The Ohio State football program has completed the important parts of the offseason until Spring football rolls around. Now that they have hired an offensive coordinator, they can move on with the roster they have gathered from both the recruiting ranks and the Transfer Portal.
After a rough start to the portal, the Ohio State Buckeyes added some very strong players. They were able to address most of the needs that they have heading into next season. These three players will have the biggest impact on the Buckeyes in the 2026 season.
1. Connor Hawkins
There was no bigger need for the Buckeyes in the Transfer Portal than getting a new kicker. Jayden Fielding was largely ineffective in big spots over the last two seasons. An argument could be made that he was one of the biggest reasons why Ohio State lost its last two games.
The addition of former Baylor kicker Connor Hawkins fixes the need at that position for the next few years. As a freshman, Hawkins hit nearly 83 percent of his kicks. Better yet, his ability to hit from long distance should give Ohio State football fans some trust in the kicker position for the first time for a while.
2. Earl Little Jr.
Too many players from the secondary decided to leave the Buckeyes this offseason. Because of that, Ohio State had to add a lot of players to fix the depth with the defensive backs. That is one of the big reasons why the Buckeyes decided to bring in Early Little Jr.
Little Jr. is an All-ACC safety who will likely be moved to the nickel cornerback position. With Lorenzeo Styles gone, Ohio State needs someone they can trust to man that position. Little Jr. is the perfect replacement for Styles, especially with Aaron Scott and Bryce West now gone.
3. James Smith
A former Alabama defensive lineman, Smith is someone who should be able to step in right away and give the Buckeyes some quality snaps at the defensive tackle spot. With Kayden McDonald heading to the NFL, Smith is someone who can help them clog up the middle.
Bringing Smith in gives them some much-needed depth in the trenches. Stopping the run and getting push up the middle was a big reason why Ohio State faltered in the Cotton Bowl against Miami. They are hoping that Smith is someone who can help fix that issue.