The Ohio State football program continues to try to navigate the Transfer Portal. After losing in the Cotton Bowl to Miami, the Buckeyes have a shot to focus solely on the portal, unlike last season. So far, they have only been able to bring in four transfer players.
Ohio State has hosted a few other players, but they haven't been able to land any commitments. Still, that won't last long. They are still hoping to land one elite defensive lineman who is from the state of Ohio. He's not the only defensive lineman that Ohio State has its eye on.
Two former Alabama defensive linemen are going to be visiting the Ohio State Buckeyes as they continue to survey the portal. Bringing them in would help the Buckeyes at one of the biggest positions of need heading into the 2026 season.
The Ohio State football team to host a visit from two former Alabama defensive linemen
Ohio State will be hosting both defensive tackle Tim Smith and edge player Qua Russaw. Russaw played linebacker at Bama, but the Buckeyes could use him at defensive end to help their pass rush. Russaw was a four-star recruit in the 2025 recruiting class.
Smith played with the Crimson Tide for three seasons before deciding to enter the portal. He is someone that the Buckeyes would love to add alongside John Walker, who is someone the Buckeyes were able to bring in from the portal, as well.
Both players are expected to visit multiple SEC schools in addition to Ohio State, so this is certainly anything but a done deal. The Buckeyes will have to fight if they want to add either player to the roster heading into next season. Still, it's a positive sign that they are being more active in the portal.
Ohio State needs to fix the offensive line, as well. That's another area that they will make sure to address at some point.