Ohio State football has a potential X-Factor coming along strong this summer that could change their entire offense
Ohio State’s offense will certainly run through Jeremiah Smith again in 2026. However, one Buckeyes’ transfer portal addition is making summer noise that’s hard to ignore, showing he will be a part of things.
The Ohio State football roster looks much different than it did a year ago at this time during summer workouts. The same can be said about the coaching staff with Brian Hartline no longer around and now the head coach at South Florida.
Ohio State returns Jeremiah Smith as the leader of its offense and Brandon Inniss is the other returning wideout. The Buckeye has to operate a different way than they normally do with the transfer portal this offseason and it resulted in them bringing in two players from other schools.
Ohio State transfer portal weapon pickup is a potential X-Factor
The Buckeyes brought in former LSU WR Kyle Parker and former UTSA WR Devin McCuin from the transfer portal. Both players created some buzz during the spring and that’s continued into the summer. Ohio State is expected to have both players in its wide receiver rotation during 2026, and McCuin’s speed might make for a key role.
McCuin has been brought up as a popular name during summer workouts specifically.
“McCuin certainly shouldn’t be overlooked in that mix, particularly because of his blistering speed,” Lettermen Row’s Austin Ward wrote recently. “The former UTSA wideout was brought up multiple times at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center during the second week of camp, almost always with a not-so-subtle reminder about his ability to provide a jolt of explosiveness to an offense that has obviously made that a priority.”
McCuin was a three-year contributor at UTSA who cleared 420 receiving yards each season. The 6-foot speedster had 65 catches for 726 receiving yards and eight touchdowns at UTSA last year. Ohio State locked down a portal commitment from McCuin quickly back in the winter mainly because of what they think he can be for the offense.
We’re still waiting for a breakout from Inniss and it may come in 2026, but there’s a world where McCuin or Parker end up the team’s second leading receiver to Smith. Freshman Chris Henry Jr. and potentially Brock Boyd should round out the rotation for the Buckeyes in Year 1 with Cortez Hankton as the wide receivers coach.
McCuin’s skill set might just allow him to get the ball a bunch with all of the attention Smith is going to get. If he earns that opportunity, this will end up looking like one of Ohio State’s better transfer portal additions on offense recently.