Following an unfortunate conclusion to the Ohio State football season, the Buckeyes will aim to rebound and bolster their roster through the transfer portal. Unfortunately, though, players on the current roster are deciding to leave, whether that's due to playing time, looking for a better fit, or pursuing a better NIL deal.
Something additionally the Buckeyes will need to do is look for a new offensive coordinator with the void Brian Hartline has left. Hartline took a deal to become USF's new head coach. It will be hard to recruit talent without an offensive coordinator present.
Some players have already entered the transfer portal with the motivation of finding another team when the transfer portal opened on Friday. Although most of these guys were not major contributors on this year's team, some could've been impact players for the future.
Below is a detailed list of all the players who left the Buckeyes when the portal opened on Friday.
Bryson Rodgers WR
Bryson Rodgers is a 6'2 junior from Tampa, FL. Over his few seasons with the Buckeyes, he had six catches for 79 yards and one TD. I predict he will likely follow Brian Hartline to USF.
Aaron Scott Jr. CB
Aaron Scott Jr. is a 6'0 sophomore from Springfield, OH. In his two seasons with the Buckeyes, he didn't find the field much, but was expected to in the future. Scott must feel he will like a more prominent role in a team's secondary.
Jelani Thurman TE
Jelani Thurman is a 6'6 junior from Fairburn, GA. In his 3 seasons with the Buckeyes, he had 13 catches for 144 yards and two TDs. After the loss to Miami, Thurman immediately entered the portal, clearly expressing his frustration with his role. He will likely look for somewhere he can find playing time immediately.
Lincoln Kienholz QB- Louisville
Lincoln Kienholz is a 6'3 junior from Pierre, SD. Unlike some of the others, Kienholz had a bigger role for the Buckeyes as the backup quarterback. He battled with Julian Sayin going into the year for the starting job, and it was described as relatively close. Ryan Day thought highly of Kienholz, and so does Louisville. He just committed to the Louisville Cardinals and will have a great chance to be their starting quarterback in 2026.
Bryce West CB
Bryce West is a 5'11 sophomore from Cleveland, OH. During his 2 seasons with the Buckeyes, West didn't see the field much, but was definitely in the Buckeyes' plans with Jermaine Matthews and Davison Igbinosun potentially entering the NFL draft. West was a top 75 recruit in the 2024 class, and with 3 years of eligibility left, he is an interesting player for a team. West has a do-not-contact tag, which means he has already found his next team.
C.J Hicks EDGE- USF
C.J Hicks is a 6'3 senior from Dayton, OH. In his 4 years with the Buckeyes, he has totaled 42 total tackles and two sacks. Hicks has already found his next destination, following Brian Hartline to USF.
Mason Maggs QB
Mason Maggs is a 6'2 senior from Dublin, OH. Maggs has not played for the Buckeyes much and will likely look for a destination in the low-level FBS or FCS to get a chance to play.
Logan George EDGE
Logan George is a 6'4 junior from Pocatello, ID. In his only season with the Buckeyes, the transfer from Idaho State was injury-riddled, and it did not work out the way he or Ohio State expected. He will probably look for a fresh start where he can play as a starter.
Dominic Kirks EDGE
Dominic Kirks is a 6'4 junior from Cleveland, OH. In his two seasons with the Buckeyes, he lacked playing time and will likely pursue that by entering the portal.
James Peoples HB
James Peoples is a 5'10 sophomore from San Antonio, TX. In his two seasons, he had 110 carries for 541 yards and five TDs. Peoples was a solid running back for the Buckeyes, but when Bo Jackson emerged as the workhorse back, the playing time disappeared for Peoples. He is more than capable of being a good running back somewhere, and he should definitely land in a good situation.
Grant Mills LS
Grant Mills is a 5'10 sophomore from Mooresville, NC. With Ohio State, Mills was buried on the depth chart behind other long snappers. He will look for a place where he can likely be the starter.
Bukari Miles Jr. CB
Bukari Miles Jr. is a 6'1 sophomore from West Chester, OH. Miles has redshirted up until this point and hasn't seen the field for the Buckeyes yet. He will likely look for a place where he can play sooner rather than later.
Damarion Witten WR
Damarion Witten is a 6'3 sophomore from Cleveland, OH. Witten has redshirted up until this point and hasn't seen the field yet. The 3-star will likely look for a place he can play sooner than later in 2026.
Dorian Williams WR
Dorian Williams is a 6'2 sophomore from Cincinnati, OH. Williams has yet to see the field for the Buckeyes, and that's why he's transferring.
Isaiah Kema IOL
Isaiah Kema is a 6'3 freshman from Lubbock, TX. Kema played in 4 games with the Buckeyes in 2025. With no clear path for him moving forward, he will look to find another team in 2026.
Tegra Tshabola IOL
Tegra Tshabola is a 6'6 senior from West Chester, OH. Tshabola has played in 42 games with the Buckeyes and has started in 29 of them. He started 13 games this year. Whoever lands Tshabola is getting a rare starting offensive lineman from a big program. This is a big loss for Ohio State.
Mylan Graham WR
Mylan Graham is a 6'1 sophomore from Fort Wayne, IN. Graham had 6 catches for 93 yards in 2025 for the Buckeyes. This seems to be a guy who will likely follow Brian Hartline to USF.
Nick McLarty- Arizona State
The backup punter has found a new home in Tempe. He lost the starting job to Joe McGuire for reasons that still remain unclear.