The transfer portal is full-on crazy right now, with over 700 FBS players potentially changing schools and growing. It’s an absurd number and honestly a scary one. In the ideal scenario, each one of these student-athletes would get a chance to play for another school, but unfortunately, that won’t be the case.
Every school has different needs, some of them use the portal as a way to jump-start a program and others use it to fill gaps left by players who have either left early for the NFL or themselves have entered the portal.
For Ohio State, it’s the ability to round out a roster and fill some gaps. The Buckeyes recruit at such a high level, the needs aren’t paramount, and filling the gaps is all that is needed. Find out below which prospects I’d love to see in the Scarlet and Gray next fall.
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Defensive back Fentrell Cypress
Virginia CB Fentrell Cypress II has entered the portal as a grad transfer, @TheAthletic has learned.
Second-team All-ACC selection. 13 PBUs this season, tied for most in the ACC.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) December 5, 2022
Why it makes sense
The Buckeyes are already recruiting the former Virginia cornerback and rightfully so. There is a glaring need for an upgrade at the position and Fentrell Cypress is viewed as one of the best players who has decided to move on from his current school. The junior is coming off a season where he registered 39 tackles and although he didn’t pick off a pass, he clearly plays the ball well. Hopefully, Ryan Day continues recruiting him hard and Cypress ends up in Columbus.
Linebacker Dasan McCullough
Blessed to be named an All-American🤍
Where’s home? 👀
— Dasan Mccullough (@Dasan2022) December 6, 2022
Why it makes sense
The one-time Ohio State commit followed his father to Indiana only to see Deland leave for Notre Dame before his son would even play a down for the Hoosiers. There is plenty of versatility here as well, Dasan McCullough can play with his hand in the ground or cover running backs out of the backfield. Four sacks this year with 48 tackles and he would have at least two more years of eligibility remaining. The two parties have been linked recently as having mutual interest (Oklahoma is also viewed as a prime destination) and hopefully, McCullough finally makes it to Columbus.
Defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye
BREAKING: Texas A&M Edge Tunmise Adeleye tells me he will enter the Transfer Portal.
The 6’4 275 Edge from Katy, TX was ranked as a Top 40 player in the 2021 Class (No. 3 Edge)
Held 34 offers out of high school including Ohio St, Alabama, Oklahoma, & others. pic.twitter.com/Un8cQ8PNql
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 1, 2022
Why it makes sense
Another former Buckeye commit, Tunmise Adeleye is part of a mass exodus from Texas A&M after a disaster of a season. An injury slowed him down this fall but the talent is definitely there. There is familiarity with the program and coaching staff and with the impending loss of starter Zach Harrison, the need is there. Adeleye would have at least three years remaining, as he would qualify for a medical redshirt this past season.
Offensive tackle Myles Hinton
Stanford starting RT Myles Hinton has entered the transfer portal, @TheAthletic has learned.
Two-year starter for the Cardinal who came in as a top-100 recruit.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) December 2, 2022
Why it makes sense
This one looks like a long shot, but Day should look into Myles Hinton anyways. With Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones potentially moving on to the NFL the Buckeyes would have to replace the two most important positions on the offensive line. Backup Josh Fryar should slot into one of those potential open spots, but there is almost no experience behind them. They’re talented but adding a player like Hinton out of the portal would help with depth.
Cornerback JQ Hardaway
I have entered the Transfer Portal. pic.twitter.com/7qVDjDWqBM
— JQ Hardaway (@Jhardaway_24) November 27, 2022
Why it makes sense
Another corner? Yeah, another corner, and this one might be a bit of a pipe dream as well. JQ Hardaway could follow Luke Fickell to Wisconsin but he’s also worth looking into. Long at six-foot-three-inches and 200-pounds, he has the potential to follow in Sauce Gardner’s footsteps as the next up-and-coming big corner. Hardaway would be the biggest corner on the roster if he were to join the Buckeyes and got some playing time this past season as a freshman. Trying to keep Hardaway in Ohio will be a tough task but this is a wish list and he’s on it.
Offensive tackle Ajani Cornelius
⚒️FCS OL Watchlist⚒️@AJCornelius65 is on a mission. 📈 pic.twitter.com/TLKRW7DHqL
— NextGen Prospect (@NextGen_Pr) November 5, 2022
Why it makes sense
Ajani Cornelius is getting plenty of interest and the Buckeyes should join the fray. He is a right tackle, which obviously fits a need along the offensive line. Cornelius has two years of experience which also fits a need. There are plenty of Big Ten schools after him (Penn State, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska and Maryland) so the idea of a Rhode Island player jumping into major college football isn’t much of a concern.
