Ranking Ohio State's five biggest losses to the transfer portal so far

Thirty-three Buckeyes have entered their names into the transfer portal, a program record.

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive linemen Carson Hinzman (75) and Tegra Tshabola (77) pray prior to the NCAA football game against the UCLA Bruins at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 15, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The college football transfer portal closes on Friday, which may be great news for the Buckeyes, who have lost an unprecedented amount of players during this transfer window.

Ohio State has seen 33 outgoing transfers, by far a program high since the introduction of the portal in 2018. Of those 33 seeking greener pastures, the departure of many notable names and highly rated prospects poses a challenge for Ohio State on how the program will seek to replace them.

Here are five of the most important Buckeyes that have entered into the transfer portal.

No. 1: WR Quincy Porter

Porter, a five-star recruit and the No. 23 overall prospect in the 2025 class per 247Sports' rankings, only appeared in five games for Ohio State in 2025, catching four passes for 59 yards. The former Buckeye receiver committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Monday. Porter will take with him to South Bend four years of remaining eligibility.

Losing the No. 5 wide receiver prospect to the Fighting Irish is yet another blow to the Buckeyes’ pass-catching core. With Carnell Tate declaring for the draft and six total receivers entering the transfer portal, Ohio State could have a depth issue at wide receiver for the 2026 season. On the other hand, this mass exodus of pass catchers opens the door for other wide receivers such as Brandon Inniss and five-star Buckeye commit Chris Henry Jr. to grow and shine.

No. 2: OL Tegra Tshabola

Tshabola’s time at Ohio State was a mixed bag. A former No. 10 offensive tackle in the 2022 class, Tshabola started in 29 games for the Buckeyes at right guard, often rotating at the position. The Ohio native was plagued with inconsistency and was often considered the weak link when attempting to protect quarterback Julian Sayin. After entering the portal on Jan. 4, Tshabola committed to the Kentucky Wildcats on Monday.

Tshabola’s starting job was likely to be in jeopardy had he stayed, however, the loss of the former Buckeye lineman is still a major blow to the overall composition of the offensive line. Tshabola will be succeeded by Gabe VanSickle and Joshua Padilla, who will both be vying for the starting right guard position come the start of the 2026 season.

No. 3: WR Mylan Graham

If losing one former top wide receiver prospect to the Fighting Irish wasn’t enough, try two.

Graham entered the transfer portal Jan. 5 and followed Porter to South Bend Tuesday, further bolstering Notre Dame’s wide receiver room. Similar to Porter, the Buckeyes never got to see Graham’s full potential, as he appeared in only 13 games over his two years with Ohio State. In 2025, the former five-star recruit hauled in six catches for 93 yards.

The Buckeyes had hoped to rope Graham out of the transfer portal and secure him for the 2026 season, to no avail. It is unclear what Graham’s specific role would have been behind Jeremiah Smith and Inniss, but again, with the room clearing up as much as it has due to the Buckeyes’ outgoing transfers, the former Ohio State pass catcher could have played an integral part in the passing game.

Notre Dame has now landed Ohio State WRs Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham ☘️👀

Both were 5🌟 recruits coming out of high school. pic.twitter.com/5dqldPC83T

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) January 13, 2026

No. 4: CB Aaron Scott Jr.

Scott was one of the top recruits in the 2024 class, being listed as the No. 1 prospect in Ohio and No. 6 in the nation at his position. The former five-star recruit struggled to see the field regularly on defense, being stuck behind veteran cornerbacks Davidson Igbinosun and Jermaine Matthews, but was expected to compete for a starting role come the 2026 season.

That will likely not happen, as Scott entered the portal Jan. 3 and is heavily considering commitment to LSU, Tennessee, Oregon or Wisconsin. The Badgers have already picked up another top young former Ohio State cornerback, Bryce West, from the transfer portal on Jan. 6.

With Scott possibly joining West as a Badger, Igbinosun’s eligibility running out and safety Caleb Downs declaring for the 2026 NFL draft, how the Buckeyes will reconstruct their secondary will be a talking point for months to come.

NEW: LSU, Tennessee, Wisconsin & Oregon are the four schools standing out the most for former Ohio State CB Aaron Scott Jr. (@AaronScottJr1), he tells me.

Wisconsin has generated the most buzz early. Scott is in Madison this weekend, and the Badgers have been the most… pic.twitter.com/sRVEVvO8Bv

— JGPCFB (@jgpvisuals) January 9, 2026

No. 5: RB James Peoples

Peoples, the No. 8 running back in the 2024 class, transferred to Penn State Jan. 6. The sophomore running back was a favorite to gain the starting position for the Buckeyes but was slowly phased out for freshman star Bo Jackson as the season went on. During his two years as a Buckeye, Peoples rushed for 541 yards and five touchdowns.

While Ohio State’s running back room heading into the 2026 season is full of young talent like Jackson and fellow freshman Isaiah West, the absence of Peoples shouldn’t be understated, as he brought strong and durable rotation to the backfield.