{"id":649354,"date":"2026-01-03T00:16:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T00:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/649354\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T00:16:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T00:16:09","slug":"ohio-state-football-transfer-portal-tracker-2026-comings-and-goings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/649354\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohio State football transfer portal tracker 2026, comings and goings"},"content":{"rendered":"

The transfer portal window is open, and the Ohio State Buckeyes<\/a> will, like every other college football team, gain and lose players as a result.<\/p>\n

Already, OSU quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and linebacker\/defensive lineman C.J. Hicks have voiced their intention to play elsewhere next season. The player movement almost certainly won’t stop there.<\/p>\n

With the NCAA\u2019s adoption of a single transfer portal window<\/a>, most of the offseason activity is confined to a period in January. The portal opened for two weeks on Jan. 2, allowing players across Division I to put their names in the online database and be in contact with other schools.<\/p>\n

To help you keep tabs on any movement involving Ohio State, including roster pickups, The Dispatch is monitoring all of the comings and goings below.<\/p>\n

Ohio State football players entering the portal (12)QB Lincoln Kienholz<\/p>\n

Kienholz confirmed his intentions<\/a> to enter the portal on Jan. 1, a day before the offseason window opened for a period of two weeks.<\/p>\n

He had been the backup quarterback behind redshirt freshman Julian Sayin after losing out<\/a> in an offseason competition that lasted for months. Kienholz threw for 139 yards and a touchdown and ran for 66 yards and two touchdowns in seven games in 2025.<\/p>\n

It was the second straight offseason that the Buckeyes<\/a> saw their experienced backup quarterback depart as Devin Brown transferred to California<\/a> last winter.<\/p>\n

QB Mason Maggs<\/p>\n

A walk-on from Dublin who spent four seasons with the Buckeyes, Maggs announced plans to enter the portal following the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Dec. 31.<\/p>\n

He’s the son of the late Bob Maggs, a former All-Big Ten offensive lineman for the Buckeyes who died unexpectedly<\/a> in October.<\/p>\n

RB Sam Dixon<\/p>\n

Dixon confirmed plans to reenter the portal for a second straight offseason.<\/p>\n

After he withdrew from the portal and remained with the Buckeyes last year, he appeared in one game, rushing for 9 yards on three carries late in a rout of Grambling State in September.<\/p>\n

RB James Peoples<\/p>\n

Peoples announced on Jan. 2 that he would enter the portal for his final two years of eligibility.<\/p>\n

He had started two games in September and looked in line to be the Buckeyes’ primary back before falling behind in the rotation. He finished with 344 rushing yards and three touchdowns as the No. 3 back.<\/p>\n

WR Bryson Rodgers<\/p>\n

Rodgers marked the first loss for the Buckeyes after he announced<\/a> his intent to enter the portal on Dec. 18 and did not remain with the Buckeyes for the College Football Playoff.<\/p>\n

He caught 11 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown over his three years as a backup slot receiver.<\/p>\n

WR Damarion Witten<\/p>\n

Witten announced plans to enter the portal on Jan. 1 after two seasons with the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n

A former tight end at Glenville High School in Cleveland, he moved to wide receiver at Ohio State and appeared in only one game.<\/p>\n

TE Jelani Thurman<\/p>\n

Thurman announced his intent to enter the portal in the immediate aftermath of the Buckeyes’ loss to Miami in the quarterfinals on New Year’s Eve.<\/p>\n

He caught 13 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns in his three seasons at Ohio State.<\/p>\n

DE Logan George<\/p>\n

George was a notable pickup out of the portal last winter after he had been a disruptive pass rusher at Idaho State in 2024.<\/p>\n

But he was unavailable for most of the year and only appeared in three games with the Buckeyes before deciding to reenter the portal, according to a post he shared on X on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n

DE C.J. Hicks<\/p>\n

Hicks confirmed<\/a> he was entering the portal for his final year of eligibility on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n

A former top-ranked linebacker in the class of 2022, he moved to defensive end<\/a> this past offseason as the Buckeyes sought to use him as a pass rusher, but ultimately appeared in only four games during the regular season, allowing him to qualify for a redshirt.<\/p>\n

DE Dominic Kirks<\/p>\n

Kirks announced plans to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 1 after two seasons with the Buckeyes. A native of Cleveland, he made two tackles in six games.<\/p>\n

CB Bryce West<\/p>\n

West announced plans to leave the Buckeyes after two seasons on Jan. 1, a hit to their depth at nickel back.<\/p>\n

A former top-75 recruit from Cleveland, he was the backup behind Lorenzo Styles Jr. and appeared in all but one game as a redshirt freshman. West had 10 tackles and a forced fumble in 2025.<\/p>\n

K Jackson Courville<\/p>\n

Courville announced plans to reenter the portal on Jan. 2 after he spent a season with the Buckeyes following a transfer from Ball State.<\/p>\n

He appeared in two games while backing up Jayden Fielding and made all four extra point attempts.<\/p>\n

Players in the portal headed to Ohio State (0)<\/p>\n

No one at the time of writing has committed to transfer to Ohio State.<\/p>\n

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com<\/a> and follow along on Bluesky<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and X<\/a> for more.<\/p>\n