Ohio State has missed out on its top transfer tight end target.
Former Maryland tight end CJ Dippre narrowed down his final two choices to Ohio State and Alabama last week, but ultimately chose the Crimson Tide on Tuesday.
Dippre, who visited both Tuscaloosa and Columbus before making a decision, was pursued by both programs because of his ability as both a pass-catcher and a run-blocker. In his sophomore season for Maryland, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end caught 30 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns.
He notably showed promise in the Terrapins' game against Ohio State in November at College Park where he caught four passes for 30 yards and a touchdown in Maryland’s 43-30 loss to the Buckeyes.
With Dippre opting for Alabama, Ohio State's tight end depth for next season is in question, with Mitch Rossi exhausting his eligibility and starter Cade Stover weighing whether or not to enter the 2023 NFL draft.
Ohio State doesn’t necessarily need to add a transfer tight end if there isn’t another tight end in the portal that it views as a clear upgrade. Gee Scott Jr., Joe Royer, Sam Hart and Bennett Christian are tight ends already on OSU’s roster that will all be vying to earn bigger roles next season, while the Buckeyes also signed four-star Georgia prospect Jelani Thurman, who will join the fold next season as the second-ranked tight end in the 2023 recruiting class per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Given that those tight ends have combined to play fewer than 200 snaps for Ohio State this season, though, the Buckeyes have reason to continue exploring their transfer options, particularly if Stover moves on.
