COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Middle linebacker Tuf Borland has an Achilles injury that is keeping him out of spring practice, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer announced on Monday.

Asked if the injury could threaten Borland's 2018 season this fall, Meyer said, "they tell us no."

Without Borland, Justin Hilliard was the first-team starting middle linebacker in the sixth practice of spring football on Monday, while Baron Browning worked as the second-team middle linebacker.

Borland had been running with the first team at the start of spring practice.

"That just breaks your heart because he's one of the best kids I've ever been around in my life, and a very good player," Meyer said. "But he'll be back."

Borland took over the starting middle linebacker job in the second half of last season, and finished with 58 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team.

Meyer said the job is to get the three best linebackers on the field, and he said he likes how the linebacker position looks right now.

Hilliard and Browning are the top two options inside behind Borland, while Meyer said the Buckeyes looked at outside Malik Harrison as a possibility inside as well, while Peter Werner can play all three linebacker positions.