For perhaps the first time in the Ryan Day era, Ohio State missed out on a transfer it badly wanted.
Henry To’o To’o picked Alabama over the Buckeyes last weekend, ending a prolonged recruitment of the former Tennessee linebacker that pitted national championship opponents against each other in an off-field battle. He’s expected to be eligible immediately, taking advantage of the NCAA’s new one-time transfer rule to no longer force players to sit out a year at their new school.
Evidently, the Buckeyes aren’t one and done in the transfer portal. They have reportedly gotten back in touch with USC linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, who’d been connected with Texas but now is receptive to Ohio State’s offerings.
Is linebacker the No. 1 position of need for a transfer? Are there any other positions where landing somebody through the portal would make sense? Those are the questions we’re taking a look at today.
Quarterback
No need. At least, not right now.
The way the quarterback position is these days, there was always a chance that one of the three underclassmen vying for the starting spot – C.J. Stroud, Jack Miller and Kyle McCord – would see the writing on the wall and transfer because they knew they’d be a backup for Ohio State in 2021. That would’ve necessitated Day going after a transfer quarterback. Still, a case could be made to bring in a veteran via the portal right now, but the Buckeyes would essentially be taking somebody with the sole purpose of adding a reserve to have an older voice in a room of freshmen and redshirt freshmen, and there aren’t a ton of guys whose idea of transferring is to go somewhere where there’s no chance they would start.
LSU’s TJ Finley told 247Sports he has communicated with Ohio State, but the fit doesn’t make a ton of sense considering he’s not looking to be a backup.
Running Back
No need whatsoever.
A year ago, the Buckeyes added Trey Sermon because they left spring camp with only one running back – Steele Chambers – healthy. Right now, Tony Alford has his pick of six tailbacks. The room is flush with options. There’s more likely to be a transfer out than in.
Wide Receiver
Ha!
The way Brian Hartline has stocked Ohio State with wideouts, it’s difficult to imagine this team pursuing any through the portal anytime over the next few years. The Buckeyes have already lost two receivers – Jameson Williams and Mookie Cooper – in part because of the depth of the position room.
Tight End
So far, Ohio State hasn’t seemed to look too deeply into the tight end transfer market. There hasn’t been any smoke to signify the coaches are looking around. But it’s a position that actually might make some sense to consider adding a transfer if the right guy popped up.
The Buckeyes have Jeremy Ruckert at the forefront. Behind him, there’s a slew of unproven options: Cade Stover, Joe Royer, Sam Hart, Gee Scott Jr., Mitch Rossi and Corey Rau. If Ohio State found an experienced upperclassman who could serve as either the No. 2 or No. 3 tight end this fall, it might strengthen the room in the immediacy while giving some more time for the younger guys to develop.
The Buckeyes haven’t been linked to any transfer tight ends, so it doesn’t appear likely that they’ll take this route. But it’s something worth considering.
Offensive Line
No reason to add any transfers up front.
Ohio State had a gaping hole when it went after and secured Jonah Jackson a couple of years ago. No such roster abnormalities exist this year. Greg Studrawa has both starting tackles back and at least five legitimate candidates to start at the three interior spots. Depth isn’t an issue anywhere on the line. The Buckeyes won’t be going after any transfer band-aids at this position.
Defensive Line
No need whatsoever.
The only guy Ohio State would add to its defensive line by the time the season rolls is J.T. Tuimoloau. The Buckeyes have been battling Alabama, Oregon, USC and Washington for the No. 1 overall 2021 recruit, and they should get him on an official visit next month. Outside of him, they don’t have any reason to bring in another defensive lineman. They’re stocked with defensive ends and have at least two upperclassmen at both nose tackle and 3-technique.
Linebacker
Here’s where it gets interesting.
From the outside, it actually wouldn’t seem as though Ohio State has a dire need to add a transfer linebacker. It appears more likely to run a defense with only two linebackers, and with Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant, K’Vaughan Pope, Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg all back and healthy, the Buckeyes shouldn’t be strapped with depth concerns. The question of whether or not the projected starters – Mitchell and Gant – will be up to par is reasonable, but they’re fourth-year players who were once well-regarded recruits and have spent years in the program developing under Al Washington.
However, Ohio State’s actions in not only recruiting To’o To’o but reportedly reengaging with Gaoteote speaks to some degree of uncertainty the coaches have in the projected starting linebackers. To’o To’o wouldn’t have been brought in to sit on the bench, and Gaoteote would arrive in Columbus expecting to start – or at the very least, competing to start.
Washington and Day know the roster better than anybody else, and if they’re pursuing somebody like Gaoteote, they clearly see a hole they want to fill atop the linebacker depth chart. Having been a starter for several years at USC, he has plenty more experience than anybody at Ohio State, which has to be part of the appeal.
Cornerback
If the transfer cornerback market weren’t so relatively barren compared to other positions, including linebacker, then Ohio State might be linked to more names.
The Buckeyes are fine at inside cornerback with fifth-year senior Marcus Williamson and second-years Lathan Ransom and Cameron Martinez returning. On the outside, however, it would be understandable for Kerry Coombs and Matt Barnes to see who’s out there. Sevyn Banks is expected to be the No. 1 cornerback, though he had an up-and-down first year as a starter, and there’s reason to be unsure of the options across the field from him. Cameron Brown’s returning from a torn Achilles and nobody else has any significant experience.
If there was a Sermon-esque one-year stopgap at cornerback, going after him could be sensible. Maybe somebody like Tulsa's Akayleb Evans could be of interest. But there might not be anybody the Buckeyes view as a clear upgrade at the position.
Safety
Another area where there’s no need to explore the transfer market.
Josh Proctor is back as the starting deep safety with Bryson Shaw and Jantzen Dunn among the backups. At bullet, Ohio State has Craig Young and Ronnie Hickman. The Buckeyes don’t have any reason to check out the transfer safeties in the portal.
