Ohio State, Ryan Day Looking to Steal Defender from Bill Belichick

Ohio State Buckeyes' head coach Ryan Day may be able to bolster the defensive line with this former North Carolina Tar Heel star.

Oct 26, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Anthony Colandrea (10) is sacked by North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Beau Atkinson (12) during the second half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

While Ohio State Buckeye fans were primarily focused on the quarterback battle between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz during the program's spring game, the defensive line was the glaring concern for the team last Saturday. However, head coach Ryan Day may have another trick up his sleeve to address the issue.

According to On3Sports' Hayes Fawcett on Wednesday, former North Carolina defensive end Beau Atkinson is set to visit Ohio State.

Atkinson is coming off an excellent 2024 campaign, as he finished with 35 tackles and 7.5 sacks as a sophomore for the Tar Heels. But after the program nabbed legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick, the long-time ACC member has seen multiple players hit the portal, including Atkinson on Wednesday.

With both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau off to the NFL, it's clear that Day needed to address the defensive line in the transfer portal this offseason. The duo combined for 21.5 of the teams 53 sacks last season, and despite having solid EDGE rushers behind them in Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry, the Buckeyes' recent spring game proved that the team needed more depth on the line. The addition of Aktinson would be huge for the program, as his experience could bolster the trenches for Ohio State.

Day will have to compete against Georgia Bulldogs' head coach Kirby Smart for the rising star, a battle he has faced multiple times in the recruitment trails.

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