone. After that, true freshman wide receiver Bryson Rodgers joined true freshman cornerback Jermaine Mathews in receiving the post-practice honor. Like Rodgers and Mathews, transfer cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. also lost his black stripe last week.
