The portal doors have swung wide open in the wake of Ohio State’s 24-14 playoff exit, and for a program built on “reloading,” the current exodus feels more like a structural renovation.
While the Buckeyes are used to losing talent to the NFL, the 12 scholarship players who have entered the transfer portal since the loss to Miami present a different challenge. Some departures represent “what could have been,” while others are necessary subtractions to make room for a desperate “big fish” hunt in the portal.
Here is a breakdown of the current Buckeyes in the portal, ranked from the most devastating losses to the non-factors.
1. The “Hurts to Lose” Tier
Jelani Thurman (TE): Thurman entering the portal minutes after the Miami loss was a gut punch. A 6-foot-6 physical specimen from the 2023 class, he was the heir apparent to the tight end room. This could signal that Purdue transfer Max Klare will be staying at Ohio State for another year. It feels like Thurman could have been used more and likely will thrive at another university.
James Peoples (RB): Peoples was a four-star recruit expected to lead the backfield in 2026. However, the meteoric rise of freshman Bo Jackson pushed Peoples down the depth chart. By the end of the year, Peoples had been relegated to 4th string behind Jackson, CJ Donaldson, and another freshman, Isaiah West. With West and Jackson having two more years of eligibility it made no sense for Peoples to stay.
Bryce West (CB): A Cleveland native and high-four-star recruit, West was seen as the future of the “BIA” (Best In America) secondary. While he only saw limited action as a freshman, losing a homegrown talent with his ceiling to the portal is a stinging indictment of the current defensive rotation.
2. The “End of an Era” Tier
C.J. Hicks (LB/EDGE): Perhaps the most complicated departure in recent memory. Hicks came to Columbus as a five-star “Captain Buckeye” recruit but never found a permanent home in the scheme. After moving to EDGE this year and redshirting, his exit is devastating more for the “lost potential” than for current production. It is the definitive end to the 2022 class’s defensive centerpiece.
Lincoln Kienholz (QB): Kienholz’s departure was widely expected after Julian Sayin cemented himself as the starter. While he provided veteran insurance, his exit signals that the Buckeyes are officially all-in on the Sayin era, leaving the QB room thin on experienced backups.
3. The “Scheme Casualties” Tier
Bryson Rodgers (WR): Rodgers is a talented slot receiver who got caught in the Jeremiah Smith/Carnell Tate/Brandon Inniss logjam. He will likely get a lot more playing time elsewhere, but in Columbus, he was a victim of the deepest WR room in the country.
Dominic Kirks (DE): A promising young lineman who lost his black stripe in 2025 but couldn’t find snaps behind a veteran-heavy front. His loss thins out the defensive line depth for 2026, a unit that already struggled to pressure Miami’s Carson Beck. There are rumors though that Kenyetta Jackson made return for another season to improve his draft stock.
4. The “Fresh Start” Tier (Non-Factors)
Nick McLarty (P) & Jackson Courville (K): After a season where special teams were a “recipe for disaster,” these departures are almost certainly mutual. McLarty never harnessed his “Australian leg” for consistency, and Courville never challenged the struggling Jayden Fielding. Their exits signal that Ryan Day is clearing the deck to go “big fish hunting” for a specialist in the portal.
Sam Dixon (RB), Damarion Witten (WR/TE), & Logan George (DE): These players combined for almost no meaningful snaps in 2025. While talented, their departures are standard roster maintenance as the Buckeyes look to upgrade via the portal.
