Ohio State Buckeyes Are Going to Miss These Three Transfers

The Ohio State Buckeyes had one of the more interesting 2026 offseasons.

Following the program's exit in the opening round of the College Football Playoffs, the Buckeyes started to have players on the roster drop like flies. Whether it was a lack of playing time, better NIL opportunities or just Columbus not being the right fit, they ended up losing over 25 players to the NCAA Transfer Portal.

But while they did lose a good chunk of depth pieces, there were a few players standing out that would've had a chance to become staples in 2026.

Here are three Buckeyes who the team will surely miss in the upcoming season:

1. Mylan Graham - Wide Receiver

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Mylan Graham against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Buckeyes are set to lose wideout Carnell Tate in the 2026 NFL Draft, meaning the No. 2 spot in the room would've been wide open next to Heisman candidate Jeremiah Smith.

However, Graham decided to shake things up and take his talents to Notre Dame, a program that, funny enough, never really leans into their wide receivers. While he may be arguably the best offensive target for the Fighting Irish in 2026, leaving the Buckeye state may end up hurting his development rather than accelerating it.

In 2024, he played just four games before taking a redshirt, then in 2025, he played behind the nation's best duo in Tate and Smith. He finished the season with six catches for 93 yards, a limited but pretty impressive sample size, with his ability to make things happen.

Graham's decision to leave Columbus may end up hurting his career, but if anything, it'll hurt the Buckeyes more.

Losing out on Graham will force the wide receiver room to look to the youth, with freshman Chris Henry Jr. set to take over the No. 2 spot. The coaching staff will have to hope the newcomers can adapt to the system and offense quickly.

2. Joshua Mickens - Defensive End

The University of Connecticut dove into the portal to snag Mickens, a talented edge rusher who could've totally fought for a real spot on the defensive line in 2026.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound edge rusher out of Indianapolis, Ind., appeared in just five games in 2024 and seven in 2025, recording 12 total tackles, one for a loss and one sack. While he never really broke into the rotation, his small sample size showed that he had talent. In high school, he was ranked as the No. 101 player in the Class of 2023 and was the No. 1 player in Indiana.

Why he never worked out in Columbus will always be a question, but with the defensive line losing a good chunk of players to the transfer portal and the draft, Mickens will be missed.

The fortunate thing for Ohio State is that Kenyatta Jackson Jr. will be returning and likely be a staple on the defensive side of the ball.

3. Quincy Porter - Wide Receiver

Porter's in the same scenario as Graham, leaving Ohio State to play at Notre Dame.

He joins the Fighting Irish after seeing limited time on the field in his freshman campaign, playing in just five games. He hauled in four catches for 59 yards. His time in high school was highlighted by an impressive five-star ranking in the Class of 2024, and he was rated as the third-highest recruit the Buckeyes snagged in that class.

It was widely speculated that Graham and Porter would have been directly next in line to play alongside Smith, but with both of them leaving, the Buckeyes will have to do their due diligence to fill their voids.

Ohio State's 2026 season may end up being defined by the wide receiver play more than anything else.