Where Are They Now? Tracking the 2023 Ohio State Recruiting Class Players Who Left Columbus

Over the years, I have made a habit of writing about the upcoming senior class based upon their recruiting class. A typical recruiting class has a group of players who emerge as starters, some as contributors, and then a group of players depart the program for various reasons.

Ever since 2021, when college football players were allowed to transfer and be immediately eligible at their new school, the departures have become more and more of a factor within any program’s recruiting classes, and Ohio State has certainly not been an exception.

Ohio State's 2023 recruiting class was loaded with highly regarded prospects, ranked 4th by 247sports.com, but not every player who arrived in Columbus remained with the Buckeyes through the end of his eligibility. Some departed after struggling to crack Ohio State's deep depth chart, while others left after several seasons in the program in search of more playing time.

With the 2026 season approaching, here is a look at where nine members of that group landed and how their careers have progressed since leaving Ohio State.

The Departures (9)

Cedrick Hawkins — South Florida

Hawkins was a four-star safety from Cocoa, Florida, who joined Ohio State as part of its 2023 recruiting class. He redshirted his freshman season without seeing game action before entering the transfer portal in the spring of 2024.

He transferred to UCF, but did not play during the 2024 season. Hawkins then moved again, joining South Florida in the summer of 2025. The move finally produced meaningful playing time.

Hawkins appeared in all 13 games for the Bulls in 2025, recording 13 tackles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. He had a season-high five tackles against UTSA.

He remains at USF for 2026 and is listed as a redshirt junior. The Bulls' roster lists him at safety at 6-foot-0 and 192 pounds.

For Hawkins, the move to South Florida has already represented the most productive stretch of his college career. The challenge now is turning that first season of meaningful action into a larger role in 2026.

Malik Hartford — UCLA

Hartford was one of the more highly regarded defensive backs in Ohio State's 2023 class and saw the field early in his Buckeye career. He played in nine games as a freshman in 2023, including two starts, and recorded 10 tackles and two pass breakups.

He remained part of Ohio State's rotation during the 2024 national championship season, appearing in all 14 games and recording eight tackles. His opportunities diminished in 2025, however. Hartford played in the first four games before redshirting and finished the season with two tackles.

Hartford entered the transfer portal following the 2025 season and landed at UCLA. The Bruins' 2026 roster lists him as a redshirt junior and notes that he finished his Ohio State career with 20 tackles and three pass breakups in 27 games.

Hartford also participated in UCLA's 2026 spring football game, indicating that he has been part of the Bruins' preparations heading into the season.

UCLA gives Hartford a chance to turn the experience he gained at Ohio State into a more prominent role in the secondary.

Bryson Rodgers — South Florida

Rodgers spent three seasons at Ohio State before entering the transfer portal in December 2025. A four-star recruit from Tampa, he remained buried behind an exceptionally talented Buckeye receiving corps for much of his career.

Rodgers did make progress during his final season in Columbus. He played in seven games in 2025, earning playing time versus Grambling State, at Purdue, and versus UCLA.

His next stop is a particularly interesting one: South Florida, where former Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline took over as head coach.

Rodgers is listed on USF's 2026 roster as a redshirt junior and is part of a completely reworked receiving corps. The Bulls are coming off a 9-4 season but lost much of their established production at wide receiver, creating an opportunity for Rodgers to earn a much larger role.

The connection with Hartline is obvious, but Rodgers still has to establish himself in a new offense. Entering 2026, he has perhaps his clearest opportunity yet to become a featured receiver.

Noah Rogers — Alabama

Rogers is one of the clearest examples of an Ohio State transfer finding success elsewhere.

A highly ranked member of the 2023 recruiting class, Rogers played sparingly as a freshman at Ohio State before transferring to his home-state program, NC State, following the 2023 season.

The move has paid dividends. After catching 35 passes for 478 yards and a touchdown in 2024, Rogers took another step forward in 2025. He caught 33 passes for 441 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games.

His 2025 season included an especially notable performance against Georgia Tech, when he caught eight passes for 96 yards. He also caught a 27-yard touchdown against Virginia in a 35-31 NC State victory.

Rogers enters the next stage of his career having established himself as a legitimate contributor at the Power Four level. His 68 catches for 919 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons at NC State represent a dramatic increase in production compared with what he was able to produce in Columbus. Rogers is now at Alabama for the 2026 season.

Calvin Simpson-Hunt — Baylor

Simpson-Hunt entered Ohio State as a highly regarded four-star cornerback from Waxahachie, Texas. He redshirted in 2023 and appeared in nine games during the 2024 national championship season, recording two tackles.

He transferred to Baylor ahead of the 2025 season, returning to his home state.

The first season back in Texas was relatively quiet. Simpson-Hunt played in seven games as a reserve cornerback and finished with two tackles, recording one against Auburn and one against UCF.

Still, Baylor has continued to invest in him. The Bears' 2026 roster lists Simpson-Hunt as a redshirt junior at 6-foot-0 and 217 pounds.

Simpson-Hunt has yet to produce the kind of numbers that his recruiting ranking suggested might be possible, but 2026 represents another opportunity to establish himself as a regular contributor.

Jelani Thurman — North Carolina

Thurman spent three seasons at Ohio State before entering the transfer portal following the 2025 season. The 6-foot-6 tight end was one of the more physically intriguing prospects in the Buckeyes' 2023 class, but playing time was difficult to find in a crowded tight end room.

He did make his biggest statistical contribution as a Buckeye in 2025, appearing in all 14 games and catching seven passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Thurman chose North Carolina, where he enters the 2026 season as a redshirt junior. The Tar Heels list him at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds on their roster.

The move gives Thurman an opportunity to play a much larger role. His size and experience in Ohio State's program give him an intriguing foundation, but he will need to turn that physical potential into consistent production at North Carolina.

Lincoln Kienholz — Louisville

Kienholz waited longer than most of the players on this list before leaving Ohio State. After redshirting in 2023 and seeing no action in 2024, he competed with Julian Sayin for the starting quarterback job during the 2025 offseason.

Sayin ultimately won the job, but Kienholz still saw action in seven games. He completed 11 of 14 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown while adding 66 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Kienholz entered the transfer portal after the 2025 season and landed at Louisville. The Cardinals list him as a junior on their 2026 roster.

The move gives Kienholz something he could not secure in Columbus: a legitimate opportunity to compete for a starting job.

That opportunity appears to be developing well. During Louisville's current preseason camp, Kienholz has drawn attention for his arm strength and ability to make throws on the move. He is also being viewed as one of the important players on Louisville's 2026 roster.

Of all the players on this list, Kienholz may have the most to gain from his change of scenery. He showed flashes at Ohio State but rarely received extended playing time. Louisville represents his chance to finally find out what he can do with a full offense built around him.

Joshua Mickens — UConn

Mickens arrived at Ohio State as a four-star defensive end and one of the top prospects in Indiana. He spent three seasons in Columbus but never established himself as a consistent part of the defensive line rotation.

Ohio State's roster shows that he appeared in seven games during his career, including six games during the Buckeyes' 2024 national championship season.

Mickens transferred to UConn in 2026, where he is listed as a junior defensive end at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds.

The opportunity is significant. Mickens has gone from a deep reserve at one of the most talented defensive programs in the country to a player UConn expects to compete for meaningful snaps.

Mickens told Connecticut media that he believes UConn provides a better opportunity for him to grow as both a player and a person. He also participated in the Huskies' spring game and is expected to play defensive end this fall.

The 2026 season will be an important test of whether the potential that made Mickens a highly recruited prospect can translate into production with a larger role.

Nigel Glover — Northwestern

Glover's path is slightly different from the others. He originally signed with Northwestern as part of its 2023 recruiting class, then transferred to Ohio State shortly before the start of fall camp. Ohio State's roster lists him as a linebacker and notes that he did not play during the 2023 season.

After one season in Columbus, Glover returned to Northwestern.

His first two seasons with the Wildcats were primarily developmental. He played in eight games in 2024 without recording a tackle, then appeared in 12 of 13 games in 2025 and finished with five tackles.

Glover remains at Northwestern for 2026 and enters the season as a redshirt junior. The Wildcats view him as a potential candidate for a larger role in a linebacker group that otherwise has significant experience and depth.

The Bottom Line

The nine players have taken very different paths since leaving Ohio State.

Rogers has arguably made the biggest statistical impact, becoming a productive receiver at NC State; it will be interesting to see if that type of production will continue for Rogers at Alabama in 2026. Kienholz enters 2026 with perhaps the most significant opportunity after moving to Louisville to compete for a starting quarterback job. Hawkins, Hartford, Rodgers, Thurman, Simpson-Hunt and Mickens are all entering seasons where increased playing time could dramatically change their trajectories.

Glover, meanwhile, returned to Northwestern after his brief stint in Columbus and remains in pursuit of a larger role. Perhaps 2026 will be Glover's breakout year with the Wildcats.

The common thread is opportunity. Ohio State's depth makes earning consistent playing time difficult, particularly for highly recruited young players. For these former Buckeyes, the transfer portals has provided a second chance to turn recruiting potential into on-field production.

As the 2026 season gets underway, the question is no longer what these players might have done at Ohio State. It is what they can accomplish with their new opportunities. Part two of this series will look at the other players from the 2023 recruiting class who have remained at Ohio State, looking at how those players have emerged as contributors and starters.

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