On Sunday, we’ll learn Ohio State football’s matchup for the first round of the College Football Playoff.
One day later, the transfer portal will officially open, and the Buckeyes will have no shortage of spots to fill at multiple positions for next season. Offensive line will obviously be a primary need for Ohio State, both at tackle and in the interior.
Ahead of the portal opening for everyone on Monday, the Buckeyes have already gotten a head start on reaching out to Northwestern guard Josh Thompson. Thompson, who will have one season of eligibility remaining, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors this past season. In his career for the Wildcats, he’s played in 31 games and made 21 starts, seeing time at left guard, right guard and right tackle.
Thank you Northwestern pic.twitter.com/HOyw9AFNqc
— Josh Thompson (@ThompsonJoshMI) December 5, 2024
Per Pro Football Focus’ grades, Thompson finished this season with an overall grade of 74.9, the eighth-best mark among guards in the Big Ten or SEC. He has not allowed a sack in his last 18 games.
Since Thompson is set to graduate this spring, he can enter the transfer portal early and thus be contacted by other schools. Per 247Sports, Ohio State has reached out to Thompson, along with Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, LSU, Missouri, Florida State, South Carolina, and Auburn.
Thompson grew up in Fenton, Michigan, so it may be a tough pull for the Buckeyes, but you can’t rule anything out, especially when NIL is involved.
Another offensive lineman who could be of interest is Arkansas starting guard Patrick Kutas, who intends to enter the portal on Monday. Kutas has two years of eligibility remaining and has been a two-year starter for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas starting offensive guard Patrick Kutas is set to enter the transfer portal, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 5, 2024
The former four-star recruit has been a starter the last two years. Ranked as one of the top 10 interior o-line recruits in the 2022 recruiting class. pic.twitter.com/5sKuBaFmRx
Kutas played in only four games this season due to injury but turned in a PFF grade of 71.1 overall. He’s appeared in 25 games in three seasons for the Razorbacks and started nine games at right tackle in the 2023 season.
On the tackle side, an interesting option is Rice offensive tackle Ethan Onianwa, who the Athletic reports is set to enter the transfer portal Monday. The 6-foot-6, 345-pound Onianwa allowed one sack in 294 pass-blocking snaps playing left tackle last season and received a 75.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He'll have one season of eligibility remaining.
Ohio State finishes fifth in national recruiting rankings
On the final day of the early signing period, 247Sports’ national recruiting rankings have come into focus. Ohio State finished with another top-five recruiting class, coming in at No. 5 at the end of the early signing period. The Buckeyes signed 26 prospects on Wednesday and Thursday and are also obviously expected to supplement the signees with additions in the transfer portal.
Texas finished the early signing period with the highest-ranked class in the country, followed by Alabama, Oregon and Georgia.
Tavien St. Clair, Bodpegn Miller finish second and third in Ohio’s Mr. Football voting
Two of Ohio State’s 2025 signees finished in the top three in voting for Ohio’s Mr. Football award. Five-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair was the runner-up, while four-star wide receiver Bodpegn Miller – who played quarterback for Ontario – came in third place.
Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski, a junior, came in first place following a season where he threw for 4,107 yards and 56 touchdown passes. Ponatoski visited Ohio State for the Michigan game last week and has received plenty of interest from the Buckeyes within the last few months, though he hasn’t yet received an offer from OSU.
OSU not among Ben Nichols’ finalists
A 2026 offensive lineman with an Ohio State offer is ready to end his recruitment. Four-star Michigan prospect Ben Nichols announced Friday he’ll commit on Christmas Eve, and told 247Sports he has four finalists: Wisconsin, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Penn State.
I will be committing on December 24th @DavCardFootball @LBC4L @GregSmithRivals @adamgorney @BrandonHuffman @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @AllenTrieu @TheD_Zone @josh_newberg @@ShannonTerry @MohrRecruiting
— Ben Nichols C/O 2026 (@BNichols2026) December 6, 2024
Nichols picked up an offer from OSU earlier this summer and visited for a game in the fall, but OSU has no shortage of options locally and nationally for the offensive line in the 2026 class.
