Ohio State relationship between transfer portal and the recruiting trail
COLUMBUS — Ohio State has hit the transfer portal harder in recent months than it has in the portal’s entire existence.
The Buckeyes added six players from the portal this offseason, but two stick out in particular. Vic Cutler and Josh Simmons are two new offensive line additions for Ohio State as it looks to retool the unit after losing three to the NFL.
There is a pretty distinct relationship between transfer portal acquisitions and recruiting trail misses, and that’s where the conversation in the Lettermen Lounge happens.
Lettermen Row staffers Spencer Holbrook and Matt Parker are back inside the Lettermen Lounge and analyze the Buckeyes’ latest additions in the portal while comparing the misses on previous recruiting cycles.
Ohio State lost Paris Johnson Jr., Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler to the NFL draft, and offensive line coach Justin Frye has had a critical spring looking for the next men up. Josh Fryar has appeared to solidify his spot at left tackle, but the battle at right tackle continues.
It’s worth asking the question, would Ohio State be in a different position had it won more recruiting battles?
That’s what Frye, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and head coach Ryan Day are after in the 2024 cycle. Ohio State already has four offensive linemen committed: Ian Moore, Deontae Armstrong, Devontae Armstrong and Marc Nave.
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It is swinging nationally now with the full force of those four. Brandon Baker, Guerby Lambert, Nathan Roy and Daniel Cruz are all names that the Buckeyes are going after.
There is little room to argue that landing elite talent eliminates the need for portal shopping. On occasion do prospects turn out to not be what staffs had hoped for?
Yes.
But at a place where major development happens yearly — ahem, Ohio State — that occasion is minimal.
Inversely, the Buckeyes saw two wide receivers — Caleb Burton and Kaleb Brown — leave for opportunities elsewhere. Those losses matched with the potential exodus at the end of the season now open up at least another spot for Hartline in the 2024 cycle.
Five-star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham are already in the class. There are now more options to explore for Ohio State. Will it be Jeremiah McClellan and TJ Moore? Does Hartline pull another five-star with Joshisa Trader or Micah Hudson?
Is there a name that hasn’t emerged yet?
So check out the latest episode of the Lettermen Lounge for continued conversation and more about offensive line recruiting and the transfer portal.
