This year, Ohio State’s transfer portal opening day was less dramatic. Most people throughout the country were surprised when quarterback Kyle McCord entered the gateway about this time last year. Devin Brown played only one quarter before being hurt, forcing Ohio State to scramble into the Cotton Bowl.
This year, Brown will enter the gateway. He revealed on Sunday evening that he intends to enter the transfer portal but will remain with Ohio State during the playoff run.
Brown is one of five Ohio State players who have revealed plans to enter the portal, along with linebacker Gabe Powers, offensive lineman Miles Walker, and wide receivers Kojo Antwi and Jayden Ballard. Last year, Ohio State lost 25 players to the portal and gained seven. We will see who exits this year, but the extended Playoff will alter the timeline slightly.
In the NIL period, the transfer portal will affect every program during the winter or spring windows. The winter window began on Monday, presenting a fresh hurdle to teams competing in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. While the NCAA allows players to use the portal up to five days after their last playoff game, certain players will have fewer alternatives the longer they wait.
That’s why players like Brown entered the gateway yet remained with their team throughout the playoffs. That will not be the case for all players; some will depart the program, but Ohio State will handle transfer situations on an individual basis, according to coach Ryan Day.
“Some people want to finish what they started here. They want to fulfill their pledge, and I believe those guys deserve a lot of respect for doing so,” Day added. “But I believe there are certain individuals who need to figure out, ‘OK, what’s next for me,’ and it’s not their fault; it’s simply the way it’s constructed. We’ll make decisions on an individual basis. We need to make sure we’re fair to our players while still having enough depth to make this run.”
These decisions could have a significant impact on Ohio State’s playoff run. If Ohio State wins the national championship, it will have played four extra games in one month. Depth will be essential.
Brown is Ohio State’s backup quarterback, and if Will Howard goes down, Brown will be the most experienced player on the roster. Even a player like Powers might make an effect if he stayed. Day would not say whether Powers will be on the roster, but he is an important component on the special teams unit. He played 172 special teams snaps this season and 278 in the previous two seasons. However, losing him won’t have a significant impact on the linebacker rotation. Ohio State has already promoted Arvell Reese and has big expectations for true freshman Payton Pierce.
What will happen at quarterback?
Ohio State’s quarterback room is in better shape than it has been since C.J. Stroud left for the NFL draft two years ago. Despite Brown’s departure, the Buckeyes have five-star quarterback Julian Sayin, the best prospect in the 2024 class, poised to take the starting role next season. Beyond him, five-star Tavien St. Clair is joining the freshman class, and Ohio State has already received a commitment from five-star 2027 California quarterback Brady Edmunds, who grew up an Ohio State fan.
However, there is an issue with depth and experience that must be addressed. Day prefers to maintain at least four quarterbacks, and while I don’t believe Ohio State will lose both Air Noland and Lincoln Kienholz, it is possible. If both transfer, Ohio State will only have two scholarship quarterbacks next season, forcing the program to rely on the portal for depth. That may be tough, however, because it implies that a player will transfer to Ohio State knowing that Sayin has control over the position’s future.
Ohio State should strive to keep Kienholz due of his expertise, but if he leaves, Day will face a difficult decision concerning the quarterback room and how to fill gaps in the portal. He could bring in a player like Tristan Gebbia, an experienced graduate transfer who can help train Sayin and St. Clair, and then keep Mason Maggs as a walk-on in the room.
Day might also decide to hire a quarterback to compete with Sayin rather than giving him direct control of the program. There are several paths Ohio State could take in the portal, but talent isn’t an issue as it was the previous two offseasons; depth is. Ohio State needs to find a method to keep its numbers up
What positions will Ohio State emphasize?
Before the gateway opened, Day revealed that Ohio State would focus heavily on the offensive line in the portal. With Josh Simmons, Seth McLaughlin, Donovan Jackson, and Josh Fryar all likely to depart, the Buckeyes have a lot to work on up front. I would anticipate Ohio State to try to acquire two starting-caliber tackles, given that they don’t even have a backup right now, as well as any interior linemen.
Ohio State will also need to address depth issues. There are numerous offensive lineman in the transfer portal, including a couple names who could match Ohio State’s needs. According to 247Sports, Northwestern’s Josh Thompson has already planned a visit to Ohio State. He started 21 games in his career, including the final 11 games of 2023, at tackle, but he has also played guard.
Other players to keep an eye on are Vanderbilt offensive tackle Gunnar Hansen, Stanford sophomore offensive lineman Luke Baklenko, Ball State guard Taran Tyo (a native of Ohio), and Texas A&M guard transfer Kam Dewberry. There will undoubtedly be more names added to the portal, and Ohio State will be aggressive in pursuing those it believes would be a good fit for the program. Ohio State, on the other hand, requires at least three players to address a weakness that has plagued the program for the past two years.
There are additional positions to watch out for, such as kicker. Ohio State was interested in Alabama kicker Graham Nicholson last offseason, but it knows it can’t rely on Jayden Fielding again next season. Jesus Gomez, an Eastern Michigan transfer, sounds like a good fit for Ohio State. Gomez, the greatest kicker in the MAC, made 20 of 25 field goals, including a 50-yard and a 57-yarder.
.
About The Author
