Ryan Day explains the impact of adding Quinshon Judkins, Caleb Downs, Julian Sayin in portal

Perhaps no one in all of college football hit more home runs in the transfer portal this offseason than Ryan Day and Ohio State. The Buckeyes added only eight transfers, but the ones they did get where among the best in the country.

Ohio State signed four players inside the top 25 of On3’s Transfer Player Rankings, including three in the top 10. Former Alabama safety Caleb Downs headlines the list at No. 1 overall, while five-star QB Julian Sayin (No. 3) flipped his commitment from the Crimson Tide and Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins (No. 6) also joins.

The additions have created plenty of buzz surrounding the Buckeyes, and Day opened up on The Joel Klatt Show about how it all came to be.

“I think any time we’re talking about the portal for us, it’s been that we’re gonna fill a need or a hole,” the coach said. “We typically don’t just bring guys in from the portal. We brought six guys in and really it was to fill needs. Chip Trayanum decided to transfer and Kyle McCord decided to transfer. We needed to fill those holes. We felt like we had a hole at safety, but also when coach Saban retired, some of these guys entered the portal and so that was a unique opportunity.

“I think these guys, and it’s happened in recruiting but it’s also happened in the portal, they see what Ohio State is. They see that opportunity with the city of Columbus and the brand that Ohio State has and it’s exciting. So for all of them, they’re gonna look at Ohio State.”

Downs is coming off of winning the SEC Freshman of the Year after putting up 107 tackles, two interceptions, five passes defended and a force fumble. He should only further strengthen an Ohio State secondary that ranked No. 1 in passing yards allowed this past season.

Sayin could challenge Devin Brown and fellow transfer Will Howard for the starting quarterback job right away, but the more likely scenario is he uses this season to develop before taking over next year.

As for Judkins, he will team up with TreVeyon Henderson to form one of the most talented backfield tandems in all of the country. Both players have one 1,000-yard season in their college careers so far and Day told a story about how the two are looking forward to playing with each other.

“When Quinshon entered the portal, the first person I called was TreVeyon Henderson,” he said. “I said, ‘Tre, you gotta give me some feedback on this.’ He said, ‘can I call you the next day?’ He called me right back and said, ‘if it’s best for the team, I’m good.’ Then I talked to Quinshon and I said, ‘Tre’s not going to the NFL. He’s gonna be there.’ He said, ‘great.’ So they’ve gotten along great.

“They want to be a 1-2 combination. So it has to be the right fit. If it doesn’t fit, it’s doesn’t work because the team and the culture is most important. So I think that was a great example of how you have to make sure you bring the right people into the right fit.”

With the transfer portal additions as well as returning players, Ryan Day and Ohio State will look to compete for a College Football Playoff spot and national title in 2024.