A former Ohio State commit will make a transfer visit to Ohio State this week.
Auburn transfer cornerback Kayin Lee, who was a member of Ohio State’s recruiting class of 2023 before flipping to Auburn on signing day, will visit Ohio State on Sunday after visiting Ole Miss on Saturday, according to 247Sports’ Chris Hummer.
Auburn CB transfer Kayin Lee has set a pair of visits, per a source:
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) January 3, 2026
Ole Miss - Jan. 3
Ohio State - Jan. 4
He's posted 81 tackles and 3 INTs in his career. Multi-year starter with more than 1,500 career snaps. https://t.co/OjsZMKO1BP pic.twitter.com/Py2u8sbQGt
A four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, Lee was committed to Ohio State from June 2022 to December 2022. He started 27 games in three seasons at Auburn, recording 81 tackles with three interceptions, 17 pass breakups and two tackles for loss.
Per Pro Football Focus, Lee has limited opponents to 57 catches for 809 yards and three touchdowns on 116 targets and 843 coverage snaps across three seasons at Auburn.
Lee has one remaining season of collegiate eligibility.
Should Ohio State land Lee, he’d likely be an immediate starter in a secondary that’s set to lose at least one starting cornerback with Davison Igbinosun exhausting his eligibility. Starting nickelback Lorenzo Styles Jr. is also out of eligibility. Ohio State’s other starting cornerback this past season, Jermaine Mathews Jr., has a decision to make on whether to stay for his senior season or enter the 2026 NFL draft.
Other candidates to start at cornerback for Ohio State in 2026 include Devin Sanchez, who was Ohio State’s sixth defensive back this past season, and fellow five-star recruit Aaron Scott Jr., but Lee would give the Buckeyes another proven and experienced player in a secondary that will also likely lose star safety Caleb Downs to the NFL draft.
Lee is one of three defensive transfers who have reportedly set visits to Ohio State in the first 24 hours of the transfer portal being open, along with former Pittsburgh linebacker Rasheem Biles and former Gardner-Webb defensive end Antonio O’Berry. Other transfer defenders who Ohio State has reportedly been in contact with include former Penn State defensive end Chaz Coleman and former UCF defensive tackle John Walker.
