The Ohio State Buckeyes land five players on ESPN's top newcomers list.
The Ohio State Buckeyes went to work in the transfer portal during this offseason with the hopes that it would pay dividends.
After getting pushed around by both Indiana and Miami, they adjusted their approach with the idea of becoming an older and more experienced group as opposed to the last few years, where they were a bit more on the younger side of things.
This list is not just transfers, but it is also the recruits that are coming into every program. This is the all-encompassing list, and there are Buckeyes everywhere.
No. 28: Safety, Earl Little Jr.
The highest-ranked Buckeye on the list is the guy with the biggest responsibility. Earl Little Jr. is going to be tasked with picking up right where Caleb Downs left off.
Easier said than done.
Little and Downs were actually teammates at Alabama before Downs transferred to Ohio State two years ago. Little himself hit the road and finished his college football career at Florida State. Little Jr. is an imposing force who will play close to the line of scrimmage and try to defend in the post. He has big expectations but has the biggest potential.
No. 47: Defensive Lineman, James Smith
Smith is the first half of the Bama duo that is going to have to be a force for the Buckeyes' defensive line in 2026. The Buckeyes have been blessed the last two seasons with elite interior defensive line play, and Smith is tasked with upholding that standard.
Smith marries his size with great quickness and strength, which are all the ingredients to be elite.
No. 51: Wide Receiver Chris Henry Jr.
Can Henry Jr. be just as good as his now teammate Jeremiah Smith? He certainly looks the part and it is not going to take very long until he makes his mark on this team.
Henry Jr. is as good as advertised. He is every bit of 6'5", but even at that height, he doesn't sacrifice any speed or quickness. He has incredible ball skills, a natural feel for the position and all that comes with it, and he is very competitive. His fit for the Buckeyes will be interesting this year, but he might take the baton right from Smith and continue the Buckeyes' wide receiver excellence.
No. 61: Running Back, Legend Bey
Bey is already a legend in Columbus after his chaotic commitment to the program. As he looks forward, the potential that he has is through the roof. He is powerful, quick, strong, and when anyone, let alone your coach, compares you to Tyreek Hill with the ball in your hands, you know that's a player who can absolutely go.
When it is finally Bey's time, he is going to quickly become a star.
No. 65, Defensive Lineman, Qua Russaw
The second half of the Bama defensive line transfers is Russaw. Russaw and Smith have been teammates ever since high school, and they continue that as they both transferred from Tuscaloosa.
Russaw is the prototypical transfer that has been successful in this era of college football. He hasn't had the production that he probably has been hoping for, but he has a lot of experience, and he is definitely a veteran presence.
The hope here is that he can become a added piece to the Buckeyes defense.
Ohio State approached the offseason in a very different way this year, but they still operated at the top of college football.
They land five of the Top 100 newcomers in all of college football.
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