Welcome to the Skull Session.
Folks, Warde Manuel might be cooked.
New findings from an investigation into Michigan athletics indicate Warde Manuel and the school overlooked warning signs surrounding Sherrone Moore’s affair with Paige Shiver. https://t.co/TQR05mmaVl
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 14, 2026
What a shame!
Have a good Wednesday.
GOT TRANSFERS? ESPN’s Max Olson ranked the top 100 transfers in college football entering the 2026 season, and four Buckeyes cracked the top 75: defensive tackle James Smith, defensive end Qua Russaw and safeties Earl Little Jr. and Terry Moore.
No. 31 - James Smith, DT
Years remaining: 1
HT: 6-3 | WT: 297 | Class: JuniorBackground: The Montgomery, Alabama, native was the No. 3 defensive tackle and No. 25 overall recruit in the 2023 ESPN 300, and he played in 37 games over his three years with the Crimson Tide. Smith earned a starting spot in 2025 and contributed 28 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks on 398 snaps. Now, he's looking to finish out his career elsewhere ahead of his final season of eligibility.
Scout's take: Smith is strong enough to hold his ground and stack blocks between the tackles. He flashes the ability to fight through and split double-teams. He can get into gaps and slip blocks. He primarily lines up on the inside, but he's a physical edge setter when he is on the outside. He's a relentless pass rusher with active hands and good power. -- Muench
What he brings to Ohio State: The Buckeyes needed to find a way to replace the production of Kayden McDonald, the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and a projected first-round pick. They're hoping the combination of Smith and UCF transfer John Walker can get the job done for their front.
No. 40 - Qua Russaw, DE
Years remaining: 2
HT: 6-2 | WT: 243 | Class: Redshirt sophomoreBackground: The top outside linebacker and No. 9 overall recruit in the 2023 ESPN 300 played in 22 games for the Crimson Tide and earned nine starts. He recorded 30 tackles and picked off two passes as a true freshman, but he suffered a foot injury that made it tough to take the next big step as a sophomore. Russaw got hurt against Georgia in late September and was sidelined for six games in conference play. He came back to play 104 snaps as a reserve behind Yhonzae Pierre.
Scout's take: Russaw would be one of the top portal defenders if not for injury concerns. A former five-star, he was one of the more naturally gifted athletes on Alabama's 2024 roster. His best asset is his scheme versatility. He can play stout vs. the run, drop back in coverage or chase QBs as a pass rusher. Russaw lacks ideal height but plays with great leverage and strength at the point of attack. A disruptive presence vs. counter and gap-blocking schemes. He's fluid enough to get depth in his drops, change direction and make plays on the football. -- Muench
What he brings to Ohio State: Russaw and James Smith were teammates in high school and at Alabama and preferred to pick their next school together. He'll have an opportunity to compete for a starting spot opposite Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and could provide some positional versatility in Matt Patricia's defense.
No. 55 - Earl Little Jr., S
Years remaining: 1
HT: 6-1 | WT: 193 | Class: Redshirt juniorBackground: The former ESPN 300 recruit spent two seasons at Alabama before joining the Seminoles and moved into a full-time starting role in 2025. Little put together a productive year under first-year DC Tony White with a team-high 76 tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles to earn second-team All-ACC recognition.
Scout's take: Little excelled in the Rover position for FSU, which is a hybrid safety/linebacker. He is versatile, showing good production and skill set as both a box run defender and a deep middle coverage safety. He possesses great range as well as physicality; makes diagnoses fast and takes direct angles to the ball; quick to transition and getting on top of routes. Displays really good ball skills. His ability to line up in different levels of the defense and make plays will be coveted. -- Muench
What he brings to Ohio State: It's no surprise the Buckeyes looked to the portal for veteran help to replace two-time All-America safety Caleb Downs. Little demonstrated at Florida State that he can be a versatile chess piece in the secondary and was an important get for second-year DC Matt Patricia.
No. 72 - Terry Moore, S
Years remaining: 1
HT: 6-1 | WT: 195 | Class: SeniorBackground: Moore started 19 games for the Blue Devils and earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2024 after a big year with 71 tackles, seven TFLs, six pass breakups and a team-high four interceptions. He suffered a torn ACL in Duke's bowl game and missed the 2025 season while he recovered from the injury, which granted him one more year of eligibility.
Scout's take: If not for a knee injury and missed production in 2025, Moore would be higher up our portal rankings. He has all the physical traits coveted in a safety prospect: size, range, physicality and instincts. He can play anywhere throughout the defense and made plays in all three levels in 2024. He's quick to read and diagnose the play, closes fast and with intention and breaks up a lot of passes with great anticipation and closing speed. He pursues fast and is a big hitter but reliable tackler in space as well. -- Muench
What he brings to Ohio State: The Buckeyes bringing back All-Big Ten starter Jaylen McClain and adding both Moore and Little certainly suggests that Patricia will go with three safeties in his starting lineup. Moore gives this secondary more playmaking experience and could be another all-conference performer on the back end if he comes back strong from his knee injury.
Ohio State must replace eight defensive starters, including first- and second-round NFL draft picks Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and Kayden McDonald. That's no small task, but transfers like Smith, Russaw, Little and Moore have the talent to make an immediate impact and help keep the Buckeyes among the nation's elite defenses.
With Matt Patricia leading the unit and veteran assistants Larry Johnson, James Laurinaitis, Tim Walton and Matt Guerrieri all returning, there's plenty of reason to believe the Silver Bullets will continue playing at a championship level in 2026.
THUS SPOKE JEREMIAH. You’ll hear — and you know — that Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football, but what makes him so great? The Athletic’s Dane Brugler shared Smith’s best traits as he ranked the Ohio State star the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2027 NFL draft class.
His answer?
“Almost everything.”
You love to see it.
Best traits: Almost everything
Smith is the total package, and the different ways in which he can win are what makes him special.
With rare explosiveness for his size, he defeats the jam with power to discard press attempts. Corners playing off coverage don’t have much luck either because of Smith’s acceleration to quickly build speed, set up his stem and separate vertically. Using his talent and nuance, he destroys man coverage and picks apart zone.
And at the catch point, Smith is dominant. He skillfully uses his frame, play strength and body control to readjust mid-air without losing focus. Even when defenders maul him and draw flags, Smith uses his big, accepting hands to extend and finish through contact. His toughness is evident in every category, from his routes to his catches and his blocking.
Smith is near-perfect, but even he has room to improve. If there’s one area Smith needs refinement more than others, Brugler thinks it’s his route-running. He’s above average, “but there are times when he is slightly stiff out of his transitions and gives defenders a beat to recover.”
Must improve: Loosening some routes
Though there aren’t any concerning weaknesses in Smith’s game, no prospect is perfect. At times, he can get too physical mid-route; he can overpower or stiff-arm tacklers but isn’t a make-you-miss ball carrier; and there are some routes of his that require extra polish.
With his speed, physicality and know-how, I feel perfectly comfortable categorizing Smith as an above-average route runner. He is very deliberate using his steps to manipulate coverage, but there are times when he is slightly stiff out of his transitions and gives defenders a beat to recover.
Again, this isn’t a glaring concern, but rather an area in which he can continue to improve.
Smith has been vocal this offseason about becoming more explosive after the catch and making defenders miss. He passionately discussed his desire to improve those skills in the same interview in which he subtweeted Miami about tampering with him this offseason.
“I’m always trying to find ways to get better. I’m always trying to find ways this offseason to advance my IQ in the game and be better at yards after the catch. That’s really the biggest emphasis in our receiver room this year and especially the goal of mine this year,” Smith said. “I mean, I think I could say we were the worst team in yards after the catch last year. We really had no guys who had juice when they had the ball in their hands. That’s something we’ve been working on as a receiver group this year.”
If Smith acquires that juice — hoo, man. Look out. Brugler is already writing this about him as a prospect…
We are all guilty of falling into the evaluation trap of overexcitement about prospects, which leads to hyperbolic scouting statements and unattainable expectations. But the boundless praise for Smith is absolutely warranted based on his first two seasons at Ohio State.
He has a prototypical skill set for the X position but can just as easily line up at the Z or slot or even in the backfield. He wows with his size, speed and physical traits, along with his work ethic and mental preparation. Smith also checks the box for production, as he produced a combined 27 receiving touchdowns over his freshman and sophomore seasons (over the past 15 years, only Davante Adams had more touchdown grabs in college in a two-year period).
Smith is a special player and enters the 2027 NFL Draft process as the clear No. 1 prospect in a loaded class. When talking to scouts around the league, you hear lofty player comparisons, including to Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, who are both enshrined in Canton. I have been scouting for almost two decades, and Smith has a decent chance to finish with the highest grade I have ever given to a wide receiver.
… I’d love to see what more he could write about him come April 2027.
MORE LISTS, MORE SNUBS. Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt created an All-21st Century College Football Team this week and, surprisingly, no Ohio State players made the list.
- QB: Vince Young (Texas)
- RB: Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma)
- WR: Larry Fitzgerald (Pitt), Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) and Julio Jones (Alabama)
- TE: Brock Bowers (Georgia)
- OT: Bryant McKinnie (Miami) and Joe Thomas (Wisconsin… Go Browns)
- OG: Quentin Nelson (Notre Dame) and David DeCastro (Stanford)
- C: Barrett Jones (Alabama)
- ATH: Percy Harvin (Florida)
- DE: Terrell Suggs (Arizona State) and Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama)
- DT: Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) and Aaron Donald (Pitt)
- LB: Luke Keuchly (Boston College) and Micah Parsons (Penn State)
- CB: Patrick Peterson (LSU) and Patrick Surtain II (Alabama)
- NB: Tyrann Mathieu (LSU)
- S: Troy Polamalu (USC) and Ed Reed (Miami)
Klatt had a pair of Buckeyes as finalists at two positions: Jeremiah Smith at wide receiver and Caleb Downs at safety. He even called Downs the smartest football player he’s ever covered but still cut him and Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick in favor of The Honey Badger.
It’s remarkable to me that the Buckeyes, who have a 285-52 record since 2000, didn’t have a single player among the 23-man roster. But alas, I’ll settle for dominance over Michigan, 11 Big Ten titles and three national championships instead.
MAWWIAGE IS WHAT BWINGS US TOGETHER. One former Buckeye got married and another former Buckeye got engaged this summer.
First, on July 3, national champion wide receiver Emeka Egbuka married Delaney Matriano. The Willoughby, Ohio, native played college soccer at Notre Dame and currently plays professionally for BK Häcken in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Second, linebacker Steele Chambers proposed to his girlfriend Samantha Long. Chambers said “taking a knee” was his “best play call ever” in his social media posts.
Congratulations to the Egbukas and soon-to-be Chambers. Here’s to new beginnings!
SONG OF THE DAY. “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” – Natalie Cole.
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