Ohio State's preseason training camp opens Thursday, and there are position battles and freshmen to watch, among other storylines leading up to its Aug. 31 opener against Akron.

Here are 10 intriguing players to monitor as well when practices begin Thursday:

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Will Howard

Howard is an object of fascination in part due to his place in the quarterback competition.

A transfer from Kansas State who has made 27 starts behind center since 2020, he is viewed as the front-runner in the high-profile position battle.

But this is also a situation in which the Buckeyes are looking for an upgrade from their signal caller.

There was a drop-off last year when they replaced C.J. Stroud, a two-time finalist for the Heisman Trophy, with his backup, Kyle McCord.

Can Howard, who is also effective as a runner, be more dynamic out of the pocket? Preseason practices will provide a setting to settle on a starting quarterback as well as reveal how Howard continues to acclimate to a new program.

Brandon Inniss

Inniss is cleared to participate in preseason practices after recovering from a hairline fracture in his right foot.

The injury limited him during the final weeks of spring practice.

If he remains at full strength, Inniss, the highest-ranked prospect Ohio State signed as part of its 2023 recruiting class, could push freshman Jeremiah Smith and sophomore Carnell Tate for snaps in the rotation.

Two starting spots were vacated this offseason by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Julian Fleming, leaving more opportunities out wide.

Inniss profiles as a slot receiver and logged 28 out 32 snaps last season inside, according to Pro Football Focus.

With Emeka Egbuka returning as the starting slot receiver, his performance in camp should how the Buckeyes’ line up.

Josh Fryar

Fryar’s first season as Ohio State’s starting right tackle was a bit uneven.

Pass protection lingered as an issue. He allowed five sacks, including four in consecutive weeks over a stretch in October.

PFF found none of the Buckeyes’ other offensive linemen responsible for multiple sacks last fall.

But no one has dislodged Fryar from his spot. He remained there throughout spring practice, and at Big Ten media days last week, coach Ryan Day reiterated Fryar would be their right tackle after a strong summer in strength and conditioning workouts.

It was not the first time this year that Day praised Fryar for his improvement, and camp is poised to be a useful barometer to gauge his progress as he lines up to block the Buckeyes’ talented pass rushers.

Carson Hinzman

Hinzman promises to shape two position battles along the interior of the offensive line.

As the Buckeyes’ returning starting center, he’s in the mix in the middle with Seth McLaughlin, a transfer from Alabama who made more than two dozen starts at the position for the Crimson Tide.

If McLaughlin’s experience prevails, Hinzman will factor in at right guard with Luke Montgomery and Tegra Tshabola.

Day remarked last week that Hinzman was thrust into a starting role about half a season too early, a result of Luke Wypler forgoing two more years of eligibility to leave early for the NFL.

“But having that year under his belt is really going to pay off,” Day added.

Jelani Thurman

In a wide-open position battle at tight end, there is Gee Scott Jr., who backed up Cade Stover last season, and Will Kacmarek, an experienced transfer from Ohio.

But Thurman remains a tantalizing talent, the highest-ranked prospect the Buckeyes signed at the position since Jeremy Ruckert in 2018.

The blend of his athleticism and size at 6-foot-6 and 258 pounds makes him a potentially difficult matchup for defenses.

But his development in other areas including blocking could determine his role in the rotation as a redshirt freshman.

Jack Sawyer

Five sacks in three games.

That was how Sawyer ended last season, cementing a breakout stretch as a junior.

“The more plays I played and the more games I got under my belt, the more confident I felt,” Sawyer said. “By the middle of the year, I felt I could play at this level with anybody.”

Ohio State has lacked a consistently dominant pass rusher since Chase Young last lined up along the edge of the line of scrimmage.

If Sawyer’s finish carries over to 2024, continuing his momentum in preseason practices, it would provide a significant boost for the Buckeyes.

Jason Moore

After redshirting as a freshman last fall, Moore made an impression on defensive line coach Larry Johnson in spring practice.

Johnson labeled him an ideal three-technique defensive tackle, the position Mike Hall Jr. played for the Buckeyes for the last two seasons.

Moore’s development could help to fill the void on the interior of the defensive line that has limited experienced depth.

C.J. Hicks

The experience at linebacker between Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg kept Hicks, a former five-star prospect from Dayton, from seeing more snaps in his first two seasons at Ohio State.

But their departures leave an opening with Hicks competing to start at weakside linebacker with Sonny Styles, who switched positions from safety.

Hicks showed flashes of his potential in spring practice, including leading the Buckeyes with eight tackles in the spring game.

His combination of athleticism and 6-foot-3 frame also make him a potentially valuable piece in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' system.

This is the best opportunity Hicks has had to realize his recruiting potential.

Caleb Downs

The curiosity with Downs is largely over his role beyond the defensive side of the ball.

An All-America safety from Alabama who figures to be a playmaker in the secondary, Downs has the potential to also make an impact an offense or special teams.

Day floated Downs as a possibility to see snaps at running back earlier this summer and acknowledged he could return punts. He took one 85 yards for a touchdown against Chattanooga last season.

He might not juggle all the roles immediately in camp.

“We want to get him started at safety,” Day said, “and go from there.”

But there will be time for Ohio State's to find ways to maximize Downs.

Malik Hartford

Debuting as a freshman last fall, Hartford made two starts and logged the most snaps among the Buckeyes’ reserve safeties.

Though not in line to seize a starting spot, his development figures to help with depth at safety, a position group that is thinner than last year.

Hartford should rotate with either Downs or Lathan Ransom, who suffered Lisfranc injury last October that sidelined him for the rest of the year.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football news: 10 players to watch at training camp