Ohio State football strikes again, adding an All-ACC safety

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

After Caleb Downs announced this past week that he was leaving Ohio State for the NFL, the Buckeyes wasted little time addressing the void on the back end, particularly at the safety position. On Sunday, Ohio State added Florida State safety Earl Little Jr. from the transfer portal. Then, on Monday morning, they followed that up by securing a commitment from Duke safety Terry Moore.

Moore is a 6’0, 200-pound safety who has compiled 116 tackles, five interceptions, seven pass deflections, and 3.5 sacks over the course of his college career. The All-ACC selection will arrive in Columbus with one year of eligibility remaining.

This is a major pickup for Ryan Day and his staff and continues to reflect the clear trend in how Ohio State is deploying its NIL resources this offseason. Rather than chasing unproven upside, the Buckeyes are targeting experienced, reliable starters with proven production.

Coming out of high school, Moore was a three-star athlete who was actually projected as a running back in the 2022 class. He saw carries and caught passes early in his career before making the full-time switch to defense at Duke in 2023. He was solid that season, but in 2024, he took a significant leap and emerged as one of the top safeties in the ACC and across the country. Pro Football Focus graded him at 90.1 defensively, the highest mark among all Power conference safeties that year. He was especially impressive in coverage, allowing a passer rating of just 46.1.

Moore’s momentum was slowed in Duke’s 2024 bowl game when he suffered a torn ACL while returning an interception 59 yards in the Gator Bowl. The injury forced him to take a medical redshirt in 2025.

Now fully healthy, Moore enters Columbus ready to make an immediate impact on Ohio State’s secondary in 2026. If he can replicate his previous level of production, he could quickly put himself back on the radar of NFL teams.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football doubles down at safety adding All ACC Terry Moore

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos