It sure looks like Ohio State's defensive depth just took another hit.
In an Instagram post on Friday, Ohio State linebacker Justin Hilliard revealed that an arm injury will require six months of rehab, effectively ending his season.
Hilliard also shared this news from his Twitter account:
Can't lie I'm hurt, but head up and looking forward to killin this rehab for the next 6 months.… https://t.co/IRokTYPmwe
— Justin Hilliard (@JHilliard47) September 23, 2016
Hilliard, a former five-star recruit from Cincinnati’s St. Xavier High School, had been playing on special teams for the Buckeyes. With the recent injury to fellow LB Dante Booker, depth in the linebacker corps could become a concern for Luke Fickell and Greg Schiano.
The redshirt freshman has played in all three of Ohio State’s games, recording four tackles, including two solo.
Ohio State has not officially confirmed Hilliard’s status, and we will update this post as more information is known.