Former sophomore defensive end Caden Davis (61) stands on the sideline of the Ohio State versus Akron game on Aug. 31, 2024 at the Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Zips 52-6. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
Caden Davis, a walk-on football player best known for his substantial social media presence, has been dismissed from Ohio State’s football team, sources told The Lantern.
According to Ohio State football’s Sports Information Director Jerry Emig, the sophomore defensive end from Mason, Ohio, is no longer an official Buckeye athlete. During his time at the university, Davis has amassed a total follower count of approximately 300,000 users across platforms like Instagram, X and TikTok.
Davis never played a snap for Ohio State’s football team and Emig was unable to confirm the exact reason(s) behind Davis’ removal from the roster.
The Lantern has reached out to Davis for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication. It is currently unclear when exactly Davis was dismissed from the team, but The Lantern is working to find out.
Davis posts a variety of online content, including behind-the-scenes-style videos of media days, Ohio State athletic facilities, campus life and more.
Davis’ passion for photography was previously featured in a Sept. 20, 2023, article in The Lantern. He was also named the 2023 “Best of OSU” polling winner for Best Social Media Presence (Athlete).
Despite his dismissal, Davis’ social media biographies still include the text “Ohio State football #61,” or other references to being on the team.
Davis posted an Instagram reel, which has since been deleted, implying he was on the Buckeyes trip to the Cotton Bowl Jan. 10, but his images were actually from Ohio State’s previous trip to the 2024 Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 2024. That led offensive lineman George Fitzpatrick, currently in the transfer portal, to comment “You don’t play here.”
This is a breaking news story that will be updated as more information is obtained.
This story was updated at 9:59 a.m. Jan. 15 to include the fact The Lantern reached out to Davis for comment, as well as additional context about Davis’ online presence.
