COLUMBUS, Ohio – Who are the Buckeyes that most intrigue fans this season?

Every year, Ohio State's merchandising office works with the OSU coaching staff to determine which jersey numbers will be available for sale at the start of each season. The list is flexible and can change through the year as fans, and then retailers, show interest in a particular player or someone has a breakout year.

But the numbers picked at the start are chosen to anticipate the players who will generate the most interest, and those who match up as the kind of guys the coaches want representing the Buckeyes.

It can be a big deal to some players. I can remember Thaddeus Gibson being very proud several years ago when he noticed his No. 90 on sale in stores.

Typically, five or six numbers are chosen each year. This season, the Buckeyes are starting with eight, which Darren Rovell wrote on Twitter today was the most of any college team wearing Nike gear.

I'll now leave a a little space before I reveal those numbers, passed on by the OSU merchandising department as the original list chosen for 2012. Again, things can change. Let's see how many you can get right.

Here we go:

No. 4 - Junior safety C.J. Barnett. Guy has been a playmaker on the back end of the defense for years, is really smart and looks like a sure captain for 2013.

No. 5 – Sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller. If you bought a No. 5 for cornerback Chimdi Chekwa a few years ago, you're good to go.

No. 7 – Senior running back Jordan Hall, or senior cornerback Travis Howard. Two for the price of one. If you really like Hall, limp a little for the first weeks of the season, because he'll be sitting out for a bit after having surgery on his foot over the summer after he stepped on a piece of glass.

No. 10 – Sophomore linebacker Ryan Shazier or junior receiver Philly Brown. The best bargain, since both guys are expected to make a lot of plays. Again, it really works if you have the No. 10 left over from Troy Smith, because this Heisman winner hasn't had his number retired by Ohio State.

No. 11 – Senior tight end Jake Stoneburner. Offensive coordinator Tom Herman has promised the Buckeyes really will throw to the tight end this season. But Stoneburner isn't really a tight end anymore, as he's been hanging out with the receivers and will play a flex position in Urban Meyer's offense. You should be able to celebrate a few touchdowns in this jersey.

No. 15 – Sophomore receiver Devin Smith. This is a very good sign for Smith, a sophomore who had 14 catches and four touchdowns last season. This isn't for freshman linebacker Josh Perry, so the staff must be expecting Smith to do things this season to make people want his jersey.

No. 24 – Junior kicker Drew Basil. This isn't for freshman defensive back Armani Reeves, so take it as Urban Meyer's nod to the importance of special teams. If Basil has a Nugent-like year, people will buy it.

No. 54 – Senior defensive lineman John Simon. I would think this might be the second-most worn number by fans this season behind No. 5. There were a lot of No. 33 jerseys around when James Laurinaitis played, and though Simon is a lineman, not a linebacker, his legend has grown enough over the past few years that No. 54 should interest some people. It looks really good if you wear it to the weight room.

I think No. 52, for junior defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins, could draw interest if it becomes available later in the year. The guy always has a smile on his face, and if he's smiling while sacking the quarterback the first month, he could create a demand.

The guy who may be the most popular Buckeye doesn't have a number, though. Just keep you eye out for more Urban Meyer T-shirts this season.