COLUMBUS — The push to build depth is a never-ending pursuit for a coach, but Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson sits in a good spot in that regard as the Buckeyes near the end of preseason camp.

Speaking with the media on Wednesday, Johnson detailed just how deep both the edge and interior units currently are and who may still be pushing to make those groups even deeper.

“We’re still building it,” Johnsons said of the depth. “I think the ends are solid. I think the five ends we have coming back make us really good there. We’re trying to find another piece to go along with those guys. I think the inside guys, you can probably get six (players) out of that group…”

At tackle, Ohio State will rely heavily on Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton to shoulder the load. The duo, which calls itself “TNT” due to its explosive nature on the field, gives Johnson a formidable duo with plenty of experience after serving as two-thirds of Johnson’s primary rotation a year ago along with Mike Hall Jr., who is now in the NFL.

However, not much experience exists behind that duo, but the talent pool is deep. One player firmly in the mix to play this season is sophomore defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, who Johnson credited on Wednesday for getting his weight down and rounding into better shape to handle more snaps this season.

“He’s growing,” Johnson said of McDonald. “He’s growing as a player. He’s gotta play more football, and so the best way to get that done this whole fall camp is to get him more reps, get him ready. He certainly has the talent to be able to play 35 plays in a game, and that’s what we’re trying to get him ready for. Any minute he could go from one play to 30 plays. But he’s done a great job thus far. He’s a young player, strong, powerful.”

Johnson later noted that while Williams and Hamilton might be the first tackles on the field with the first-team defense, he doesn’t refer to McDonald as a second-team player because McDonald is going to play extensively this fall.

Along with McDonald, Jason Moore and Hero Kanu have had strong offseasons and appear to be in line for playing time this season. Moore, a highly-touted recruit in Ohio State’s 2023 class, is beginning to see his body catch up to the high mental capacity he’s displayed since arriving in Columbus.

“The biggest thing is playing football,” Johnson said of Moore’s growth. “That’s why in the fall, we kind of soaked him a lot and gave him over 300 so far because he’s gotta get ready to play, and you can’t do that unless you’re getting reps. He’s doing a great job. You can see that improvement in him.”

If the interior defensive line is to truly be six deep, Tywone Malone figures to be the final player in the rotation. After transferring to Ohio State from Ole Miss ahead of last season, and now focusing solely on football after also playing baseball in Mississippi, Malone has drawn praise from Johnson throughout the offseason for his development as a football player.

“You can see he’s gotten much stronger since the day he walked in here,” Johnson said. “(Strength and conditioning) coach Mick (Marotti) and his staff have done a great job of getting him ready. You’re seeing the really athletic player you thought you had coming in…”

Like the interior, there are no question marks left to be answered for Johnson about who his primary edge rushers will be this season. The return of Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau is expected to give the Ohio State defense two cornerstone players, and that pass-rushing combination figures to be among the best in the country when combined with an elite secondary that will often force quarterbacks to hold onto the ball longer.

Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry will serve as the primary depth on the edge, as will fifth-year senior Mitchell Melton, who made the transition to defensive end from linebacker last season. After being plagued by injuries earlier in his career, Melton stayed healthy last season and played in all but one game between defense and special teams.

Now even more comfortable playing the position, and possessing the requisite size to play it, Melton is establishing himself as someone who needs to be on the field this season for Johnson. Still, while Melton is proving he’s physically capable of doing what will be asked of him, the biggest question surrounding him remains his ability to stay on the field.

“Just stay healthy, man,” Johnson said when asked what Melton has to do to continue to earn playing time. “He’s got all the skill sets. He can rush the passer. He can play the run much better. He’s much bigger; he’s 262-263 lbs., and before, he was struggling to put weight on. Now you’re seeing a guy who can play all three downs. He’s had a great camp. He’s been focused and locked in, and that’s what you want to see. He’s going to be a great addition to our unit.”

While Johnson is comfortable with his top five edge rushers, the battle for the sixth and likely final spot in the rotation is still up for grabs. True freshman Eddrick Houston, who enrolled in January after a hotly-contested recruiting battle with Alabama was won by Ohio State, looks the part and has flashed his potential this offseason.

Houston will carry plenty of fanfare as a former five-star recruit, but Johnson said another player — sophomore Josh Mickens — is pushing to get on the field.

“Josh Mickens has had a great camp,” Johnson said. “He’s come out of nowhere and really worked hard, put on 23 lbs., and gotten bigger. I think those two guys will be in the mix going forward.”

Indeed, Ohio State is in solid standing with its depth along the defensive line, with several underclassmen beginning to develop into contributors. And as Johnson indicated, it’s no coincidence given the heavy veteran presence the defensive line room has, especially compared to this time a year ago.

“The joy is the fact that now those younger guys have someone to look up to,” Johnson said. “A year ago, we didn’t have that. They didn’t have a guy to set the bar. Now, Jack (Sawyer), J.T. (Tuimoloau), and Tyleik are really doing a great job of setting the bar for the younger players. That’s a bonus for me, to lean on the veterans to help motivate the younger guys. Now the kids stay consistent as a unit and a group, and that’s the biggest key for me. Can we play consistently and play really hard?”

Johnson added, “People say we have talent. Talent is only a small part of what we have to do. It’s about the ability to play hard. Playing hard and being tough overrides talent each day, and I firmly believe that. Now they’re getting those guys to play really hard and run to the ball every play, every snap. That’s what we’re training on right now, making sure they understand the importance of that.”

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