Buckeyes cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. sheds black stripe
COLUMBUS — Lorenzo Styles Jr. is in the middle of a position change — and a school change from Notre Dame to Ohio State.
It’s safe to say the former Fighting Irish wide receiver is settling in nicely in the defensive secondary for the Buckeyes.
Styles lost his black stripe after training camp practice Wednesday, becoming the latest transfer portal addition to shed the stripe and officially become a member of the Buckeyes football program. Five other transfers have already lost theirs prior to Wednesday.
Styles, a Pickerington native, originally committed to Notre Dame as a wide receiver in the class of 2021. He turned down an initial offer from the Buckeyes to play defensive back closer to home. But after two years as an offensive weapon for the Fighting Irish, Styles decided to enter the transfer portal and move back to Columbus and join his brother Sonny on the Buckeyes defense — and play for the program at which his dad starred a generation ago.
As a former wide receiver, Styles has experience with the ball in his hands at the highest level of college football. That’s why in addition to his reps at cornerback for the Buckeyes, he has spent time fielding punts with some of the Buckeyes offensive weapons during preseason special teams work.
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And it’s why he’s making such an impression as a versatile option in multiple phases for Ohio State. Lorenzo Styles has quickly shed his black stripe for the Buckeyes — just 12 practices into his first training camp at his new school.
Lorenzo Styles Jr. latest Buckeyes transfer to shed black stripe
Sophomore offensive linemen George Fitzpatrick and Tegra Tshabola lost their black stripes the second week of this year’s spring practice, along with Ole Miss transfer cornerback Davison Igbinosun and true freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate. Oregon State transfer quarterback Tristan Gebbia shed his black stripe later in spring ball. And so did true freshman safety Malik Hartford and true freshman tight end Jelani Thurman. Both transfer offensive linemen the Buckeyes brough in this offseason, Josh Simmons and Victor Cutler Jr., shed their black stripes last Thursday. Freshman offensive tackle Luke Montgomery lost his last Saturday, along with Ole Miss transfer defensive tackle Tywone Malone. True freshman wide receiver Bryson Rodgers joined freshman cornerback Jermaine Mathews in receiving the post-practice honor Tuesday.
Now Lorenzo Styles Jr. is the latest Buckeyes player to shed his black stripe. He won’t be the last, either.
