Is Jaylen McClain starting?
Jaylen McClain is the projected starter at SS for Ohio State Buckeyes.
See full Ohio State Buckeyes depth chart ›The Story
Elite-Tier Talent
A 4-star recruit out of Seton Hall Prep, ranked #375 nationally coming out of high school. In 2025: 53 tackles, 0 INT, 3 PBU. That's 8% of the team's production at his spot and 85th-percentile production nationally — good for a 91 overall (Elite tier).
- Jersey
- #8
- Class
- JR
- Height
- 6'0"
- Weight
- 201 lbs
Career Stats
| Season | Tkl | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | 0 | 3 |
| 2024 | 15 | 0 | 1 |
Regular-season totals from public sources. Derived splits (completion %, yards per carry, catch rate) aren't available in our current dataset.
Recruiting Profile
- Stars
- ★★★★☆4-star
- Composite
- 0.8988
- National Rank
- #375
- High School
- Seton Hall Prep
- Hometown
- West Orange, NJ
Why this rating?
On a 96-rated defense; 85th-percentile production (×1.00 for competition level) put them +1 vs unit starters → 91.
2026 projection — based on SP+ (a respected team-efficiency metric; 2026 not published yet, using 2025), 2025 production, recruiting, and the 2026 transfer portal; capped to depth-chart order.
The People's Ratings
Team Role
Depth at SS · Ohio State Buckeyes
- 1891Jaylen McClainStarter
- 21671Blaine Bradford
Overall ratings blend team strength (SP+), on-field production, and recruiting. Higher = more impactful.