The Ohio State football program is using transfer portal superbly

Perhaps no program in America is using the transfer portal better than the Ohio State football team.

Like it or not, transfers are a big part of college football now. With the addition of the transfer portal, players can now move more freely than ever before. A lot of football players are getting waivers to play immediately as well. It’s changed how football is played now.

Every team in the country has to worry about players leaving their program, but perhaps no team has been better at adding players than the Ohio State football team. They have done a very good job of adding players at key positions even before the portal was a thing.

Anthony Schlegel was a key transfer in the mid-2000s. He was a great linebacker alongside A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter. Schlegel came over from the Air Force Academy and had 80+ tackles in his two years with the Scarlet and Gray.

Justin Boren was another key transfer before the portal. The guard transferred from TTUN and was a key cog on the offensive line. His transfer paved the way for Jacoby Boren and Zach Boren to both make their way to Columbus as well.

The portal has opened up more opportunities for the Buckeyes to land good players. Jonah Jackson was a key transfer from Rutgers a season ago. All he did was become a First-Team All-Big Ten tackle and earn himself a third-round draft selection by the Detroit Lions.

Justin Fields was another transfer portal player and has by far been the best transfer player to make his way to Columbus. Fields was a Heisman finalist a year ago and is the frontrunner to win the trophy this season. He will have some help from another transfer portal find.

Trey Sermon is that player. He is the latest player Ryan Day has snatched from the portal to help out at the running back position. Sermon is slated to start this season and should have a monster year alongside Fields and a really good offensive line.

Ohio State has lost a few transfers to the portal too, but the gains have far outweighed those losses. Day continues to be smart enough to look at all avenues to add quality players. He was even able to add Gunnar Hoak as a backup quarterback as a transfer a year ago.

Expect the Buckeyes to continue to look at the transfer portal as a gift as opposed to a hindrance. They will continue to add some solid players for years to come.