Josh Proctor is almost always smiling.

That’s just his nature.

“I’m always goofy, playing around, making jokes and trying to make people laugh,” Proctor said. “I’ve always been a happy guy, trying not to let everything get to me and just taking it one step at a time.”

The past two years tested that.

Marked as a potential star as a freshman in 2018, the Ohio State safety’s path to stardom has taken some major detours. In September 2021, he broke a leg against Oregon, ending his season.

Last year, he started the opener against Notre Dame, missed an early tackle and lost his job.

When Proctor participated in Senior Day last year, it was assumed he wouldn’t return in 2023. But after conversations with coach Ryan Day and safeties coach Perry Eliano, Proctor did.

That decision is paying off. Last week against Maryland, he had the best game of his career. The highlight was a n interception returned for a touchdown that ignited what had been a slumbering Buckeye team, which rallied from a 10-0 deficit to win 37-7.

Proctor hopes to keep his season rolling Saturday at Purdue. He, Matt Jones and Xavier Johnson are the only Buckeyes remaining from the team that lost 49-20 in West Lafayette to the Boilermakers five years ago. That loss ruined OSU’s chances of making the College Football Playoff.

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“It means a lot,” Proctor said. “I haven’t been back since, so I’m definitely looking forward to that one.”

Proctor grew up in North Tulsa, Oklahoma, the youngest of Kevin and LaVonia Proctor’s three kids. The Proctors are an athletic family. His brother, Dometrius, was a track star. His sister, Dominique, excelled at track and basketball.

“I just wanted to keep up with them and do what they were doing all the time,” Proctor said.

He’s five years younger than Dominique and six younger than Dometrius.

“Oh yeah, I got bullied,” he said with a laugh. “That definitely made me tougher. My sister beat up on me so much that it probably got me to where I am now.”

In 2017, Proctor helped lead Owassa High to its first state championship since 1974. Proctor grew up an Oklahoma Sooners fan. A cousin and uncle played for them, and most around town thought Proctor would as well.

But he signed with Ohio State.

“I just wanted to get away from home and be my own person and grow up on my own,” Proctor said. “I just felt (Ohio State) was the right fit.”

Proctor played in nine games as a freshman, 11 as a sophomore and was honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2020. He showed all the physical tools to be a star – size, speed, range and hitting ability. His crushing hit on Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coen at the end of the 2019 Big Ten championship game went viral.

In 2021, Proctor was expected to be the leader in the secondary on a young Buckeyes defense. Then came the injury against Oregon. Proctor charged forward in run support and as he planted his right leg, another player fell on it. Proctor sustained a compound fracture.

“I looked down and I saw the bone poking out and kind of freaked out,” he said. “I didn’t really pass out. It was more of a is-this-real kind of moment. It was more shock.”

It was hard for Proctor to watch his teammates struggle on defense in 2021. What happened last year might have been harder. He started against Notre Dame but missed a tackle on Lorenzo Styles Jr. that went for a big play on the game’s first possession.

Lathan Ransom replaced him on the next series and never relinquished the job.

A demotion based on one play might seem an overreaction, but in hindsight Proctor understands it. The missed tackle was a symptom of larger issues.

At that point in his career, Proctor relied too much on his natural ability.

“That was one of my biggest problems,” he said. “I had to mature. Maybe I wasn’t ready fully. Maybe the outside world didn’t see that, but the coaches saw that I just wasn’t ready for it in the moment.”

To his credit, Proctor didn’t sulk.

“He handled it really, really well – better than I expected,” OSU safeties coach Perry Eliano said. “He was a great teammate. He was level-headed. He was locked in. He was encouraging his teammates when he wasn’t in there playing.

“A lot of times, you find out who you really are as a person, and you really show who you are to your brothers – your teammates – when adversity hits. He was a champion, and I was so proud of him for that.”

Still, it was expected after the season that Proctor would move on, either for a shot at the NFL or as a transfer. But he decided to return for a sixth season granted to players who endured the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

“We sat down and had a long conversation about the positives of going out and then the positives of coming back, the negatives of going out and the negatives are coming back,” Day said. “I won't speak for him, but I think with the injury he had, he wanted a full year of preparing for this last season to put his best foot forward and to leave something behind at Ohio State.”

Proctor said his leg was only about 85% healed last year. But he knew the bigger improvement had to come with his mentality.

“I looked in the mirror and saw a guy who knew he could be better, who wanted to be better, but still had a lot of growing to do,” he said.

He devoted himself to being more disciplined in all areas of his life, including studying film. That has given him added self-assuredness on the field.

“I want to be the best,” said Proctor, who graduated in August with a degree in human development and family science. “I want the defense to be the best. I want to prove to everybody that we (the secondary) are BIA (Best in America).”

Ohio State’s defense has been superb, and Proctor has been at the heart of it. He played well against Notre Dame and was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Maryland.

“I don't think I'm speaking out of school that when Josh first got here, there were certain areas that he needed to mature in,” Day said. “Josh and I have had a lot of talks together, and I love Josh.

“When you overcome adversity, you learn a lot about yourself. I think he's done that. He's much more mature now than he was in the past. I know he's just focused on trying to play good football, and I think he's in a better place getting his life in order in all different areas.

“He's always been somebody that comes into the building with a smile on his face and tries to light up the room. You've seen how hard he plays on the field. All of those things and the investment in him is starting to pay off.”

After all the adversity he’s overcome, Proctor is determined to keep improving.

“I can get a lot better, and I’m working toward it every day,” he said. “But right now, I feel like I’m in the right headspace. I’m confident. I trust myself. I trust my coaches. I trust the process, so I’ll just keep going.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: After much adversity, OSU safety Josh Proctor delivering on potential