Ohio State transfer portal success: How Buckeyes landed Caleb Downs, Julian Sayin, Quinshon Judkins

Former Ole Miss star Quinshon Judkins stunned the college football world when he entered the transfer portal shortly after the Peach Bowl, and he quickly ended up with the Buckeyes. His list of accolades over just two seasons with the Rebels is extensive, as he rushed for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns while grabbing 37 receptions for 281 additional yards and three scores. Judkins’ commitment to Ohio State opened the floodgates as the first massive pickup in the tremendous newcomer haul. He instantly projects as the team’s featured back for the 2024 season.

Loy: “I feel like sources were all over the board when it came to Judkins, because when I reached out to somebody, the first two teams that were mentioned for me were Ohio State and Florida State. I was told Florida State just wasn’t going to be able to get involved… Shoutout to Ohio State for stepping it up when it comes to NIL. They are tired of losing to Michigan. They’re tired of not winning the national championship. And they’re doing all they can, legally, to take that team to the next level.”

Ohio State might be the biggest winner in the immediate aftermath of Nick Saban’s retirement, as it picked up commitments from some of Alabama’s most crucial young players — Caleb Downs included. While many assumed Downs would follow former Crimson Tide assistant Travaris Robinson to Georgia, the Freshman All-American and leading tackler on the Alabama defense selected Ohio State as his next home. Downs should be one of the top performers on what could be the nation’s best defense next fall.

Loy: “There wasn’t a single person I talked to that didn’t expect him to go to Georgia. Some people thought the deal was already done. Who knows; there’s a possibility that, verbally, it was, but then Ohio State came back with a can’t-beat offer at the last minute. But from what I was told last-second before he made his final decision was Ohio State put their best offer on the table, Georgia decided not to match it and then he ended up picking Ohio State.”

Ryan Day could have his quarterback of the future in Julian Sayin, who enrolled early at Alabama after signing with the program as the No. 3 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. He entered the transfer portal after Saban’s retirement and quickly pledged to the Buckeyes, giving them a second blue-chip quarterback from the latest recruiting cycle. Sayin’s stock skyrocketed over the last six months as he earned the Elite 11 Finals MVP honor last summer and won the Gatorade California Player of the Year award at the end of his senior year at Carlsbad (Calif.) High.

Loy: “I think in the end, it was Ryan Day’s decision, but he wanted Bill O’Brien to have his guy. There was nobody he wanted more than Julian Sayin. I know they landed a really good player in Air Noland, and obviously you look at the rest of the room — it’s loaded. But in the end, you want your guys to have exactly who they want in that room, and in my opinion, Julian Sayin’s an absolute dawg… Very impressive talent. I think he’s going to take Ohio State to that next level after Will Howard.”

With Sayin’s arrival, Ohio State yet again boasts an embarrassment of riches at the quarterback position. The Buckeyes’ lack of depth in the most important room last season was a glaring weakness, but with Day and Co. focusing on a quick turnaround, they rebuilt the group into the same kind of juggernaut that produced numerous NFL prospects over the last handful of years. Kansas State transfer Will Howard still projects as the Week 1 starter, but he now faces much more competition, and the future after his stint atop the depth chart looks significantly brighter.