Ryan Day of Ohio State has employed every possible strategy, and now it’s time for him to deliver on those efforts.
It’s not that Ohio State likely utilized substantial financial resources from a formidable collective to attract players to join the 2024 Buckeyes. Instead, it’s the fact that Lane Kiffin saw fit to share a link to a story asserting that the Buckeyes had invested $13 million in acquiring players through the transfer portal.
Kiffin, the head coach at Ole Miss, successfully assembled a transfer portal class featuring former Texas A&M defensive tackle Walter Nolen, LSU running back Logan Diggs, Oklahoma safety Key Lawrence, and Florida edge rusher Princely Umanmielen. By the time the portal window closed, the Rebels had secured the top-ranked transfer class in the nation.
However, the landscape changed when Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement. Players who had committed to playing under Saban entered the portal, attracting attention from the premier programs in the country. Among these, Ohio State stood out for its efforts in bolstering its roster.
Following the departures of wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr., running back Miyan Williams, and defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. to the NFL Draft, and quarterback Kyle McCord (Syracuse) and wide receiver Julian Fleming (Penn State) to the transfer portal, Ryan Day has earned the moniker of the “Portal King,” surpassing Kiffin.
In January alone, Day and the Buckeyes secured commitments from former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, former five-star and Alabama quarterback commit Julian Sayin, former All-SEC and Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin, and former Alabama safety Caleb Downs.
Howard played a pivotal role in leading K-State to a Big 12 title in 2022, coming off the bench to defeat a 12-0 Texas Christian team. Sayin is lauded as the most accurate passer in the 2024 class, displaying a fluidity reminiscent of former Heisman winner Bryce Young. Judkins boasts a track record of rushing for over 1,100 yards in each of his first two college football seasons. McLaughlin has the potential to become the best center in the country with improved snapping, and Downs was recognized as the top defensive back in the nation last year.
