Ohio State Football: Buckeyes add a transfer from Michigan

The Ohio State football team added another player from the transfer portal earlier this week as former Michigan linebacker Joey Velazquez is coming back to the Buckeye State. The former Columbus area native who attended St. Francis DeSales High School will be a preferred walk-on for Ohio State.

Velazquez is a two-sport athlete, having played both football and baseball while at Michigan. He played in 16 games over the span of his four-year career, registering eight total tackles during his time in Ann Arbor. Velazquez figures to maybe earn a role on special teams with a good offseason.

He is really known for his baseball playing abilities, where he started over 60 games for the Wolverines, hit nine total home runs, and had 51 total RBI during his career. Eleven Warriors confirmed via a Buckeye spokesperson that Velazquez will only play football at Ohio State.

It is pretty rare that a former Michigan Wolverine turned colors to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes. In fact, only one player since the 1940s has done so and that was Justin Boren in 2009. It probably lessens the blow that both Boren and Velazquez are from Ohio.

In the long run, this move only adds depth to the linebacker unit and adds another body to be counted in for the special teams reps. Being a fifth-year player, Velazquez doesn't figure to play himself into a major role with players such as Cody Simon, CJ Hicks, Kourt Williams, Gabe Powers, and Arvelle Reese ahead of him on the depth chart.

Don't be surprised to see Ryan Day and Ohio State add more depth pieces like Velazquez. If young players are not ready to step into the two-deep, then players with years of experience like Velazquez can step up and be ready at a moment's notice.