COLUMBUS — After having his 2023 season cut short due to an injury, Lathan Ransom is out to remind everyone that Caleb Downs isn’t the only premier safety residing inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center this season.

Ransom, now a senior, was forced to miss the final five games a year ago after suffering a Lisfranc tear in his left foot during Ohio State’s win over Wisconsin on Oct. 28. Prior to the injury, Ransom was playing his best football since arriving in Columbus as a highly-touted recruit, and NFL evaluators were starting to take notice.

While his ultimate goal may be to play in the NFL, Ransom felt his legacy at Ohio State was incomplete when he decided to spurn the NFL Draft in January to return for one more shot at beating Michigan and winning the Big Ten. Now fully healthy, Ransom is determined to pick up where he left off last year, and the lack of attention surrounding his name is only serving as further motivation.

“I feel like my whole life I’ve really had a chip on my shoulder, being underrated,” Ransom said on Tuesday. “I just use it as fuel. I can’t wait to put the pads on and go into the season because I feel underrated and feel forgotten. I can’t wait to remind everyone.”

Although Ransom wants his due respect as an elite player on what is stacking up to be among the best defenses in the country this season, he is thankful to have a player of Downs’ caliber alongside him on the field, both for what it means for the team and what it will do for his own game.

“I couldn’t even wait for him to get here just to be able to compete with him every day,” Ransom said of Downs. “I think that’s what’s so special about our (‘Best In America’) room; it’s just constant competition. We’re always competing with each other, always trying to be the best. I feel like we have four or five (defensive backs) who could possibly win awards like the Thorpe Award this year. When you have stuff like that, it’s a special room.”

Ransom may still feel like he has to win over people outside the team facility, but he’s already won the respect of his newest teammate. Asked about Ransom on Tuesday, Downs said, “He’s a player who sets the tone every day. He’s a player who comes to practice every day and plays hard. He battles through everything that comes his way. I don’t know why they’re looking at me and not him, because he’s an elite player.”

Those battles referenced by Downs extend past last year’s season-ending injury, which was the second he suffered in his college career. In the 2022 Rose Bowl, Ransom suffered a gruesome leg injury that started him on a nearly seven-month recovery process to get back on the field.

Ransom admitted the injuries were difficult to overcome, particularly last year’s foot injury that initially left him wondering why these misfortunes were happening to him. Rather than sulk, though, Ransom used both experiences to grow as a player and a person.

“I learned a lot about myself,” Ransom said. “I learned a lot about my family, my faith group. So honestly, I look at that and I appreciate that happening. I just used it to mature as a man. I think I became a better person because of it, so I just use it as fuel and continue to go on about my journey.”

That growth hasn’t gone unnoticed, and the admiration for Ransom isn’t confined to his position group. Speaking with the media last week, head coach Ryan Day heaped praise on Ransom and labeled him as someone he simply enjoys being around every day.

“He goes so hard and cares so much,” Day said of Ransom. “There’s no messing around; he means business. But he also has a big heart and is a great teammate. When he decided to come back, that was a big deal for our defense and our entire team. I love being around Lathan. He’s a competitive guy, plays really hard, and is poised to have a great season.”

Asked about his head coach’s comments, Ransom expressed gratitude and said the person Day referenced is a product of the adversity he’s had to overcome in his career.

“It means a lot to me, man.” Ransom said. “I just try to be myself, always have a smile on my face, joke around and have fun with everyone. I just appreciate being here. Every day is a blessing to me because I’ve had it taken away before. Every day I’m on the field, every day I’m with my brothers, I just enjoy the moment.”

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on X @DillonDavis56.