How adding Julian Sayin, Caleb Downs changes 2024 for Ohio State
Perhaps no team has made a bigger splash in the transfer portal of late than Ohio State. The Buckeyes have added a number of big names to their team, most recently landing commitments from former Alabama players Julian Sayin and Caleb Downs.
Downs, a safety who won SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2023, is the No. 1 overall player in On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings. Sayin isn’t too far behind him at No. 4. Add in former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins and the Buckeyes have secured three of the top 10 players.
On3‘s Pete Nakos joined Andy Staples on Sunday to break down what the addition of these players means for the Buckeyes championship hopes in 2024.
“If you told me that Caleb Downs was gonna go to Ohio State when he entered the portal, you would have stunned me,” Nakos said. “It’s not a shot at Ohio State. It’s just how many people thought and how many sources thought it was a lock to Georgia. (Former Alabama defensive backs coach) Tavaris Robinson at Georgia was supposed to give the Bulldogs the trump card and it just didn’t happen. Now Caleb Downs is gonna be a Buckeye and going through spring ball.
“We can talk about this all offseason, but I’ll just put it out there now: he standard of what the expectations are at Ohio State in 2024 are gonna be sky high.”
Downs had an impressive freshman season to finish with a team-high 107 tackles, two interceptions, four passes defended and one forced fumble. He’ll join an Ohio State defense that ranked No. 1 against the pass and No. 2 in points allowed per game this past season.
What the Buckeyes really needed to push themselves to a championship level, however, was a new quarterback. Starter Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal this offseason after Ohio State fell short to Michigan for the third straight season.
They found one who could be around a while in Sayin, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He made the decision to enter the portal after Washington quarterback Austin Mack transferred to join Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa.
“I heard quite a few things like, ‘maybe he wasn’t the right fit or Kalen DeBoer’s system,'” Nakos said. “Obviously, adding Austin Mack was not the best signal for Sayin and his camp. But the minute he went in, it was very clear he wanted to go to Ohio State. The conversation last 48-72 hours has more been at Ohio State about what they wanted to do and whether they wanted to take him and less of trying to convince Julian Sayin to be a Buckeye.”
Ohio State also added Kansas State transfer quarterback Will Howard, which should give Sayin time to develop before taking over the reigns. The chance to play under Bill O’Brien, who recruited Sayin to Tuscaloosa and is now the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator, was also a factor in the QB’s decision.
“I think there’s part of it where Julian Sayin wants to be developed under Ryan Day, but I think there’s a large chunk of him that knows, ‘I can trust Bill O’Brien,'” Nakos said. “‘I know how Bill O’Brien is gonna go about all his business. That’s what I’m all about. I want to go be a Buckeye with Bill O’Brien.'”
With the addition of Caleb Downs and Julian Sayin, Ohio State has made it clear that it’s ready to take down Michigan for the Big Ten crown and compete for a national championship. Time will tell how it works out, but there’s a lot to get excited about on paper.