Ohio State had 17 players from last year's championship squad hit the transfer portal and join other teams. Unless they transfer to TTUN, I typically cheer on former Buckeyes at their new schools and thus thought it would be fun to take a deep dive into how each is doing with the season right around the corner!
Devin Brown, QB, JR (RS), California:
After 3 loyal years at Ohio State where he was a quality leader and backup yet never could grasp the job of starting Quarterback, Devin Brown decided to transfer and start somewhere, ultimately choosing to move closer to home and join California Golden Bears, which came with a six-figure NIL package as well. Unfortunately for Brown, highly touted true freshman Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele (who committed to California, then flipped to Oregon before transferring back to California) was named the starter on Monday. Despite this, Brown is working hard still in the program, and is learning from Bryan Harsin, who became the Golden Bears QB Coach this season, and Harsin has done nothing but praise him. Brown is fitting in well at California, working with his former Ohio State teammate, WR Kyion Grayes, who transferred last season. Brown's leadership skills and accuracy have been instrumental in his growth in the offseason with the Golden Bears. Although Brown has experience in one of the nation's best offenses (Ohio State), Sagapolutele's natural talent earned him the job over Brown, who will be the backup for Cal this year. Although it's another disappointing result for Brown, who also lost a tight QB race with Kyle McCord, as well as one with Will Howard at Ohio State, he will still have opportunities to grow under coach Justin Wilcox as well as Harsin, and like all backups, is just one play away from being in the game. California is expected to be a middle of the pack team this season in the ACC, although they appear to have a more loaded roster than last year's 6-7 team.
Air Noland, QB, FR (RS), South Carolina:
Air Noland was the top QB in Ohio State's 2024 recruiting class, but once Julian Sayin transferred into Ohio State from Alabama about a week after enrolling there, the Buckeyes' other freshman QB became sort of overshadowed. Sayin, being a top 3 QB in the 2024 Class according to 247Sports, garnered quite a bit of (deserving) hype and is now the frontrunner to start this season. Noland suffered from being homesick throughout his freshman year at Ohio State, and with Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz both battling for this year's starting job and 5-Star QB Tavien St. Clair coming in behind him, he opted to move closer to home while having a better chance to see the field and transferred to the South Carolina Gamecocks. While potential Heisman Candidate and NFL Draft Prospect LaNorris Sellers returns, Noland is learning under Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula as well as Sellers and is competing for the backup job with 5th Year Senior Luke Doty. While Doty is expected to be the backup due to his experience, he will be out of eligibility next season. And with Sellers expected to enter the NFL Draft, it sets up nicely for Noland, a former 4-Star Quarterback, to potentially start for the Gamecocks entering his third collegiate season. Since arriving in Columbia, Noland has dropped 10 pounds and gotten much stronger as he adjusts to the South Carolina offense while battling for the backup job.
T.C. Caffey, RB, SO (RS), Youngstown State
T.C. Caffey walked on at Ohio State in 2022 but immediately showed his talent. Although he tore his ACL later that year and didn't play in 2023, he was potentially going to battle James Peoples to be the Buckeyes' 3rd Running Back behind TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins in 2024. However, that was cut short as well when he suffered a season-ending knee injury that summer. Caffey decided to enter the portal in the spring, with Peoples and transfer C.J. Donaldson set to be the lead backs, and true freshman Bo Jackson and redshirt freshman Sam Dixon looking ready to contribute also. He committed to the Youngstown State Penguins, an FCS team, in May. Caffey's experience at Ohio State has provided expectations for him to be a star at the FCS level for YSU, and he should work in tandem with last year's lead RB Ethan Wright.
Kojo Antwi, WR, JR (RS), Colorado State:
After three seasons without much playing time for Ohio State, Kojo Antwi, the last remaining WR from Ohio State's 2022 Class, decided to hit the transfer portal and find a role somewhere else, committing to the Colorado State Rams. Antwi honored his commitment to the Buckeyes, though, and stuck around for their CFP run the culminated in a National Championship. However, in one of the practices leading up to the championship bout with Notre Dame, Antwi ruptured his Achilles. CSU Coach Jay Norvell was still more than willing to take Antwi as part of the team, which should prove to be a smart decision knowing the talent that oozes from Ohio State's Wide Receiver room. When fall camp began, Norvell said that Antwi was at about 90%. He participated in some drills and a small portion of the Rams scrimmage, and though he may not be entirely ready to play in the season opener against Washington, Antwi is still making a quick recovery from what can be a nasty injury. Once he is healthy, Antwi should be one of the lead receiver options for QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi as the Rams look to replace star Tory Horton, who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in April. Antwi is both learning from CSU WR Coach James Finley, as well as bringing the knowledge he received from Brian Hartline to the Rams WR Room.
Jayden Ballard, WR, SR (RS), Wisconsin:
A member of Ohio State's 2021 Recruiting Class, Jayden Ballard shined a little bit, with 177 yards and a touchdown as a receiver, as well as 63 yards returning punts and 23 yards returning kickoffs. However, Ballard was quickly overshadowed in the Buckeyes' star-studded WR room. Ballard hit the poral in December and joined OSU alumni and Wisconsin Badgers Head Coach Luke Fickell, hoping to be a spark to the offense under new coordinator Jeff Grimes. Ballard was explosive throughout the spring for Wisconsin, and is expected to start as the Z Receiver, opposite of the returning Vinny Anthony II. Ballard's talent should help Badgers QB Billy Edwards Jr. this season as Luke Fickell tries to improve on the team's 5-7 campaign last season in which they missed a bowl for the first time in 23 years. Ballard appears to be another case of an extremely talented Buckeye who was simply buried by even more talent and should be a force on the perimeter for Wisconsin in his last season of eligibility.
Reis Stocksdale, WR, SR (RS), Bowling Green:
Reis Stocksdale walked on to the Buckeyes' squad in 2021 and appeared in mop-up duty in six games in 2022. He battled injuries throughout 2023 and 2024, causing him to miss both seasons. He drew great reviews from teammates however, with C.J. Stroud even saying that Stocksdale would eventually have a chance to get playing time as a Buckeye. Injuries hampered that idea, but with Stocksdale being healthy finally, he opted to transfer to the Bowling Green Falcons and play for former Buckeye and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George in his last collegiate season. Stocksdale has talent and will compete with BGSU's other receivers such as Finn Hogan, R.J. Garcia II, and Southern Illinois transfer Allen Middleton, but if he can use what he learned at Ohio State and stay healthy, he can be an asset for the Falcons.
Patrick Gurd, TE, SR (RS + COVID Year), Cincinnati:
Patrick Gurd walked on to the OSU roster in 2020 and eventually earned a scholarship. Gurd was primarily used as a blocking tight end on heavy sets, as well as in a fullback role when necessary, and was helpful on the Buckeyes National Championship run. With Max Klare joining Ohio State, Gurd followed in the footsteps of fellow former Buckeye Joe Royer and transferred to the Cincinnati Bearcats, using his extra COVID year of eligibility. Gurd is expected to be the No. 2 Tight End for the Bearcats this year alongside Royer (who I should mention has turned himself into an NFL Draft Prospect at Cincinnati) and will get plenty of snaps at TE as well potentially in the same Fullback role as at Ohio State.
George Fitzpatrick, OT, JR (RS), Kansas State:
After being stuck behind two first-rounders (Paris Johnson Jr. and Josh Simmons) at Ohio State, George Fitzpatrick entered his name into the portal, opting to move closer to home and join the Kansas State Wildcats. Fitzpatrick immediately drew rave reviews from head coach Chris Klieman and was deemed as the Wildcats' best Offensive Lineman entering the summer and essentially named the starting Left Tackle. However, as summer workouts came to a close, Fitzpatrick suffered from a scary medical emergency that hospitalized him. Luckily, Fitzpatrick is out of the hospital and recovering well from the unknown emergency, but it has still caused him to be sidelined for all of fall camp thus far and will likely cause him to miss parts of the season. Klieman did say that Fitzpatrick will return at some point for Kansas State though, he was just unsure of how quickly he could return after the medical scare. The Wildcats could use him to protect QB Avery Johnson's blindside, so hopefully George can have a speedy and safe recovery and get back on the field soon.
Zen Michalski, OT, SR (RS), Indiana:
When Josh Simmons suffered his season-ending knee injury against Oregon, Zen Michalski was thrust into the starting Left Tackle position. He maintained this into Ohio State's game against Nebraska but also suffered an injury that caused him to miss the remainder of the season. With the additions of Ethan Onianwa and Phillip Daniels as well as the emergence of other stars, Michalski moved to his home state Indiana Hoosiers. Michalski's experience at Ohio State has cemented him as the starting Right Tackle at Indiana, opposite of star LT Carter Smith. Michalski was a perfect fit for what Indiana Offensive Line coach Bob Bostad wanted to protect transfer QB Fernando Mendoza as the Hoosiers try to return to the College Football Playoff. Michalski and the Hoosiers' Offensive Line look to be a very strong unit this year, possibly one of the best in the nation.
Miles Walker, OT, SO (RS), Boise State:
One of the Buckeyes' lower-rated recruits in the 2023 class, Miles Walker never really had a chance to show his potential and was buried on the depth chart. Walker decided to move on to somewhere where he could get more playing time, choosing the Boise State Broncos, a perennial Group of 5 (Group of 6?) powerhouse. With the Broncos' starting tackles, Kage Casey and Hall Schmidt, both returning, Walker isn't likely to start this season. However, he could earn the role of being the first offensive tackle off the bench with a strong fall camp and would have potential to start next season. BSU head coach Spencer Danielson has hyped up his O-Line group as being great once again in the run game as the Broncos try to return to the CFP, and Walker should have plenty of chances to learn from the experienced group that returns four starters.
Mitchell Melton, DE, SR (RS + COVID Year), Virginia:
Mitchell Melton was never able to reach his full potential at Ohio State as he frequently dealt with the injury bug. While he potentially could have been a good depth piece this season for the Buckeyes, Melton decided to transfer to the Virginia Cavaliers. Melton flashed at Virginia's spring showcase and will compete to start at Bandit in the Cavaliers' 4-2-5 Defense, battling UNLV transfer Fisher Camac. Although Camac had a good season for the Rebels in 2024, Melton's experience and potential (he was a top 200 prospect in the 2020 class) will likely win him the job and allow him to wreak havoc on Virginia's opponents. Most projections have Melton as the starter at Bandit for Virginia's season opener against Coastal Carolina after his strong spring that has continued into the fall.
Hero Kanu, DT, SR, Texas:
One of the more surprising transfer losses for Ohio State, Kanu opted to hit the portal despite the Buckeyes being thin at Defensive Tackle as well as Kanu being set up to be the first one off the bench behind Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald. The Germany native decided to make a move to Texas, and is competing with other transfers, such as Cole Brevard (Purdue), Maraad Watson (Syracuse), and Travis Shaw (North Carolina). Kanu has taken on a leadership role at Texas, and despite a somewhat slow transition to being a Longhorn, has really starred during Texas' fall camp. The Longhorns are very deep at DT, as Brevard, Watson, Shaw, and Kanu could each start at most college programs. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and Defensive Line coach Kenny Baker have both stressed the importance of rotating the Defensive Line, so Kanu will still likely get meaningful playing time, even if other players are given the opportunity to start. Projections as fall camp comes to a close have Watson, Brevard, and Kanu as the top three defensive tackles, respectively, so he will likely be seeing the field a lot for Texas. As much as I wish he would've stayed and helped fill out the Buckeyes depth at DT rather than transfer to Texas, I'll still wish him well as a Longhorn, except in his August 30th matchup with the Buckeyes, of course.
Gabe Powers, LB, JR (RS), Kansas State:
Gabe Powers shined some at Ohio State, including his pick six last year in the season opener against Akron, but he was under guys like Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, and Payton Pierce on the depth chart, so a transfer for more playing time made sense for Powers. He was the first Buckeye to put his name in the portal in 2024, and decided to join the Kansas State Wildcats, who were replacing Linebacker Austin Moore. Powers is entrenched in a battle with Rex Van Wyhe to be the starting WILL Linebacker in KSU's 3-3-5 base defense. Powers experience and talent will likely win out in the battle, as he looks to be the leader to start. Kansas State Linebackers coach Steve Stanard has praised the Wildcats' depth at the position, so even if he can't hang on to this starting spot, even though I expect him to, Powers should still see significant time.
Calvin Simpson-Hunt, CB, SO (RS), Baylor:
Calvin Simpson-Hunt was a highly touted Cornerback recruit in the 2023 class, but his career at Ohio State got off to a slow start and he was buried on the depth chart by guys such as Jermaine Mathews Jr., Aaron Scott Jr., Bryce West, and even the incoming Devin Sanchez, so a change of scenery for CSH made sense. Simpson-Hunt chose Baylor, a school close to his hometown of Waxahachie, Texas, and immediately had a great impact on the Bears' secondary. Other members of Baylor's cornerback room have praised Simpson-Hunt for both his strength, his speed, and how quickly he picked up Baylor's schemes, and he himself has said that his experience as part of Ohio State's championship defense has helped him tremendously by showing him what it takes to be elite. While the Bears already have some great players such as Tevin Williams III and LeVar Thornton Jr., Simpson-Hunt has received so much praise at Baylor that it's hard to see him not getting playing time.
Jayden Bonsu, S, SO (RS), Pittsburgh:
Another member of Ohio State's 2023 recruiting class who didn't quite pan out with the Buckeyes, Jayden Bonsu entered the portal and joined the Pittsburgh Panthers to find playing time. While Bonsu was originally a Safety at Ohio State, he transitioned down to Linebacker with the Panthers. Bonsu is set to play the STAR Linebacker position in Pitt's 4-3 defense, which is a sort of combination between linebacker and safety, and is in a battle with redshirt freshman Cameron Lindsey to back up star LB Kyle Louis in his first year at the position. Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi had nice things to say of Bonsu, saying that he was smart and adjusting well to the position change. Narduzzi also said that he was open to Bonsu reverting back to safety but likes him as the STAR and wants him to learn it first, comparing his plans for Bonsu to what he did with current Tampa Bay Buccaneers Safety Jordan Whitehead.
Anthony Venneri, P, JR (RS), UCF:
Anthony Venneri transferred to Ohio State from Buffalo in 2024 as a walk-on to compete with Joe McGuire and Nick McLarty for the starting Punter job after Jesse Mirco's transfer. McGuire won the job, however, and McLarty was the primary backup, so Venneri redshirted for the season and transferred to the UCF Knights. The Canadian Punter starred at Buffalo but never got the chance to see the field at Ohio State, so he hopes to rejuvenate his career with UCF. Venneri is the clear-cut starter at Punter for the Knights ahead of 26-year-old Mason Denaburg, a former pitcher for the Washington Nationals who opted to switch to football from baseball.
Morrow Evans, LS, FR (RS), UCLA:
Morrow Evans was the 2nd-ranked Long Snapper in the 2024 class and chose to walk on to the Buckeyes roster. With John Ferlmann returning again for Ohio State, Evans decided to move on to somewhere he could start immediately, choosing the UCLA Bruins. UCLA's previous Long Snapper, Travis Drosos, graduated, so the Bruins needed someone to fill that void. Enter Evans, who beat out true freshman Halakilangi Muagututi'a, the No. 1-ranked Long Snapper in the 2025 class, for the starting job. Evans will now get to snap for star Kicker Mateen Bhagani, as well as transfer Punter Will Karoll, for the Bruins this season.
Overall, it seems most of Ohio State's transfer departures are fitting in well at their new locations. While not everyone is a starter at their new school, most are set up to start in the future and/or have received praise from their new coaches and teammates. I think the success of these guys goes to show not only how deep Ohio State is, but how great our staff is at developing guys for success, whether as Buckeyes or elsewhere if they decide to transfer. While I personally wish that every Buckeye would be able to stay here, I can't fault any of these guys for transferring to be able to play, and I'll be cheering on each and every one at their new schools, unless they play Ohio State, that is.
