The Ohio State football program has tried to lessen the blow of losing 30 players in the Transfer Portal so far. It has been by far the most players that they have lost in the portal era. Ross Bjork certainly is to blame for most of that, but Ohio State is still trying to fix things.
There are a few positions of need that the Buckeyes have been able to address in the last couple of days. The Buckeyes added an elite safety while adding another safety who will likely play cornerback. Quite frankly, the Ohio State Buckeyes have done better in the last two days than every other day combined in the portal.
Now, the Buckeyes have added yet another player. They have gained a commitment from seventh-year senior tight end Hunter Welcing, who commits to the Buckeyes after previously playing for Northwestern. That now gives Ohio State two tight end commitments from the portal.
Ohio State football team adds Hunter Welcing from the portal
Welcing adds some depth to the tight end position from the Transfer Portal. Jelani Thurman has already transferred away, so Ohio State needed to replace that lost depth. This also could give some insight into the future of First Team All-Big Ten tight end Max Klare.
Adding two tight ends from the portal gives a very strong indication that Klare is likely going to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. He would be one of the best players on the team if he were to return to the Buckeyes next season, but that seems increasingly unlikely now.
Regardless, adding Welcing is good for the Buckeyes. He's someone who can block well and be a reliable outlet when it comes to the passing game. He's not going to catch five passes a game, but he can be an effective weapon when Ohio State needs to convert on third down.
Ohio State should be ramping up the commitments from the Transfer Portal in the coming days.