C.J. Hicks holds the DE · Starter spot in South Florida Bulls’s edge room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

C.J. Hicks is a 6'3", 240-pound defensive end from Dayton, Ohio, who transferred to South Florida in January 2025 after four seasons at Ohio State. A five-star recruit ranked No. 7 nationally in the Class of 2022, Hicks appeared in 44 games for the Buckeyes, including 12 as a true freshman in 2022. During his final season in 2024, he posted 22 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks while Ohio State captured the CFP National Championship. Over his four years, Hicks recorded 42 career tackles and 4.0 tackles-for-loss with two quarterback sacks. He was moved from linebacker to defensive end in spring 2025 to leverage his athleticism.

Ohio State2022 – 2025

South Florida2026 — present