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2025 was supposed to be Eddrick Houston’s breakout season. The then-sophomore was poised to be a first-year starter, taking on the enormous task of replacing Tyleik Williams at defensive tackle.
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If the pressure was high, the expectations were higher—Houston was one of just 50 players named to the preseason watchlist for the 2025 Outland Trophy, awarded annually to the best interior lineman in the country on offense or defense.
But if there is any truth to the old adage about the best laid plans, it certainly rang true for Houston last year: A right knee injury on the first day of preseason camp proved costly to his development in crunch time, and just three games into the season, Tywone Malone Jr. replaced him as starter.
While Houston took rotational snaps throughout the season, his injury—and the mental toll it took—continued to plague him. It was a far cry from the star turn he’d envisioned.
Still, adaptability has always been a strong suit for Houston, who hasn’t always played defensive tackle. As a five-star prospect out of Buford High School in Atlanta, Houston was recruited at defensive end, the position he played in high school.
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Part of the 2024 recruiting class, he was the Buckeyes’ top defensive recruit and the No. 6 defensive end in the nation, with an overall national ranking of No. 25, according to 247Sports.
Upon arriving in Columbus as a freshman, however, the Buckeyes needed some additional depth on the interior, so he shifted inside to three-technique defensive tackle.
In spite of the technical and physical adjustments required of him in the new role, Houston saw snaps in 12 games, recording seven tackles on the season—including two against Notre Dame in the National Championship—along with two pass breakups, both of which came in his collegiate debut against Akron.
As a sophomore, Houston’s injury didn’t just set him back physically. Mentally, Houston has said he struggled, blaming himself for the injury and getting down on himself throughout the season. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson called the season a “learning experience” for Houston, who did improve as the season went on and finished with 21 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks.
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Houston, for his part, has said that experience is fueling him now.
As preseason camp begins, there is an ongoing position battle for the starting defensive tackle jobs, and while Houston has decent odds of earning the starting job, he’s contending with James Smith, an offseason transfer from Alabama.
Like Houston, Smith is a former five-star recruit who primarily plays three-tech. Realistically, regardless of who wins the starting job, both will likely see substantial playing time this season as part of a defensive tackle rotation that includes nose tackles John Walker and Will Smith Jr.
But if Houston finds himself as motivated by his injury and subsequent recovery as he says, preseason camp is an opportunity to prove something to himself and to his coaches that 2026 won’t feel like deja vu.
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Nearly a year later, he’s right back where he was before the injury: Entering preseason camp with an opportunity to separate himself from the pack and poised for a breakout year. This time, though, he’s a different person and player—more experienced, more confident.
This is his opportunity to show off what he learned last season and how he’s managed to alchemize those learnings in his game.
The journey to this moment has been a long one for Houston, filled with detours, but with so much potential just waiting to be tapped into, the road ahead seems to promise a beautiful view for Houston and fans alike.
