Ranking all 19 Ohio State football transfer additions for 2026

Ohio State was active during the transfer portal window in January.

It was a period in which the Buckeyes signed their largest ever class of transfers, adding nearly 20 players to the roster.

The group ranges from specials teams needs to experienced starters who should fill holes on a top-ranked defense that suffered heavy losses to the NFL.

The following list is an attempt to rank all 19 portal pickups, weighing their immediate impact for the Buckeyes with upside beyond 2026.

19. Brady Young, punter

After four years at Cincinnati, he was the primary punter at Houston Christian in 2025, averaging nearly 42 yards over 68 punts, giving the Buckeyes an experience option along with Joe McGuire. Only six punters in the FBS and FCS punted more than Young did last year.

18. Marcello Diomede, kicker

A former walk-on at Notre Dame, he missed his lone field goal try in 2024, a 54-yard attempt that went wide right, as well as an extra point last season, but adds another leg after the Buckeyes lost both of their kickers. He also handled 16 kickoffs for the Irish last year with 11 resulting in touchbacks.  

17. Dalton Riggs, long snapper

Though lining up at the more obscure position, Riggs fills an important need for the Buckeyes as John Ferlmann, their primary long snapper since 2023, exhausted his eligibility. Riggs was in the role at UCF last season, helping Noe Ruelas finish as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award as the country’s top kicker.

16. Justyn Martin, quarterback

Martin adds experience behind Julian Sayin as the Buckeyes’ other backup quarterbacks are freshmen. He appeared in only six games in four seasons at Maryland and UCLA, including a start for the Bruins in 2024, but offers a veteran presence in the mold of other senior transfer quarterbacks that coach Ryan Day has sought over his tenure.

15. Vasean Washington, offensive lineman

The number of returning starters made the offensive line less of a priority to address in the portal, but the Buckeyes added Washington, who was the starting right tackle at Dartmouth last season. While his experience is limited to the Ivy League, he adds depth and has experience, experience at other spots, having made four starts at left guard and left tackle in 2024.

14. Mason Williams, tight end

Williams was the first of two additions at tight end to replace Will Kacmarek and Max Klare. He has experience, having started 26 games over the last two seasons at Ohio, and was a third-team All-MAC selection in 2025. He caught 48 passes for 565 yards and six touchdowns in his three years with the Bobcats and proved an effective blocker as well.

13. Cam Calhoun, cornerback

A native of Cincinnati who was once a target on the Buckeyes’ 2023 high school recruiting board, Calhoun has taken a winding path to Columbus. He began his career at Michigan before transferring to Utah and later Alabama. He adds needed cornerback depth behind Jermaine Mathews Jr., a returning starter, and Devin Sanchez, a former five-star recruit who is in line to replace Davison Igbinosun on the opposite side.

12. Devin McCuin, wide receiver

The Buckeyes had never signed a scholarship receiver out of the portal until McCuin, who adds a versatile piece at the position. At 6 feet, 195 pounds, he has the size to be in the slot, but brings experience on the outside, where he primarily lined up during his three years at UTSA. He led the Roadrunners with 65 catches for 726 yards and eight touchdowns last season, drawing third-team All-AAC honors.

11. Ja’Kobi Jackson, running back

As a physical 5-foot-11, 214-pound back, he replaces C.J. Donaldson Jr. as a complement to Bo Jackson. While Ja’Kobi Jackson could also be behind Isaiah West in the backfield rotation, his fit as a power back adds a bruising option. During his previous two seasons at Florida, he gained 418 out of 596 rushing yards after contact (70.1%), per Pro Football Focus.  

10. Kyle Parker, wide receiver

Parker followed wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton in leaving LSU for Ohio State in January and adds another option in the slot alongside Brandon Inniss. A torn triceps tendon slowed him as a redshirt freshman in 2024, limiting him to four games, but he bounced back with 31 receptions for 330 yards and four touchdowns. His blocking is considered a strength. PFF graded him as LSU’s best blocking receiver last season.

9. Connor Hawkins, kicker

Roster turnover left the Buckeyes without a kicker until they signed Hawkins, who should be an upgrade at the position. He would be their first starting kicker since Blake Haubeil in 2020 to have made a field goal over 50 yards. Hawkins made three last year at Baylor, including a long of 54 yards, and has also proven himself in the clutch with two game-winning kicks. If his range and accuracy carry over to Ohio State, he could be a long-term fit, holding three more years of eligibility.

8. John Walker, defensive tackle

It was four years ago that the Buckeyes made a push for Walker, a top-100 high school prospect who ultimately remained in Florida to become the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with UCF. After sitting out with a leg injury in 2024, he emerged as a starter at defensive tackle for the Knights and finished last season with 40 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack. The 6-foot-4, 324-pound tackle should be an instant part of the interior defensive line rotation with the departures of Kayden McDonald and Tywone Malone Jr.

7. Christian Alliegro, linebacker

Alliegro joins the Buckeyes as their most experienced linebacker, having made 11 starts over his past two seasons at Wisconsin, a needed veteran to help manage the loss of the starting tandem of Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. He’s a high-level tackler, finishing last year with a 9% missed tackle rate that was the eighth lowest among Big Ten linebackers who played as many snaps in 2025. Both the league’s coaches and media members voted Alliegro as an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.

6. Dominick Kelly, cornerback

Others near the top of Ohio State’s transfer class come with more experience, but Kelly offers high upside as a cornerback with length and size at 6-1 and 190 pounds. He slid into Georgia’s rotation as a freshman last fall and broke up as many passes (three) as he allowed completions. Even if he isn’t an immediate starter, Kelly should see snaps and has two more years of eligibility past 2026, an addition who could figure into the Buckeyes’ long-term plans at the position.

5. Qua Russaw, linebacker

Russaw was the second linebacker to sign with the Buckeyes, though he projects as more of an edge rusher. According to PFF, he played 471 out of 618 defensive snaps (76.2%) at Alabama on the defense line. When at full strength, he has flashed potential as a pass rusher, showing speed and burst off the line of scrimmage. A foot injury sidelined him for six games last year, limiting his production to 14 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack, but his ceiling is high and arrives at Ohio State with two years of eligibility left.

4. Earl Little Jr., safety

Little was one of the two high-caliber safeties to join Ohio State after withdrawing from the NFL draft. He began his career at Alabama in 2023, then transferred to Florida State and broke out last fall, leading the Seminoles with 76 tackles as he was named a second-team All-ACC selection. The Buckeyes could use Little to replace Lorenzo Styles Jr. as their nickel back, but he’s also lined up at other spots in the secondary, giving them flexibility as they rebuild around Jaylen McClain.

3. Hunter Welcing, tight end

A late bloomer at Northwestern who had only one career reception before last season, Welcing broke out in 2025 with 28 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns and was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. The NCAA’s approval of a waiver gave him a seventh year of eligibility. He’s a smooth route-runner for a tight end who should take over for Klare as Ohio State’s top receiving threat at the position. The hiring of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has at times leaned on heavier personnel packages, makes Welcing an even more important fit.  

2. James Smith, defensive tackle

A former five-star recruit who was one of the key pieces in Nick Saban’s last No. 1 recruiting class at Alabama in 2023, Smith began blossoming last year as a starter at defensive tackle for the Crimson Tide. He made 28 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, as well as 2.5 sacks. He has shown to be twitchy for a 6-3, 297-pound interior lineman, allowing him to be disruptive at the line of scrimmage, difficult for a center or a guard to block. Smith not only fills a position of need at Ohio State, but he also brings potential, giving the Buckeyes a tackle who could hit another level in his second year as a starter.

1. Terry Moore, safety (Duke)

Moore was the other impactful safety pickup and had been among the top at the position in the nation in 2024, as the Action Network recognized him as a second-team All-American, but he tore an anterior cruciate ligament in the Gator Bowl at the end of the year and missed 2025 as a result. He’s regarded for his pass coverage. Among the FBS safeties who saw as many snaps in coverage in 2024, only six had a higher grade. His anticipation led to four interceptions and five pass breakups during the breakout season. For as stingy as the Buckeyes have been on defense in recent years, they haven’t seen a playmaker force as many turnovers as Moore did two years ago. Their last player with as many interceptions was Damon Webb, a safety who had five picks in 2017, making Moore’s penchant for takeaways a significant plus.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: College football 2026 transfer portal: Best Ohio State signings