Former Arizona State Running Back DeaMonte Trayanum Transferring to Ohio State to Play Linebacker

After Steele Chambers successfully made the move from running back to linebacker for the Buckeyes this season, Ohio State is taking on a similar experiment in former Arizona State running back DeaMonte Trayanum, who is transferring to Ohio State to play linebacker for the Buckeyes.

Coming back home playing defense, aint no other way to do it! O-H #AnotherKidFromAkron pic.twitter.com/i7kOJU5DAo

— DeaMonte Trayanum (@Chipperrz_) December 25, 2021

It’s a homecoming for Trayanum, who starred on both sides of the ball at Akron’s Archbishop Hoban High School. Ranked as the No. 285 overall prospect and No. 5 Ohioan in the recruiting class of 2020, Trayanum was recruited to potentially play on either side of the ball by the Buckeyes out of high school, but he ultimately chose to sign with Arizona State, who recruited him solely as a running back.

Trayanum ran for 692 yards and 10 touchdowns on 127 rushing attempts in two seasons with the Sun Devils. Had Trayanum stayed in Tempe, he was seemingly in line to be Arizona State’s starting running back next season with Rachaad White moving on to the NFL.

At Ohio State, however, Trayanum is expected to play on defense. While entirely unproven at the collegiate level, he was a first-team All-Ohio linebacker during his junior season at Hoban, when he recorded 60 total tackles, eight sacks, five forced fumbles and 10 pass breakups. An explosive and agile athlete at 5-foot-11 and 235 pounds, Trayanum offers intriguing upside at a position where the Buckeyes lacked both star power and depth this season.

Trayanum becomes Ohio State’s first new transfer portal addition for the 2022 season.

Ohio State is surely hoping Trayanum can make a similarly smooth and quick transition from running back to linebacker as Chambers, who became the Buckeyes’ top linebacker by the end of the 2021 regular season even though he didn’t change positions until preseason camp. Like Chambers this year, Trayanum will be entering his third season of college football in 2022. Because he played in only four games in 2020 and the NCAA gave all players a free year of eligibility last season, Trayanum will bring four seasons of eligibility to Ohio State.

New Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles also has experience turning an offensive player into a successful linebacker, as Knowles was also the position coach for Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, a high school quarterback who developed into the Cowboys’ leading tackler for the past three seasons, earning second-team All-American honors this year.

While most previous transfer additions since Ryan Day became head coach have been players who were expected to compete for starting jobs right away and make an immediate impact, Trayanum is more likely to be a developmental project, given that he hasn’t even played a defensive snap yet in his collegiate career. Chambers’ rapid rise up the depth chart in 2021, though, is evidence that the Buckeyes won’t be afraid to play Trayanum right away if he takes to his new position quickly.

welcome home, @Chipperrz_ #GoBucks https://t.co/BB77pZq7IE

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 25, 2021

He joins a linebacker room that could return its top five linebackers from this past season, as Chambers, Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg are all expected back for another year while Teradja Mitchell and Palaie Gaoteote could both also return for an additional year of eligibility. Other linebackers competing for playing time in 2022 will include redshirt sophomore Mitchell Melton, redshirt freshman Reid Carrico and true freshmen C.J. Hicks and Gabe Powers.

Ohio State needs more playmakers to emerge at that position, though, and it’s bringing in Trayanum with the belief that he could be just that, whether in 2022 or later in his career after he’s had more time to develop.