Ranking the Top Seven Incoming Ohio State Buckeyes Transfers

Ohio State had an interesting relationship with the transfer portal this offseason.

At the start, it looked like the Buckeyes weren’t going to be able to recover from the portal siphoning 35 former Ohio State players, per 247Sports. Seventeen incoming transfers later, however, and the Buckeyes not only broke even talent-wise but also appear to have improved the strength of their roster.

With Ohio State’s Spring Game approaching and new players beginning to enroll, here’s a look at the top seven new incoming Buckeye transfers from the 2026 transfer portal.

No. 1: Senior DL James Smith (Alabama transfer)

Ohio State’s biggest win from the portal came from Alabama. Defensive lineman James Smith comes to the Buckeyes to replace either Kayden McDonald or Tywone Malone Jr., as the rising senior has experience both at nose and defensive tackle. Ranked as the No. 1 defensive lineman available in the portal, Smith’s near-300-pound frame will provide much-needed size for Ohio State’s D-line in 2026.

No. 2: Redshirt Senior S Earl Little Jr. (Florida State transfer)

Former Florida State safety Earl Little Jr. joins a Buckeye secondary that recently saw their leader in Caleb Downs declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. While finding a one-to-one replacement for someone like Downs is near-impossible, Little checks many of the boxes Downs did in his two years as a Buckeye. Last season, Little led the Seminoles with 76 tackles and four interceptions, a truly prominent veteran asset for Ohio State’s revamped secondary.

No. 3: Redshirt Junior EDGE Qua Russaw (Alabama transfer)

Smith isn’t the only star addition the Buckeyes snagged from the Crimson Tide. Edge rusher Qua Russaw joined his former Alabama teammate in committing to Ohio State; expect unlike Smith, Russaw arrives with two years of eligibility. During the 2024 season, Russaw accounted for 36 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. While he didn’t quite improve in 2025 due to injuries and lack of meaningful snaps, the addition of the former Alabama defender doesn’t just give Ohio State a strong rotation option at the edge position, but a solid two-year project player. Russaw was a near five-star recruit in the 2023 class.

No. 4: Seventh-year Senior TE Hunter Welcing (Northwestern transfer)

Hunter Welcing will finally get his chance to shine after six years of adversity and grit during his time at Northwestern. Suffering a handful of injuries that kept him sidelined for the majority of his first five years as a Wildcat, Welcing broke out in 2025 with 28 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns. The seventh-year senior provides a great replacement for former pass-catching Buckeye tight end Max Klare, who declared for the draft in January.

No. 5: Redshirt Senior S Terry Moore (Duke transfer)

A former running back before transitioning to safety, Terry Moore will make sure Little isn’t alone in filling the hole that Downs left in the secondary. In 2024, Moore was named an All-ACC Second-Team selection after an impressive season that saw the former Blue Devil make 71 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack. Unfortunately for Moore, he suffered a torn ACL during Duke’s final game of the season in the Gator Bowl while returning an interception. Moore would not see game action in 2025. Fully healed and primed to continue his momentum from 2024, Moore’s addition to Ohio State is a fantastic under-the-radar pickup.

No. 6: Redshirt Sophomore K Connor Hawkins (Baylor transfer)

For many, kicker Connor Hawkins is viewed as the consensus No. 1 incoming transfer for the Buckeyes. Many believe Ohio State now has their kicker for the next two years, and a reliable one at that. So far this decade, Buckeye kickers haven’t had the best rep, from Noah Ruggles missing a game winner against Georgia in the 2022 Peach Bowl to Jayden Fielding’s missed kicks in Ohio State’s biggest moments. In 2025 with Baylor, Hawkins made 82 percent of his field goals and 100 percent of his extra points, including multiple game-winning kicks and three 50-plus yarders.

No. 7: Senior WR Devin McCuin (UTSA transfer)

Fourth-year wide receiver Devin McCuin looks to add to Ohio State’s depth at wide receiver after a tough offseason saw six former Buckeye pass-catchers transfer.

After three seasons at UTSA, it appears McCuin will compete with incoming freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. to play outside receiver alongside Jeremiah Smith. If McCuin doesn’t win the starting job, he will still be an important part of Ohio State’s wide receiver corps and could play both outside and in the slot if needed. In 2025, the former Roadrunner caught 65 passes for 726 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the team in all three categories.