It won't be long before OSU has to transition from the afterglow of a championship to the reality of a mass exodus of players to the NFL and portal.
While there are already assumptions that OSU won't take a step back, the idea of this is questionable due to the fact that, like Michigan in 2023, OSU brought back a ton of players whose eleigibilty would end after this season.
Looking at the key postions for OSU 2025:
OFFENSE
QB: SOPH Julian Sayin, FR Tavien St. Clair, RS Jr Linclon Keinholtz-
This position is where the rubber hits the road for OSU. For the QB position, they will either stick with what they have, and start a young, inexpereinced QB (probably between Sayin and St. Clair), OR they will bring in an expereinced QB from a transfer market that, as we all know, is dried up as far as top-end QB talent. I asume that the first option is their best, which leaves their roster without one player who started a college game at the position. None of these QB have sinificant snaps: Keiholtz has completed 10 career passes out of 22 attempts. Sayin has completed 5 passes on 12 attempts.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: Tavien St. Clair start as a true freshman. If he's as good as they say, why not? It would be silly for OSU to start Sayin for one season, if OSU knows that St. Clair is the future as soon as 2026.
RB: Senior Quinshon Judkins (?), SR TR C.J. Donaldson, Soph James Peoples/FR Bo Jackson, FR Anthony Rogers-
I'm making an assumption that Judkins will be back. If not, their RB room is a mess. Donaldson is solid, but not great, but he would be the only one with experience, similar to the QB room. As for Donaldson, a 6'2" 238 pound power back, he must have missed how poorly OSU misused D. Trayanum.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: Judkins entering the draft, and leaving OSU's RB room royally effed up.
WR: Soph Jeremiah Smith, RS Soph Carnell Tate, RS Soph Brandon Inniss, RS FR Mylan Graham, FR Quincy Porter, FR Bodgepn Miller.
OSU has WR talent stacked, as usual. In the least surprising scenario, however, it's mot surprising to see how much talent this position group has lost to the portal, due to oversigning. All 4 WRs from th 2022 class have left without contributing, and of the four WRs signed in 2023, only the two five stars- Inniss and Tate remain. For that reason, OSU's WR is deep, but also very young with inexpereinced depth. They could add a veteran WR from the portal, but for what? To play the role of WR 4 behind younger more talented players?
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: Inniss or Graham in the Portal. The youth and talent of the WR room means that any WR would have to wait until at least 2027 to sniff a #1 WR role, as Smith has two more seasons before he can even declare for the draft. Why would any five star not want to be the go-to guy on their team is beyond me.
OL: (L to R) SR TR Phillip Daniels (Minnesota), Sr TR Miles Walker (BSU), RS Jr Carson Hinsman, RS Jr Tegra Tshabola, GR TR Ethan Onianwa. RS Fr Deontae Armstrong, RS Soph Austin Siereveld, RS Jr George Fitzpatrick.
OSU loses 4 starters: Fryar, McGlauthlin, Donovan Jackson, and Josh Simmons are all gone. OSU has already signed 3 OTs from the portal. Not sure how good those guys are, but I have all three starting. Interesting that they will have only 2 homegrown starters on that OL.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: More struggles on OSU's OL- Especially with depth and the possibility of injuries.
TE: GR TR Max Klare, GR TR Will Kacmarek, JR Jelani Thurman.
In one of the stranger moves, OSU picks up one of the best TEs in the portal despite never making use of the position. Klare is putting his one grad season to prove himself to NFL types in the hands of a coach whose top TE caught 27 passes, and was barely targeted. As a comparison, A.J. Barner had 22 receptions as Colton's backup in 2023. The idea that Jelani Thurman was supposed to be the next big thing and their version of Loveland is a laugher- 6 catches entering his junior season. Once again, what TE in his right mind goes to OSU to be featured?
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: The OSU TE group, as usual, being forgotten in OSU's 2025 offense, just like it has been for the past decade. After the three 5* WRs get their targets, what's left?
SUMMARY: OSU's offense returns some surefire stars, but, as usual they will go as far as their QB leads them. The biggest losses were Henderson, Egbuka, and their four OL. Although I felt as if Howard was a "meh" QB as far as talent, he made it up with experience and savvy. The QBs following have better upside, but no experience. But that QB will have a killer group of receiers, and a really good RB to lean on (if Judkins returns).
Coming later: DEFENSE
While there are already assumptions that OSU won't take a step back, the idea of this is questionable due to the fact that, like Michigan in 2023, OSU brought back a ton of players whose eleigibilty would end after this season.
Looking at the key postions for OSU 2025:
OFFENSE
QB: SOPH Julian Sayin, FR Tavien St. Clair, RS Jr Linclon Keinholtz-
This position is where the rubber hits the road for OSU. For the QB position, they will either stick with what they have, and start a young, inexpereinced QB (probably between Sayin and St. Clair), OR they will bring in an expereinced QB from a transfer market that, as we all know, is dried up as far as top-end QB talent. I asume that the first option is their best, which leaves their roster without one player who started a college game at the position. None of these QB have sinificant snaps: Keiholtz has completed 10 career passes out of 22 attempts. Sayin has completed 5 passes on 12 attempts.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: Tavien St. Clair start as a true freshman. If he's as good as they say, why not? It would be silly for OSU to start Sayin for one season, if OSU knows that St. Clair is the future as soon as 2026.
RB: Senior Quinshon Judkins (?), SR TR C.J. Donaldson, Soph James Peoples/FR Bo Jackson, FR Anthony Rogers-
I'm making an assumption that Judkins will be back. If not, their RB room is a mess. Donaldson is solid, but not great, but he would be the only one with experience, similar to the QB room. As for Donaldson, a 6'2" 238 pound power back, he must have missed how poorly OSU misused D. Trayanum.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: Judkins entering the draft, and leaving OSU's RB room royally effed up.
WR: Soph Jeremiah Smith, RS Soph Carnell Tate, RS Soph Brandon Inniss, RS FR Mylan Graham, FR Quincy Porter, FR Bodgepn Miller.
OSU has WR talent stacked, as usual. In the least surprising scenario, however, it's mot surprising to see how much talent this position group has lost to the portal, due to oversigning. All 4 WRs from th 2022 class have left without contributing, and of the four WRs signed in 2023, only the two five stars- Inniss and Tate remain. For that reason, OSU's WR is deep, but also very young with inexpereinced depth. They could add a veteran WR from the portal, but for what? To play the role of WR 4 behind younger more talented players?
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: Inniss or Graham in the Portal. The youth and talent of the WR room means that any WR would have to wait until at least 2027 to sniff a #1 WR role, as Smith has two more seasons before he can even declare for the draft. Why would any five star not want to be the go-to guy on their team is beyond me.
OL: (L to R) SR TR Phillip Daniels (Minnesota), Sr TR Miles Walker (BSU), RS Jr Carson Hinsman, RS Jr Tegra Tshabola, GR TR Ethan Onianwa. RS Fr Deontae Armstrong, RS Soph Austin Siereveld, RS Jr George Fitzpatrick.
OSU loses 4 starters: Fryar, McGlauthlin, Donovan Jackson, and Josh Simmons are all gone. OSU has already signed 3 OTs from the portal. Not sure how good those guys are, but I have all three starting. Interesting that they will have only 2 homegrown starters on that OL.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: More struggles on OSU's OL- Especially with depth and the possibility of injuries.
TE: GR TR Max Klare, GR TR Will Kacmarek, JR Jelani Thurman.
In one of the stranger moves, OSU picks up one of the best TEs in the portal despite never making use of the position. Klare is putting his one grad season to prove himself to NFL types in the hands of a coach whose top TE caught 27 passes, and was barely targeted. As a comparison, A.J. Barner had 22 receptions as Colton's backup in 2023. The idea that Jelani Thurman was supposed to be the next big thing and their version of Loveland is a laugher- 6 catches entering his junior season. Once again, what TE in his right mind goes to OSU to be featured?
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see: The OSU TE group, as usual, being forgotten in OSU's 2025 offense, just like it has been for the past decade. After the three 5* WRs get their targets, what's left?
SUMMARY: OSU's offense returns some surefire stars, but, as usual they will go as far as their QB leads them. The biggest losses were Henderson, Egbuka, and their four OL. Although I felt as if Howard was a "meh" QB as far as talent, he made it up with experience and savvy. The QBs following have better upside, but no experience. But that QB will have a killer group of receiers, and a really good RB to lean on (if Judkins returns).
Coming later: DEFENSE
Last edited:
