Ohio State Announces Captains for 2026 Season
8/22/2026 2:18:00 PM | Football
Buckeyes will be led by wide receiver Brandon Inniss, defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., safety Jaylen McClain, linebacker Payton Pierce, quarterback Julian Sayin, offensive lineman Austin Siereveld and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for the 2026 season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head coach Ryan Day announced Saturday that seven veterans will lead the 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes as team captains: wide receiver Brandon Inniss, defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., safety Jaylen McClain, linebacker Payton Pierce, quarterback Julian Sayin, offensive lineman Austin Siereveld and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
The captains were selected through a vote of members of the Buckeyes football program. Juniors, seniors and fifth-year players are eligible to be chosen by their peers to lead the team. This marks the seventh time in program history that Ohio State has had seven or more team captains.
Earlier today, Ohio State also announced Inniss as the prestigious Block "O" recipient, which was established to honor Bill Willis and is awarded annually following a vote from the Buckeyes football program.
From Coach Ryan Day
2026 Ohio State Football Captains
Captains in the Ryan Day Era
The captains were selected through a vote of members of the Buckeyes football program. Juniors, seniors and fifth-year players are eligible to be chosen by their peers to lead the team. This marks the seventh time in program history that Ohio State has had seven or more team captains.
Earlier today, Ohio State also announced Inniss as the prestigious Block "O" recipient, which was established to honor Bill Willis and is awarded annually following a vote from the Buckeyes football program.
From Coach Ryan Day
- "This is a significant day for our program. We have seven captains this year, the seventh time in Ohio State football history that we have had that many or more. Being voted a captain is one of the greatest honors in this program because it comes directly from your teammates. This group represents our team well, with leaders from different position groups, backgrounds, and experiences. All seven are returning players, including two captains from last year, and they understand our standard and what it means to carry our culture forward. Our culture is built on Tough Love & Fight, and these men embody that every day. Throughout the offseason, they helped bring this team, which includes 51 new plays from a year ago, together, challenged their teammates, and built accountability across the roster. Being a captain is about responsibility, and these seven understand what it means to wear the Scarlet and Gray and leave the jersey better than they found it."
2026 Ohio State Football Captains
- Wide Receiver Brandon Inniss
- A returning captain from the 2025 season, Inniss is coming off his best season as a Buckeye. He ended the season with 35 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns while also having five kick returns for 66 yards and 17 punt returns for 181 yards, helping him earn All-Big Ten Special Teams Honorable Mention. Additionally for his work off the field, Inniss received CSC Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten Conference and OSU Scholar-Athlete.
Ahead of the 2026 season, Inniss was named to the Hornung Award Watch List which is given out to the most versatile player in the country.
He becomes the first two-time captain at wide receiver since Kamryn Babb in 2021 and 2022.
- A returning captain from the 2025 season, Inniss is coming off his best season as a Buckeye. He ended the season with 35 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns while also having five kick returns for 66 yards and 17 punt returns for 181 yards, helping him earn All-Big Ten Special Teams Honorable Mention. Additionally for his work off the field, Inniss received CSC Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten Conference and OSU Scholar-Athlete.
- Defensive End Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
- A leader in the defensive line room, Jackson Jr. has been a mainstay on the defensive front, playing in all 30 games over the last two seasons including starting in all 14 games in 2025. Jackson Jr. finished the 2025 season second on the team with 11.0 tackles for loss and second on the team with 6.5 sacks, helping earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
He becomes the seventh defensive lineman to be named a captain in the Ryan Day era and the first since Jack Sawyer in 2024.
- A leader in the defensive line room, Jackson Jr. has been a mainstay on the defensive front, playing in all 30 games over the last two seasons including starting in all 14 games in 2025. Jackson Jr. finished the 2025 season second on the team with 11.0 tackles for loss and second on the team with 6.5 sacks, helping earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
- Safety Jaylen McClain
- McClain is considered one of the best defenders in the country entering the season as he was placed on the Nagurski Watch List, a member of the East-West Bowl 1000 and on numerous preseason All-Big Ten teams. Last season, McClain was an All-Big Ten selection as he finished the season with 53 total tackles, which ranked sixth on the team while also having three pass breakups. Additionally, he posted multiple tackles in 13 of 14 games.
This marks the second consecutive year that a safety has been named a captain and the third time overall in Ryan Day's tenure.
- McClain is considered one of the best defenders in the country entering the season as he was placed on the Nagurski Watch List, a member of the East-West Bowl 1000 and on numerous preseason All-Big Ten teams. Last season, McClain was an All-Big Ten selection as he finished the season with 53 total tackles, which ranked sixth on the team while also having three pass breakups. Additionally, he posted multiple tackles in 13 of 14 games.
- Linebacker Payton Pierce
- An immerging leader on the defensive side of the ball, Pierce has been a key contributor for the Buckeyes defense since he stepped on campus, suiting up in 26 games and making three starts a season ago. Last season, Pierce was Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and off the field was equally as impressive, earning CSC Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten and OSU Scholar-Athlete honors.
Pierce continues a strong legacy of leaders in the linebacker room as at least one Buckeye linebacker has been a captain every year since 2015.
- An immerging leader on the defensive side of the ball, Pierce has been a key contributor for the Buckeyes defense since he stepped on campus, suiting up in 26 games and making three starts a season ago. Last season, Pierce was Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and off the field was equally as impressive, earning CSC Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten and OSU Scholar-Athlete honors.
- Quarterback Julian Sayin
- Sayin is set to lead the Buckeye offense at quarterback for the second consecutive season, becoming the third returning starting quarterback in the Day Era. The 2025 Heisman finalist, Sayin won his first 12 games as the starter for Ohio State and led the nation in completion percentage (77.0 pct.), ranking second nationally in efficiency (177.5) while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns (fourth nationally) with only eight interceptions.
Sayin is the first quarterback to be named captain since CJ Stroud in 2022.
- Sayin is set to lead the Buckeye offense at quarterback for the second consecutive season, becoming the third returning starting quarterback in the Day Era. The 2025 Heisman finalist, Sayin won his first 12 games as the starter for Ohio State and led the nation in completion percentage (77.0 pct.), ranking second nationally in efficiency (177.5) while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns (fourth nationally) with only eight interceptions.
- Offensive Lineman Austin Siereveld
- A returning captain from the 2025 season, Siereveld has been a mainstay on the offensive line each of the last two seasons. Siereveld tallied 810 snaps on the offensive line as a junior in 2025. He was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten. Additionally, for his efforts off the field, he was named an OSU Scholar Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten Conference in the 2025 season.
He becomes the first two-time captain at offensive line since Billy Price in 2016 and 2017.
- A returning captain from the 2025 season, Siereveld has been a mainstay on the offensive line each of the last two seasons. Siereveld tallied 810 snaps on the offensive line as a junior in 2025. He was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten. Additionally, for his efforts off the field, he was named an OSU Scholar Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten Conference in the 2025 season.
- Wide Receiver Jeremiah Smith
- A unanimous All-American, Smith has developed into a leader on and off the field for the Buckeyes. Prior to the 2026 season, Smith has been named to the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Biletnikoff Watch Lists after being a Heisman candidate last season. Over his first two collegiate seasons, Smith totaled 2,558 receiving yards and 27 touchdown receptions are the most by any Big Ten receiver in their first two years in college. He is one of three receivers in Ohio State history to have two 1,000-yd receiving seasons.
Joining Inniss, there have been a total of nine wide receiver captain selections in Ryan Day's tenure including at least one every season since 2021.
- A unanimous All-American, Smith has developed into a leader on and off the field for the Buckeyes. Prior to the 2026 season, Smith has been named to the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Biletnikoff Watch Lists after being a Heisman candidate last season. Over his first two collegiate seasons, Smith totaled 2,558 receiving yards and 27 touchdown receptions are the most by any Big Ten receiver in their first two years in college. He is one of three receivers in Ohio State history to have two 1,000-yd receiving seasons.
Captains in the Ryan Day Era
- 2019:
- LB Tuf Borland
- DE Jonathon Cooper
- RB JK Dobbins
- SAF Jordan Fuller
- WR KJ Hill
- WR CJ Saunders
- DE Chase Young
- 2020:
- LB Tuf Borland
- DE Jonathon Cooper
- OL Wyatt Davis
- QB Justin Fields
- LB Justin Hilliard
- OL Josh Myers
- CB Shaun Wade
- 2021:
- WR Kamryn Babb
- DT Haskell Garrett
- DE Zach Harrison
- LB Teradja Mitchell
- OL Thayer Munford
- WR Chris Olave
- 2022:
- WR Kamryn Babb
- LB Tommy Eichenberg
- DE Tyler Friday
- TE Cade Stover
- QB C.J. Stroud
- LB Kourt Williams
- 2023:
- LB Tommy Eichenberg
- WR Xavier Johnson
- TE Cade Stover
- 2024:
- WR Emeka Egbuka
- RB TreVeyon Henderson
- DE Jack Sawyer
- LB Cody Simon
- 2025:
- SAF Caleb Downs
- WR Brandon Inniss
- OL Austin Siereveld
- LB Sonny Styles
- 2026:
- WR Brandon Inniss
- DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
- SAF Jaylen McClain
- LB Payton Pierce
- QB Julian Sayin
- OL Austin Siereveld
- WR Jeremiah Smith
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