Losing players to the Transfer Portal is a fact of life for every program, and that includes Ohio State. Last offseason, they lost around 30 players to the portal. That was far more than they have lost in previous years, although they used the portal themselves to replenish those losses.
However, the grass isn't always greener for the guys who decide to leave the Buckeyes. That is certainly the case for former Ohio State defensive end Omari Abor. Abor decided to leave Ohio State in 2023, and now he has strangely appeared on Akron's roster.
Former Ohio State DE Omari Abor to play for Akron in 2026
Abor will be playing for the Zips in 2026 after not playing at all in 2025. He left the Buckeyes following the 2023 season and ended up playing at SMU in 2024. While with the Mustangs, he recorded just two tackles. However, he is now back in the state of Ohio.
It seems Abor is another athlete who is taking advantage of the injunction filed against the NCAA, allowing everyone from the 2022 class to get a fifth year of eligibility. Abor should be out of eligibility, but he is now returning for a final season with the Zips.
Coming out of high school, Abor was a four-star recruit and was ranked as the sixth-best defensive end in the country. However, he never lived up to that billing with the Buckeyes. He recorded just two tackles for Ohio State in the 2023 season and looked destined to be a backup.
Abor left SMU in part to get more NIL money, as he inferred in a social media post. That was clearly the wrong move, as he could have been developed by Larry Johnson. Instead, there's no guarantee he'll even see time with the Zips. He is a cautionary tale for players across the country who transfer solely for NIL purposes.
Ohio State doesn't usually regret losing players to the portal
It's very rare when the Buckeyes actually lose someone that they regret losing in the Transfer Portal. Joe Burrow is the most famous example of that after he won the Heisman Trophy after leading LSU to a national title in 2019. Still, there aren't a lot of examples of guys going on to do great things after leaving Ohio State.
Abor likely won't amount to much at Akron. If he couldn't get on the field very much for SMU, it's unlikely that Akron will guarantee him any playing time. Abor will struggle to earn meaningful snaps, even at a MAC school, even though he has a lot of raw talent.
Meanwhile, players who transfer to Ohio State usually thrive. The Buckeyes have a good track record of bringing in guys from the portal and transforming them into key pieces. In 2024, several transfer players were key figures in the national championship run.
Ryan Day is hoping for more of the same this season with several key additions on the defensive side of the ball.
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