A small amount of early playing time was not enough to keep defensive tackle Jarquez Carter from seeking other opportunities after one year at Ohio State.
On Friday, Carter entered the transfer portal after playing in seven games as a freshman for the Buckeyes.
BREAKING: Ohio State true freshman DL Jarquez Carter is entering the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 9, 2026
He played in 7 games this season for the Buckeyeshttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/NXT4C1Q3No
A four-star prospect out of high school, Carter was the No. 198 prospect and No. 18 defensive lineman in the recruiting class of 2025. Ohio State won a battle against a bunch of Florida schools, where Carter played his high school ball, to land his services out of high school. He'll have three years of eligibility remaining for his next destination.
Carter got on the field in seven games for the Buckeyes, recording one tackle across 51 defensive snaps. He finished the year as Ohio State's fifth-most-used defensive tackle behind starters Kayden McDonald and Tywone Malone Jr. and backups Eddrick Houston and Will Smith Jr., though he didn't play in any of the Buckeyes' final five games.
The departure hurts Ohio State's defensive tackle depth for 2026, with Carter expected to expand his role as a sophomore. Houston and Smith are expected to return next year, with McDonald likely to head to the NFL draft and Malone out of eligibility. Two other young depth defensive tackles, Eric Mensah and Maxwell Roy, have also entered the portal from the Buckeyes.
Ohio State added four-star DT John Walker out of the transfer portal, but is still actively pursuing other options like Alabama’s James Smith and Pittsburgh’s Francis Brewu at the position. Redshirt junior Jason Moore could be a factor in next year's rotation alongside Walker, Smith and Houston, should he stay at Ohio State. The Buckeyes signed a three-man defensive tackle class in 2026: Four-stars Jamir Perez, Emanuel Ruffin and Damari Simeon.
