By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) —
Breaking down the best 20 Ohio State players on the roster right now as the Buckeyes start preseason camp.
3. Junior defensive end Thaddeus Gibson

Along with Justin Boren and senior linebacker Austin Spitler, Gibson is in the mix as one of the three strongest Buckeyes, and nobody looks better in a uniform than No. 90.

But when you get down to it, yes, the Euclid grad led the Buckeyes in sacks a year ago – but that was only with five, which didn’t rank among the top 10 in the Big Ten. He can be dominant, and his increased knowledge of the defense should make him more than a passing-down quarterback chaser. Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock talked in the spring about Gibson’s constant questions about what he can do to get better.

While the Buckeyes have a lot of options at defensive end, Gibson has the greatest ability to make the one play that can change a game. Even as Vernon Gholston turned into a top-10 NFL pick two seasons ago, he wasn’t the most consistent defensive player on the field. But he was the most dangerous.

If Gibson can approach that, he’ll change the Ohio State defense. In games against opponents like Penn State, one quarterback sack or hurry might be the difference between a win and a loss. Remember some of the plays Penn State’s defensive ends made in wins over the Buckeyes in 2005 and 2008.

But Gibson needs to at least double that sack total if he’s going to make a Gholston-type jump. Here’s guessing he does it.

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