BANNER OF BOOMS
S Terry Moore, TE Hunter Welcing and QB Justyn Martin commit to Ohio State.
Ohio State has added a second transfer tight end from 2026.
Hunter Welcing, a seventh-year senior from Northwestern, joined former Duke safety Terry Moore in announcing his commitment to the Buckeyes on Monday.
BREAKING: Northwestern transfer TE Hunter Welcing has Committed to Ohio State, his agents tell @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 12, 2026
The All-Big 10 selection will have 1 year of eligibility lefthttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/OusBqeSP4r
Welcing, a member of the recruiting class of 2020, played only sparingly in his first five seasons at Northwestern – suffering multiple injuries along the way – before a breakout season in 2025. In his sixth year as a Wildcat, Welcing caught 28 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition.
The Welcing File
- Year: Seventh-Year Senior
- Size: 6-3/250
- Pos: TE
- Previous School: Northwestern (2020-25)
- 2025 Stats: 28 catches, 296 yards, 2 TD
Welcing becomes the second tight end to join Ohio State through the transfer portal for 2026, joining former Ohio tight end Mason Williams. Both of them have one remaining season of eligibility.
Welcing’s commitment came after he visited Ohio State on Friday, a visit he described as “great.”
“It was my first time in Columbus touring the facility but was really impressed with everything,” Welcing told Eleven Warriors. “The staff was awesome and I really liked (Ohio State co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Keenan Bailey and head coach Ryan Day).”
As a seventh-year senior, Welcing will be the oldest player on Ohio State’s 2026 roster. The Buckeyes didn’t have any members of the 2020 recruiting class on their 2025 roster, but they will have one in 2026 with the addition of Welcing.
| CLASS | POS | NAME | STAR RATING | FORMER SCHOOLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JR (RS) | TE | MASON WILLIAMS | ★★★ | OHIO |
| SR (RS) | LS | DALTON RIGGS | N/A | UCF, BYU |
| JR (RS) | DT | JOHN WALKER | ★★★★ | UCF |
| SR | WR | DEVIN MCCUIN | ★★★ | UTSA |
| SR | LB | CHRISTIAN ALLIEGRO | ★★★ | WISCONSIN |
| SR (RS) | S | EARL LITTLE JR. | ★★★★ | FLORIDA STATE |
| SR (RS) | S | TERRY MOORE | ★★★ | DUKE |
| SR (RS) | TE | HUNTER WELCING | ★★★ | NORTHWESTERN |
Welcing gives Ohio State at least four tight ends who will likely see playing time in 2026, as Bennett Christian and Nate Roberts return from this past season’s five-man tight end depth chart. Max Klare also has one more year of eligibility but is a candidate to enter the 2026 NFL draft.
