Carson Hinzman Ohio State: “Unc” of the Offensive Line Ready for His Fifth and Final Season

The self-proclaimed “Unc” of Ohio State’s offensive line, Carson Hinzman wants to cherish every moment and give his all for Buckeye Nation in his fifth and final season at Ohio State. Rather than testing his luck in the 2026 NFL Draft, Hinzman chose to return to Columbus for one more year — a decision that gives the Buckeyes back their most experienced offensive lineman as they chase another trip to the College Football Playoff and a second national championship in three seasons.

Here’s a full breakdown of Carson Hinzman’s winding path through Ohio State’s offensive line, why he decided to come back for a fifth season, and what he’s chasing in his final ride as a Buckeye.

Carson Hinzman’s Unconventional Path to Ohio State Stardom

Hinzman’s journey to becoming one of the most experienced linemen in the country was anything but a straight line. A four-star prospect out of Saint Croix Central High School in Hammond, Wisconsin, Hinzman chose Ohio State over his hometown Wisconsin Badgers — a program he’d grown up dreaming of playing for — and arrived in Columbus as part of the Buckeyes’ 2022 recruiting class, ranked as the No. 9 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 3 overall prospect out of the state of Wisconsin regardless of position.

After redshirting as a true freshman, Hinzman won the starting center job in 2023 following Luke Wypler’s early departure to the NFL, starting all 12 regular-season games that year. But that first stint as a starter ended on a rocky note — he was benched ahead of that season’s Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri due to snapping issues, and Ohio State brought in Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin to compete for the job the following offseason.

From Backup to National Champion: Hinzman’s Breakout 2024 Season

Rather than transfer elsewhere, Hinzman stayed and fought for his spot — a decision that paid off in dramatic fashion. He began the 2024 season as a backup to McLaughlin, but a wave of offensive line injuries thrust him back into the lineup, first at guard after Josh Simmons went down and regular left guard Donovan Jackson slid out to tackle, and later back at center once McLaughlin suffered his own season-ending Achilles injury before Ohio State’s 11th game of the year.

After some early struggles against Indiana and Michigan, Hinzman settled in and delivered one of the best stretches of his career during that season’s College Football Playoff run, helping anchor an offensive line that paved the way for Ohio State’s national championship. It was a defining moment in a career built almost entirely on responding to adversity rather than being handed opportunity.

A Full-Time Starter and First-Team All-American in 2025

Hinzman carried that momentum into 2025, starting all 14 games at center and playing 841 total offensive and special teams snaps, earning first-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association. Despite that individual success, Ohio State’s offensive line struggled down the stretch, allowing five sacks apiece in season-ending losses to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game and Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Notably, Hinzman himself didn’t allow a single sack and just one pressure across those two games, according to Pro Football Focus — a testament to his individual play even as the unit around him struggled.

That performance, and his general lack of ideal size for an NFL center, left him projected as an undrafted free agent had he declared for the draft. Rather than a negative, Hinzman turned that outcome into part of his reasoning for coming back to Columbus for one more season to finish what he started.

Why Carson Hinzman Came Back for a Fifth Season

Hinzman is one of just three players remaining from Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class, alongside defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and tight end Bennett Christian — a group that has jokingly referred to itself as the “old men” of the team. But Hinzman’s return wasn’t about lingering; it was about finishing his career the way he wanted to. With 35 career starts and 40 games of experience already on his résumé, he’s using his final season to chase something no other Ohio State center on the program’s distinguished list — including Nick Mangold, Pat Elflein, Billy Price and Seth McLaughlin — has ever achieved: a second national championship.

2026 Season Outlook: Anchoring a Veteran Offensive Line

Heading into 2026, Hinzman is locked in as Ohio State’s starting center, playing between guard Luke Montgomery and tackle Ian Moore on one side and guard Austin Siereveld and tackle Phillip Daniels on the other, as the Buckeyes look to rebound from their late-season struggles up front. Hinzman, Montgomery and Siereveld have all been named to the 2026 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List — making Ohio State the only school in the country with three offensive linemen recognized on that list. Hinzman has also been named to the 2026 Rimington Trophy watch list, one of 40 centers nationally recognized as a contender for the award given annually to the best center in college football. Ohio State has produced four Rimington Trophy winners in program history — LeCharles Bentley, Pat Elflein, Billy Price and Seth McLaughlin — and Hinzman will look to make it five.

CBS analyst Blake Brockermeyer has already ranked Ohio State’s offensive line as the second-best in the country entering the season, trailing only Georgia, with Hinzman’s veteran presence and command of line calls viewed as a critical piece of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system.

Final Thoughts

Carson Hinzman’s Ohio State career has never followed the easy path — benchings, position changes, season-ending injuries to teammates, and a national championship all packed into four turbulent years. Now, as the self-proclaimed “Unc” of the Buckeyes’ offensive line, he’s using his fifth and final season to do exactly what he’s done throughout his career: show up, adapt, and give everything he has for Buckeye Nation. With a Rimington Trophy nod, a stacked offensive line watch list resume, and a shot at a second national championship all on the table, Hinzman’s final ride in Columbus could be the most meaningful chapter of his Ohio State story yet.