The Ohio State football team is preparing for the Cotton Bowl. They are taking on the winner of Miami and Texas A&M. After losing to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, they are hoping to win the rest of their games en route to winning back-to-back national championships.
Of course, in the middle of their run, the Buckeyes will have to contend with the Transfer Portal. The portal opens in January, just after the Cotton Bowl. That means that there could be players who play in that game and end up leaving just a few days later. Some players will also declare for the portal and leave before the Cotton Bowl starts.
It seems that the Ohio State Buckeyes have lost their first player to the Transfer Portal just a couple of weeks before their first CFP game. Wide receiver Bryson Rodgers has become the first Buckeye to declare for the Transfer Portal in this year's cycle.
Ohio State receiver Bryson Rodgers leaves for the Transfer Portal
Rodgers will have two years of eligibility left at his new destination. In two years with the Buckeyes, Rodgers has only 11 catches for 125 yards and one touchdown. He has been seldom used, although he got more playing time when Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith were out.
It makes sense that Rodgers is headed for the portal. He was likely to get passed up on the depth chart by both Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter. With Chris Henry Jr. coming in next season, Rodgers was going to see even less playing time. The Buckeyes will be just fine at the receiver position.
Rodgers would be better utilized at a MAC school or somewhere lower level. He is going somewhere for more playing time. There's a shot he even goes to a lower-level ACC school or Big 12 school. The Buckeyes will certainly wish the best for him at his next destination.