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Ohio State Buckeyes' Lathan Ransom will not be following in CJ Stroud's footsteps, instead choosing to remain with the program for his senior year, his father told Columbus Dispatch beat writer Bill Rabinowitz on Monday.
The safety will not enter the 2023 NFL draft, instead choosing to return to OSU for his senior year. Ransom had an excellent junior season with the Buckeyes, recording 74 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, three pass breakups and two blocked punts.
He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as one of college football's top 12 defensive backs, and was likely headed for a potential early draft selection in April's NFL Draft had he chosen to declare.
He will look to take on a leadership role in the Buckeyes' secondary in 2023, and is the team's only returning starting safety. Ramson and Stroud were the last draft-eligible players whose football futures were unknown.
Both Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCalister are departing the program, confirming that Ransom will be Ohio State's only returning starter at safety. Although he played primarily as a strong safety in 2022, he also took snaps at free safety and could take over that role with Hickman leaving.
Syracuse transfer Ja'Had Carter and sophomore Sonny Styles will both compete with Ransom for snaps, while fellow fourth-year safeties Cameron Martinez and sophomore Kye Stokes will also be vying for starting jobs.
It was a disappointing end to the season for Lathan Ransom, as he was beat for long touchdowns in both of the Buckeyes' losses to Michigan and Georgia in the CFP, and he will be looking to bounce back in a leadership role in 2023.
