Just over a week until the big game, Ohio State continues to take care of matters that not only concern the rest of this season, but looking ahead to 2025 as well. Taking measures to make the transfer portal a priority, this staff looks poised to bring in the talent and depth needed to reach their ultimate goals.
With this week bringing several bouts of news that the coaches are ready to host top portal targets, you hope the guys being pursued make the choice to make Ohio State their next home. Whether it's a direct access to playing time, the potential to compete at the highest of levels, or even the NIL front, Ryan Day and the rest of his crew have to make these next few months a difference maker.
The list of names the Buckeyes are going after in the portal is already very interesting, and that doesn't even count the guys who still could choose to enter. Day made it clear this program fully intends to bring in a sizable amount of players -- and it's needed. Fortunately, the interest from several players looks to be mutual.
Maybe not the biggest need on the team, Ohio State still is looking to add to their defensive backfield, and a new name on that front is LSU safety Sage Ryan, who has plans to find a new home for next season. The No. 144 player overall and the seventh best safety in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, Ryan has made it clear that he has an interest in the Buckeyes as a potential landing spot, and very well could be a player Ohio State looks to host for a visit in the coming weeks.
Already in on Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman, it's not an expectation that the Buckeyes take two safeties in the portal, but keeping their attention on multiple guys is the plan as of now. For the immediate future, follow the visits for who the Buckeyes are targeting the hardest to help bolster the back end with Caleb Downs in 2025.
Sticking with the secondary theme, the Buckeyes have also reportedly reached out to Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey. A player that is sure to garner a ton of attention, 247Sports lists him as the 30th best player in the portal and the third best cornerback as well, which isn't a surprise seeing the amount of programs who are also heavily in the mix interest wise.
A 6-foot-1, 195 pound cornerback, Humphrey has three years of experience under his belt and has shined in many of his chances. The Buckeyes do have plenty of talent already in the position room, but this staff has said they want to add valuable depth, and here's another name worth watching moving forward with others likely to follow.
Proof to his development at Ohio State, this is not only an awesome feat for McLaughlin, but Justin Frye as well. Having left Alabama with some scrutiny on his play in 2023, McLaughlin was all Ohio State needed and then some as the anchor of their offensive line, and that is something this program can sell moving forward to recruits and portal targets as well.
A job well done, it's evident how much this team has benefitted from McLaughlin's play, and would obviously love for that to be the case once again next week if not for his injury.
A five-star recruitment this far in advance can sometimes lead to cause for concern and wonder if the player sticks to his commitment, but safe to say in this situation it's all Ohio State for the Huber Heights Wayne Warrior.