Scarlet Sunrise: Rounding up Ohio State players who entered portal during spring transfer window

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Rounding up Ohio State players who entered portal during spring transfer window

It’s May, and that means the transfer portal has officially closed.

Only six Ohio State players hit the portal during the spring transfer window, which began April 16 and wrapped up April 30.

“I feel like we have a team that has come together for a common purpose,” Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day said back on April 10. “We talk about ‘why do you play so hard here at Ohio State?’ It’s because of ‘The Brotherhood,’ the love of your teammates.”

Day continued: “I think guys want to be here, they want to be at Ohio State. They understand what it means to be a Buckeye. They see the opportunity this season. So I don’t see a bunch of guys that are just looking to run out the door.”

He was right.

But Lettermen Row is rounding up the handful of Ohio State players who decided last month that they did, in fact, need to look elsewhere for the 2024 season:

S Cedrick Hawkins (committed to UCF): Hawkins didn’t play a single snap during his lone season with the Buckeyes, according to Pro Football Focus. He arrived at Ohio State last summer as the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 31 safety, and No. 357 overall prospect, in the 2023 class. Hawkins will try to jumpstart his career at UCF, much closer to home for the Titusville, Florida, native.

S Ja’Had Carter (TBD): Carter transferred in last offseason from Syracuse, where he became a three-year starter and an All-ACC performer. But injuries — more specifically, a knee injury in spring ball and a leg injury on special teams midseason — interrupted his pursuit of playing time with the Buckeyes. So did the rapid ascent of then-true freshman Malik Hartford as well as the maturation of Josh Proctor in his sixth season with the program. Carter played only 124 defensive snaps last season, per PFF. Ohio State bringing in Caleb Downs this offseason put Carter in an even tougher spot on the depth chart.

RB Dallan Hayden (committed to Colorado): Hayden turned out to be the biggest name on this list. In line to be RB3 this season, the redshirt sophomore opted for a chance to be the feature back somewhere, and that somewhere is Colorado. He proved to be a spot duty hero at Ohio State, where he arguably saved the Buckeyes’ 2022 season with a monster second-half performance at Maryland. And, despite Ohio State’s decision to redshirt Hayden last year, he still made a difference when called upon at Purdue, where he jolted a defunct rushing attack. Hayden’s north-south, downhill running potential was on display his first year with the program when he piled up more than 500 yards on the ground.

OL Enokk Vimahi (TBD): Like Carter, Vimahi has one year of eligibility remaining, and he’s looking for a new home to use it. Vimahi played only 375 offensive snaps in his five-year stay with the program, according to PFF. Although he got a chance to fill in for Matthew Jones at right guard and start against Michigan in 2022, Vimahi was replaced by Josh Fryar just 16 snaps in. Vimahi had another moment in the spotlight last season in the Cotton Bowl when he, again, got the nod at right guard. This time, it was because of center Carson Hinzman’s benching, meaning that Jones slid over to the middle of the trenches. Vimahi struggled mightily, notably allowing two pressures in 28 pass blocking snaps, per PFF.

LB Nigel Glover (TBD): Glover is back in the portal for the second time in the last year. He first entered last offseason, following the hazing scandal at Northwestern, where Glover originally signed as the highest-rated prospect in the Wildcats’ 2023 class. Although he was immediately eligible to play at Ohio State last year, he didn’t record a single snap, per PFF. Glover, the On3 Industry Ranking’s 10th-best player in Ohio in the 2023 class, was buried on the Buckeyes’ linebacker depth chart.

WR Kyion Grayes (TBD): Grayes couldn’t crack the Ohio State receiver rotation during his two years with the program. The Buckeyes signed four wideouts in their 2022 class. Three of them are now gone. Grayes had some impressive moments this spring, but he’s off to the portal, where he’ll look to maximize the talent he showcased as the No. 104 overall prospect just three recruiting cycles ago. He caught just one pass for two yards at Ohio State, and he didn’t see the field in 2023, per PFF.

Progress Report: Evaluating Ohio State quarterbacks after spring ball

Spring ball is over, position groups are set and training camp is on the distant horizon. In the meantime, Lettermen Row is checking in on each part of the roster with progress reports.

Starting with the quarterbacks, naturally.

All five scholarship signal callers are sticking around, including both leading candidates for QB1: Kansas State grad transfer Will Howard and redshirt sophomore Devin Brown.

We’re naming the spring MVP from the room, the most improved quarterback on the roster and unanswered question facing that group of five.

Check it out here.

Franchise familiarity, pass rushing chops make Mike Hall perfect fit for Cleveland Browns

From the Ohio State ties to the regional familiarity to the schematic fit, everything about the Cleveland Browns drafting defensive tackle Mike Hall makes sense.

“From Day 1, I loved it here,” Hall said. “Even telling my mom and my brother, you know, ‘I feel like, Cleveland’s the one.’

“And luckily, I ended up here. So it was the best thing ever.”

Get the full story here.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 124 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 215 days

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