Ethan Onianwa Sheds Black Stripe After 13 Practices with the Buckeyes

On Tuesday, the former Rice offensive tackle became the second transfer to shed his black stripe with the Buckeyes this spring, joining former Purdue tight end Max Klare. He also became the third midyear enrollee to shed his black stripe this spring, following Klare and freshman wide receiver Quincy Porter.

O Block is adding a force to be wreckin with up front, Welcome @EthanOnianwa pic.twitter.com/rw4vCCeX2Z

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 8, 2025

Before Onianwa arrived on Ohio State's campus, ESPN's Tom Luginbill called him "the best offensive lineman in the portal, and it's not even close." Last week, Onianwa said he could have entered the NFL draft but instead chose to use his final year of eligibility with the Buckeyes.

“I realized that I wanted to continue to develop and get better, which is why I wanted to find a good school where I could have a good O-line coach that’s going to help and mentor me, and Coach Bowen is it,” Onianwa said. “I've already noticed myself getting better and improving at things that were big discrepancies in my game.”

In the same press conference, Onianwa shared that he's transformed his body since coming to Columbus, losing 30 pounds to slim down to 335 pounds. At 6-foot-6, Onianwa feels more athletic at a lower weight while still possessing considerable size and strength.

“I try to live by being the hardest-working person on the field,” he said. “I want to spend the most time watching film, spend the most time after practice getting in extra work.”