Payton Pierce holds the MLB · Starter spot in Ohio State Buckeyes’s linebacker room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Payton Pierce is a 6'2", 223-pound linebacker for Ohio State who entered the program as a four-star prospect ranked 204th nationally in the 2024 class. He appeared in 12 games during his freshman year in 2024, recording four tackles across 149 snaps. In 2025, his sophomore season, Pierce played in all 14 games with three starts, accumulating 44 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception for 15 yards, and one fumble recovery on 475 snaps. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition and Academic All-Big Ten honors. Pierce is currently a junior returning to the Buckeyes and majors in Communications.

Ohio State2024 — present