Ohio State football loses its first defensive player to the transfer portal since losing to Miami in the Cotton Bowl
The Buckeyes defender is moving on after two seasons with the program.
Following the 24-14 loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl, the Ohio State Buckeyes are now facing roster changes. The transfer portal will open for 10 days on Friday, and Ohio State will lose several players.
Ohio State already knew that WR Bryson Rodgers would be leaving in the portal. Rodgers didn’t travel with the team to Texas for the College Football Playoff. Since the loss, TE Jelani Thurman and QB Lincoln Kienholz have made it known they will enter the portal. Now, the Buckeyes are losing their first defender to the portal.
Former four-star recruit CB Bryce West is heading to the transfer portal
According to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett, Ohio State CB Bryce West will be leaving the Buckeyes in the transfer portal. West is in search of more playing time after spending two seasons with the Buckeyes. It isn’t often that a former Glenville recruit leaves Columbus, but that’s exactly what West is doing.
West was a major recruiting win for the Buckeyes, in-state, out of Glenville, and they held off Michigan and Georgia to secure it. According to 247 Sports Composite, West was the No. 9 cornerback and No. 64 overall player in the class of 2024.
West redshirted as a freshman in 2024 when he appeared in five games total, including the postseason. West played in 13 games this season for Ohio State with 10 tackles and one forced fumble. West played primarily on special teams for the Buckeyes.
Lorenzo Styles and West leaving means that the Buckeyes will have to retool their slot cornerback depth for the 2026 season. Davison Igbinosun will be off to the NFL, while Jermaine Mathews Jr. will have to decide whether he wants to return for another season. Devin Sanchez and Aaron Scott Jr. will be the top two cornerbacks returning for the Buckeyes in 2026, along with Leroy Roker.
Playing time is a big factor in this one, and it’s not a surprise that West is looking to transfer somewhere with a clearer path to playing time. His Ohio State career concludes with 18 games played over two seasons.
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