The Ohio State Buckeyes are facing a significant challenge as they lose yet another defensive tackle from their 2025 recruiting class. Trajen Odom, the last remaining freshman defensive tackle from that year, has entered the transfer portal, marking the third such loss for the team. This follows the exits of Jarquez Carter and Maxwell Roy, who have also decided to transfer to other universities.
Odom's time with the Buckeyes was brief, as he only played 10 snaps across three games, with no recorded statistics. Despite this, he was a three-star recruit and part of a trio of defensive tackles in the 2025 class, alongside Carter and Roy. The team's defensive tackle situation is further complicated by the transfer of Eric Mensah to Virginia Tech, making it the fourth defensive tackle to leave the program since the end of the season.
However, Ohio State still has a strong defensive tackle core for the 2026 season, with nine scholarship players, including transfers James Smith (from Alabama) and John Walker (from UCF). The recent trend of early departures from the 2025 class continues, with Odom becoming the eighth member to enter the transfer portal after just one year. This list includes wide receivers Quincy Porter and Bodpegn Miller, offensive linemen Jayvon McFadden and Isaiah Kema, and safety Faheem Delane. The total number of scholarship players lost to the transfer portal since the end of the season now stands at 30.
This situation raises questions about the stability and future of the Ohio State football program, especially with the high number of transfers and the potential impact on team dynamics and performance.
