Ohio State’s additions in previous spring portal windows have been minimal, but several have been impactful.
Perhaps the most notable in recent memory is offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who arrived in summer 2023 and developed into one of the nation’s best tackles over the course of 19 starts before a season-ending injury midway through his 2024 campaign.
The Buckeyes should seek to add at least one impact player in the transfer portal this spring at defensive tackle, but an honest evaluation of their defensive ends should also be in order. Ohio State could also look to add depth elsewhere, including quarterback and the offensive line.
A look at the four biggest transfer portal needs for Ohio State in the post-spring window:
The Big Need
Defensive Tackle
The only clear need for Ohio State entering the spring portal window is at defensive tackle, where the Buckeyes appear to be lacking players they can rely on behind projected starters Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston.
Whenever that pair came off the field in Ohio State’s spring game, the push the Buckeyes’ offensive linemen got along the line of scrimmage was noticeable. Ryan Day said as much postgame when asked about whether he’d look at defensive line options in the transfer portal.
"I think we've got to take a hard look at it," Day said of adding defensive linemen from the portal. "I don't think I have the answer right now. But we've got to look at it. It seemed to me like there was just a lot of knockback on the offensive side of the ball here. But then again, I don't want to make any judgments until I watch the film."
There’s still a chance that Tywone Malone or Jason Moore can develop into a solid backup at three-technique defensive tackle. Ohio State may want to evaluate its portal options there as well, but the more pressing need seems to be at nose guard. At this stage, there’s no obvious backup to McDonald playing off the opposing center.
Malone, Moore and Will Smith Jr. have all seen reps at nose guard, but none of them seem to fit the mold of a block-eating, run-stuffing one-technique who can give McDonald rest when he needs it or replace him should he go down. Moore was considered as much a defensive end prospect in high school as he was a defensive tackle.
Depth is necessary on the interior defensive line with the haul of a potential 16- or 17-game season, but even an upgrade to the starting lineup should be on the table if a star talent becomes available, given that neither Houston nor McDonald is an established starter.
Depth Could Help
Quarterback
Enough has been shown through the spring game to confidently say that either Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz will be Ohio State’s starting quarterback in 2025. Sayin is probably the favorite, but that’s beside the point.
Day has said in the past that he wants four quarterbacks on the roster for depth purposes, and some veteran leadership for the redshirt freshman Sayin, redshirt sophomore Kienholz and freshman Tavien St. Clair wouldn’t be a bad thing. The Buckeyes could look for a player in the mold of former backups Chris Chugunov or Tristan Gebbia, a senior willing to come in and fill out the depth chart while lending wisdom.
Tristan Gebbia received mentorship for a future coaching career while serving as Ohio State's fourth-string quarterback as a seventh-year senior in 2023.
Offensive Line
Ohio State has an eight-man offensive line corps that it feels good about to complete its two-deep depth chart, partially thanks to cross-training this spring. That includes Ethan Onianwa, Austin Siereveld, Phillip Daniels and Ian Moore at tackle; Luke Montgomery, Tegra Tshabola, Carson Hinzman and Siereveld at guard and Hinzman and Joshua Padilla at center.
But Day said after the spring game that the Buckeyes are two short of the number of offensive linemen they want on their roster, 16. Another offensive line veteran or prospect to place the Buckeyes closer to that number could be on the table.
“I think you talk about your depth a lot (in the spring), but one of the things for us is, we're two down in the offensive line,” Day said. “There's a couple of positions that we actually don't have our number because of the way it was designed coming out of last year. If you remember, the portal opened and closed before we were done with our last game. Then it was open for five days after the national championship game.
“I know no one feels bad for us, but the whole country got to pick off our players, which they did. And so, because of that, we weren't able to replace them. We need to do some of that anyways in our depth chart, knowing that it looks like this summer we're going to have to get to 105, which is a whole other conversation.”
An Upgrade is Worth Evaluating
Defensive End
Ohio State could have a great group of defensive ends already in-house for the 2025 season. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry have each flashed while waiting their turn, C.J. Hicks has settled in as a pass rusher this spring and Logan George looked legit in the spring game after transferring in from Idaho State.
But in the modern day of college football, it is vital to have a defensive lineman, preferably a defensive end, who can take over a game. That’s what Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau and Tyleik Williams did at various stages of their careers.
One of the Buckeyes’ defensive ends may well have the chops to be that type of player. Jackson has certainly been challenged to be that type of player by defensive line coach Larry Johnson. But Day and Johnson must determine if that type of player truly exists within the position room. If one doesn’t, then it’s worth seeing if one can be acquired via the portal. Upgrading at a position that doesn’t seem like a glaring flaw has proved fruitful for the Buckeyes in the past, as Quinshon Judkins and Caleb Downs can attest from last year’s portal cycle.
