The Ohio State football program took a very slow approach to the Transfer Portal. They decided to try to bring in Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman, but he decided to attend Tennessee instead. He was really the only portal player that the Buckeyes were truly ponying up for.
Over the last couple of days, the Ohio State Buckeyes have done a lot better in terms of landing commitments. On Monday, they landed several players to help them heading into the 2026 season. They still have a few holes that they have to fill on the roster, especially at kicker, running back, and the offensive line.
On Monday night, the Buckeyes were able to land a commitment from a pair of teammates to help their depth on the defensive line. Ohio State was able to land commitments from both Qua Russaw and James Smith, two former members of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Ohio State football team gets commitments from two Bama linemen
Russaw played linebacker at Bama, mainly as an edge rusher. He projects to be a defensive end in Ohio State's system, but they might stand him up from time to time. Russaw got more playing time in 2024 than he did this past season with the Crimson time.
Smith is someone who can help with the interior. With Kayden McDonald now headed to the NFL, the Buckeyes have a gaping hole at defensive tackle. Smith can help plug that hole, as he does a good job stopping run plays and pushing the pocket on pass plays.
Smith projects to get more playing time than Russaw does, but Russaw still has a lot of talent. He will still get rotational snaps at worst. While neither player is truly elite at their position, adding this depth up front in the trenches is extremely important for next year's team. Both are also former five-star recruits coming out of high school.
Ohio State is finally starting to make some moves after fans were getting disappointed. The Buckeyes aren't done with making moves yet, either.