The Ohio State football program brought in plenty of solid players from the Transfer Portal. If you include the players from both the 2026 recruiting class and the portal, the Buckeyes have the fourth-best class of talent coming in. A lot of that was due to some top-end talent they landed late in the portal cycle.
That doesn't mean that they don't have some underrated players who will be able to exceed expectations. In fact, there are three Transfer Portal players who will play better than fans think they will. There are underrated candidates on both sides of the ball, too.
1. Devin McCuin
The Ohio State Buckeyes lost five receivers from the 2025 roster, including four to the portal. With that being the case, they needed to add some depth at that position. Devin McCuin was the first receiver that they were able to grab, and he should help them immediately.
McCuin was previously at UTSA and scored eight touchdowns last season. He is a speedy guy who should be able to help them at the slot position. While most people expect Ryan Parker to be the slot guy, McCuin should get a lot of playing time even with Parker on the roster.
2. Terry Moore
The safety from Duke missed the entire season with an injury last season, but he is a former All-ACC safety. He will likely fight for a starting safety spot with Caleb Downs gone, but he's not guaranteed one. Still, he can be a really good player if he is fully healed from his knee injury.
Before he was hurt, Moore was one of the best safeties in the country. He was one of the most underrated players that the Buckeyes were able to bring in from the portal. He is someone who might be the perfect Downs replacement because of his ability to help in the box and defend in space.
3. John Walker
Walker was one of the first players that Ohio State was able to bring in from the portal. He was actually recruited by the Buckeyes out of high school, but decided to go to UCF. Now, he has come back to Columbus and will be part of Ohio State's defensive line rotation.
He might be more than just a part, though. His ability to clog up the middle in the run game might vault him into the starting lineup with Kayden McDonald now in the NFL. The defensive line struggled against Miami in the Cotton Bowl, so they need someone who can help fix the trenches.