The Ohio State football program had its best day during the open Transfer Portal on Monday, adding five prospects. After losing around 30 players in the portal, it was nice to see them add some depth at spots they desperately needed to address. Of course, they still have some needs.
Getting a kicker, another receiver, and an offensive lineman are the top priorities for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The portal closes Friday, so there are still a few days for guys to leave the Buckeyes, as well. That's exactly what happened on Tuesday morning.
After the additions of Qua Russaw and James Smith, the Buckeyes finally added some depth at the defensive line spot. Because of those additions, defensive end Joshua Mickens has decided to enter the Transfer Portal after three seasons with Ohio State.
Ohio State defensive lineman Josua Mickens enters the Transfer Portal
Mickens, a former four-star recruit out of Indianapolis, hasn't done much with the Buckeyes. In two years, Mickens was only able to record six tackles. While his path to playing time in 2026 was going to be easier than it has ever been, he decided that he didn't want to fight Russaw for those snaps.
The Buckeyes would have preferred if he stayed, but Mickens was going to be a rotational player at best next season. If Kenyatta Jackson returns, then they will likely start Jackson and Russaw next season. That meant Mickens was going to have to fight with Zion Grady and other young players for time at DE.
Mickens still holds a lot of talent, so he will likely be able to land at another P4 school. This also might signal that Ohio State could be looking at another defensive lineman. They have been able to add three from the portal, so the depth they are losing has been rebuilt a little bit.
Fans will be happy if they can address the needs listed above before the end of the month. That will be a determining factor in how good this team will be in 2026.