Former high-profile transfer win for the Ohio State Buckeyes is making some noise ahead of fall camp beginning
Beau Atkinson was once a key transfer portal addition for the Ohio State Buckeyes well over a year ago. He may finally be trending toward a breakout with the Buckeyes this fall, and he’s making an impression ahead of fall camp beginning.
Ohio State football is inching closer to fall camp, and the Buckeyes will look drastically different when they return to the field. Ohio State saw more than 30 players transfer out while bringing in roughly half that number through the portal, plus a freshman class near 30 players. Several returning Buckeyes will need to step into new and bigger roles, and one player generating some offseason buzz is former North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson.
Atkinson is creating noise with the work he has put in during offseason workouts, and he could be a critical piece of Ohio State’s pass rush in 2026. The former transfer addition has been named a Dude of the Week for the Buckeyes.
Beau Atkinson looking to bounce back after quiet 2025
The Buckeyes landed Atkinson two transfer portal windows ago after he posted 7.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 35 total tackles at North Carolina in 2024. He was an All-ACC caliber player with the Tar Heels, but his first season at Ohio State did not go as planned.
Atkinson played in 11 games for the Buckeyes last season and registered just 11 tackles and one sack. The switch to the Big Ten was an adjustment, and he has admitted it didn’t go as he expected. He struggled bending around the edge and looked noticeably stiff, making it clear he needed more time in Ohio State’s strength and conditioning program under coach Mick Marotti.
Another full offseason in that program could be exactly what Atkinson needed, and he’ll have a chance to prove it this fall.
Ohio State needs Beau Atkinson to step up opposite Kenyatta Jackson
The Buckeyes are trying to replace Caden Curry and his double-digit sack production. Getting Kenyatta Jackson back was huge for Ohio State, but the other starting EDGE spot is up for grabs.
Atkinson is among the players tabbed to potentially step up across from Jackson. At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, he has the frame Larry Johnson typically wins with off the edge. He is not alone in the competition, though. Players like Zion Grady, Alabama transfer Qua Russaw, and Khary Wilder are also in the mix to fill that role opposite Jackson.
Atkinson’s track record at North Carolina shows he’s a capable player. If he can regain the form that produced 7.5 sacks in the ACC, it would be a significant positive for defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s unit and for the Buckeyes’ chances of fielding the same caliber defense they had a year ago when they were elite.
What’s ahead for Beau Atkinson for Ohio State football in 2026
Atkinson’s development is one of the stories to watch as fall camp approaches. He came to Columbus as a two-year project, and the early returns from offseason workouts suggest progress. The door is open for him to earn a starting spot and turn himself into a legitimate draft prospect if everything comes together.
Time will tell whether the offseason work translates to game days, but the Dude of the Week award for Atkinson heading into camp is a promising sign for a Buckeyes defense looking to reload rather than rebuild.