Real Pod Wednesdays Eleven Warriors

The spring transfer portal window has come and gone without Ohio State losing any key players.
Six players from Ohio State entered the portal during the spring window, but none of them – running back Dallan Hayden, wide receiver Kyion Grayes, guard Enokk Vimahi, linebacker Nigel Glover and safeties Ja’Had Carter and Cedrick Hawkins – were in line to play major roles for the Buckeyes in 2024.
As a result, Ohio State has secured one of college football’s best and deepest rosters for the upcoming season even though it hasn’t made any post-spring transfer additions yet.
There aren’t a ton of obvious targets available in the portal for the Buckeyes to upgrade their roster, leaving one major question mark at right guard, but the Buckeyes will have healthy competitions both along the offensive line and at quarterback going into preseason camp since they were able to keep their rosters intact at those positions.
We begin this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays by recapping a largely uneventful spring transfer window in college football and why that’s a good thing for the Buckeyes.
Later, we talk about the lingering needs for Ohio State men’s basketball and what options remain to fill them; a smaller-than-expected 2024 NFL draft class for Ohio State that still led to good fits for each of the four Buckeyes who were selected; and why it’s a long shot for Ohio State’s 2025 NFL draft class to break the all-time record for total selections even though it should be a prolific draft class.
The full rundown:
0:11: Post-spring roster retention went as well as Ohio State could have hoped1:55: An uneventful portal cycle was good news for OSU, even if it limits OSU’s upgrade options4:23: There doesn’t appear to be a plug-and-play, sure-fire upgrade available at right guard6:21: Ohio State’s quarterback depth will be the envy of college football8:46: Across the board, there’s far less talent in the portal now than there was in January10:43: Safety, running back are positions where Ohio State could another depth piece12:22: Defensive line, cornerback among positions where OSU’s depth really stands out14:27: OSU should consider giving Inky Jones, TC Caffey scholarships if some remain open19:11: Basketball transfer options dwindling after OSU misses out on Trey Townsend, others21:51: Sean Stewart is the top remaining target for OSU, who must beat out competition for him23:23: Kris Parker, Elijah Saunders, Langdon Hatton among other possible forward targets25:41: OSU could use another center to back up Aaron Bradshaw, but there’s no clear target28:47: OSU’s 2024 NFL draft smaller than expected, but Buckeyes’ picks set up to succeed36:16: Josh Proctor, Xavier Johnson most likely to make teams among undrafted Buckeyes40:10: Ohio State has as many as 20 prospects on NFL scouts’ radars for 2025 draft44:56: A lot would have to go right for Ohio State to break the single-year draft pick record47:16: Ohio State should have a lot more picks in the first two days of next year’s draft alone49:49: Will players with NFL draft decisions be as motivated to stay next year as this year?54:11: It shouldn’t be forgotten how hard it is to get drafted when forecasting to next year54:52: Denzel Burke, Jack Sawyer, Emeka Egbuka among potential first-round picks in 202559:39: OSU won’t have a lot of junior starters this year, leaving fewer early departure candidatesProgramming note: There will be no episode of Real Pod Wednesdays next week. RPW will return for its next episode on May 15.

The post-spring transfer window has been quiet so far for Ohio State football but plenty busy for Ohio State men’s basketball.
While there’s still one week to go in the post-spring transfer window for college football, Ohio State has seen just two players leave the program since the end of spring practice. That goes hand in hand with what’s been a much quieter-than-expected post-spring transfer window across the nation.
The basketball transfer portal, on the other hand, remains busy more than two weeks after the final game of the season. It’s been a back-and-forth cycle of roster movement for the Buckeyes, who landed their third transfer commitment of the offseason Saturday from former San Diego State wing Micah Parrish but saw that followed by Felix Okpara leaving the program one day later and Roddy Gayle Jr. transferring to their archrival two days later.
On this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays, we discuss Ohio State’s transfer portal activity in both sports – or lack thereof on the football side – plus look ahead to this week’s NFL draft by making some predictions on where the Buckeyes’ top prospects will end up and identifying which less heralded Ohio State prospects we’d “bang the table” for.
The full rundown:
0:25: Lack of post-spring transfer attrition has gone as well as OSU could have hoped so far6:12: Ohio State still wants a transfer offensive lineman, but it needs the right guy to enter the portal8:40: College basketball’s portal craziness epitomized by Roddy Gayle Jr. going to Michigan11:04: Roster retention hasn’t gone as planned, putting more pressure to perform on Jake Diebler​15:08: Aaron Bradshaw can replace Felix Okpara, but Okpara is the more proven player16:18: Ohio State needs to find two complementary players to fill out its frontcourt23:09: Diebler needs to add the best players possible, then build his system around them25:39: Ohio State’s draft class is smaller than usual, but it should still have at least five picks again27:52: Mike Hall’s upside makes him a potential second-round steal30:06: Marvin Harrison Jr. should be the first receiver and non-quarterback off the board33:00: Why Cade Stover would be a good third-round fit for the Cincinnati Bengals34:10: Tommy Eichenberg, Josh Proctor likely to be fourth and fifth Buckeyes drafted35:38: The case for Xavier Johnson and Matt Jones to be late-round draft picks38:39: Jesse Mendez and Kyle Snyder continue to shine at Olympic wrestling trials

Spring football showcased how much talent Ohio State has on its 2024 roster, but two of the biggest question marks surrounding this year’s Buckeyes.
Quarterback and offensive line have been the biggest positions of concern for Ohio State dating back to this time last season, and that didn’t change this spring. While Will Howard still looks like the frontrunner to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes, our opportunities to watch him throw this spring left us wanting more. And it’s clear Ohio State still doesn’t have five offensive linemen that it fully trusts.
All of that said, we remain confident about Ohio State beating Michigan, getting back to the top of the Big Ten and making the College Football Playoff. We believe OSU’s chances of winning the national championship are as good as just about anyone else, too, though there are plenty of hurdles the Buckeyes will have to clear first to get there.
With spring practices now complete, we share our biggest takeaways from the spring game, what we expect from the Buckeyes in the post-spring transfer window and our post-spring outlook for Ohio State’s 2024 season on this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays.
The rundown:
0:07: The spring game showed OSU’s talent, but didn’t answer our QB and OL questions4:51: Will Howard is still Ohio State’s likely starter; is he good enough to win a championship?13:28: It seems the quarterbacks will have much more freedom to run the ball with Chip Kelly17:19: Right guard is top transfer portal priority as offensive line isn’t where it needs to be yet26:24: Aside from offensive line, OSU doesn’t need any other starters from the transfer portal29:21: The offense “won” the spring game, but the defense was what stood out31:09: Secondary allows OSU to be more aggressive with C.J. Hicks, Sonny Styles as blitzers33:48: Post-spring transfer window will likely be busier this year, but Tuesday was a quiet first day36:50: Jaylen McClain, Sam Williams-Dixon, Eddrick Houston among spring game freshman stars38:41: Inky Jones, TC Caffey, Brennen Schramm among walk-ons who showed talent in spring game40:39: It was fun to actually see some schematic wrinkles in the spring game for a change43:29: Dan was “The Peoples Champ” of our spring game fantasy draft47:42: Confidence percentages for OSU beating Michigan, winning Big Ten, making CFP, winning natty

Ohio State’s spring game will be headlined by a quarterback competition for the second year in a row.
While Will Howard entered the spring as the frontrunner to start at quarterback, the competition has heated up over the past five weeks. Not only is Devin Brown pushing Howard for the starting job, but true freshman Julian Sayin is becoming a real factor in the competition, adding intrigue to Saturday’s spring game as each of them looks to make their case that they should be Ohio State’s starter this season.
Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs and Ohio State’s offensive line will also be in the spotlight on Saturday as Smith and Downs look to keep their hype trains rolling while the Buckeyes continue to evaluate whether they have the pieces they need on the right side of the offensive line. We discuss all of the top storylines entering the spring game on this week’s Real Pod Wednesdays.
To add a layer of fun to our spring game viewing experience, we also conducted a fantasy draft to pick the offensive skill-position players who we think will have the biggest spring games on Saturday. Each of us drafted one quarterback, one running back, one wide receiver, one tight end and one flex player – which both of us used on a second wide receiver – to build teams that will be scored using standard fantasy football scoring (one point per 25 passing yards, four points per passing touchdown, one point per 10 rushing/receiving yards and six points per rushing/receiving touchdown).
Spring Game Fantasy Draft Picks:1. Dan – Jeremiah Smith, WR2. Andy – Quinshon Judkins, RB3. Andy – Carnell Tate, WR4. Dan – Julian Sayin, QB5. Dan – Jelani Thurman, TE6. Andy – Devin Brown, QB7. Andy – Brandon Inniss, WR (Flex)8. Dan – James Peoples, RB9. Dan – Bryson Rodgers, WR (Flex)10. Andy – Gee Scott Jr., TE
In the second half of the show, we discuss the state of Ohio State’s running backs room following Monday’s news that Dallan Hayden will enter the transfer portal. We wrap up the show by discussing all of the latest news on the Ohio State men’s basketball front including the hirings of Joel Justus and Jamall Walker, John Calipari’s reported interest in the job that ultimately went to Jake Diebler and the commitment of five-star point guard Marcus Johnson.
The full rundown for this week’s show:
0:07: Quarterback competition is the big spring game storyline, especially with Julian Sayin’s progress9:25: We’re all excited to watch Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs play in the Shoe for the first time14:06: Ryan Day leaving the door open for a transfer addition on right side of offensive line19:54: C.J. Hicks, Sonny Styles, Bryson Rodgers among others to watch in spring game22:10: Drafting our spring game fantasy teams29:35: Ohio State still has the depth it needs at running back even with Dallan Hayden’s exit35:43: Expect more transfers next week because that’s just the way college football is now39:22: Carlos Locklyn won the introductory press conference42:49: Jake Diebler makes two strong assistant coach hires in Joel Justus, Jamall Walker48:30: Money, timing, long-term upside among factors in OSU hiring Diebler over John Calipari55:12: Ohio State lands a huge piece for the future with commitment of Marcus Johnson

There’s been no shortage of Ohio State football and basketball happenings over the past week.
On the gridiron, Ohio State has now completed 10 of its 15 spring practices, highlighted by its Student Appreciation Day scrimmage on Saturday. Jeremiah Smith and C.J. Hicks are among the Buckeyes turning heads on the practice field while quarterback and offensive line remain Ohio State’s biggest question marks with a week-and-a-half of spring ball to go. Who will coach the running backs is no longer a question, though, with the hiring of Carlos Locklyn to replace Tony Alford.
On the hardcourt, postseason roster movement is in full swing for Ohio State men’s basketball as the Buckeyes made a big splash in the transfer portal by adding Meechie Johnson but subsequently lost one of their top players with the departure of Roddy Gayle Jr., who joined Scotty Middleton and Bowen Hardman as Buckeyes who have gone portaling since the season ended last week.
The full rundown for this week’s show:
0:58: It’s no longer a question of whether Jeremiah Smith will start but how good he’ll be right away5:27: Will Howard leaving the door open for Devin Brown, maybe even Julian Sayin to be starting QB12:43: C.J. Hicks seems to be making a move toward a breakout season16:21: Ohio State’s defensive tackle depth looks promising with emergence of second-year players18:54: Bryson Rodgers doesn’t have a clear path to the field yet, but he’s making a case for himself21:05: Luke Montgomery, Josh Fryar looking likely to be starting right side of offensive line26:28: Ohio State’s offensive line doesn’t look great yet, but it at least looks better than last year28:47: Carlos Locklyn looks like a good running back coach hire despite his limited experience35:03: Tim Drevno should be valuable asset for offensive line, adds pressure for Justin Frye39:00: Meechie Johnson is a great addition, but transfer portal has been a net loss for OSU so far42:15: Ohio State still in the market for another transfer guard (Matt Allocco? Bronny James?) 45:28: Is Meechie an upgrade over Roddy Gayle? That depends on how you look at it46:50: Adding a wing becomes an even bigger portal priority with Scotty Middleton gone47:51: Ohio State needs to add another player in the frontcourt, too49:40: OSU could put together a quality lineup with its current players, but proven depth is lacking51:35: Bowen Hardman’s departure comes as no surprise52:32: Jake Diebler must now prove he can land impact transfers without clear Ohio State ties

The offseason is officially underway for both Ohio State basketball teams.
Ohio State’s men’s basketball season ended Tuesday with the Buckeyes’ loss to Georgia in the NIT quarterfinals while the women’s basketball season concluded with an upset defeat to Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While both teams had hopes of continuing their seasons further, the focus for both teams now turns to the offseason – particularly what they will do in the transfer portal to bolster their rosters for 2024-25.
After starting this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays with some shoutouts for Ohio State’s newly crowned national champions, we dive into what next year’s rosters could look like for both Buckeye basketball teams and what they both need to add in the portal. Later in the show, we talk about the latest developments for Ohio State football including Jeremiah Smith’s historically fast black stripe removal, the emergence of Jason Moore as a defensive tackle to watch and the ongoing search for a new running backs coach.
The full rundown of where you can hear us talk about a variety of topics in this week’s show:
0:07: Ohio State women’s hockey and pistol teams are elite5:14: Ohio State wrestling’s future looks bright with national champion Jesse Mendez leading the way9:20: The end of Ohio State’s men’s basketball season felt like a success despite Tuesday’s loss15:11: Ohio State has a good core to build around if it can retain key juniors and sophomores19:57: Adding a forward to replace Jamison Battle is Ohio State’s biggest transfer portal need22:18: Meechie Johnson, Jalen Sullinger, Matt Allocco among potential transfer guard targets29:12: The start of the offseason will be telling of Jake Diebler’s readiness to be a head coach30:43: Jake Diebler’s hiring will be judged by if his Buckeyes outperform Dusty May’s Wolverines34:34: Rebounding, lack of depth among flaws that cost Ohio State women’s basketball40:05: Ohio State women need to add transfer center, guard who can make immediate impact46:11: Jeremiah Smith’s black stripe removal adds more fuel to the hype train49:24: Brandon Inniss, Caleb Downs and Quinshon Judkins hype also continues to grow52:11: Sonny Styles and C.J. Hicks expect to be on the field together in some situations53:44: Jason Moore emerges as a player to watch in defensive tackle rotation55:23: Ohio State should be able to rotate more on defensive line this year, but how much should it?57:18: The running back coach search continues, but Ohio State doesn’t need to make a panic hire1:01:00: C.J. Stroud’s pro day appearance shows why he’s an ideal ambassador for Ohio State