Boom! Ohio State brought out of the transfer portal a player who could fill the void that will be left by the departure of Caleb Downs. Ancient State of Florida security Earl Little Jr. committed to playing football for Buckeyes.
Little was a four-star prospect in 2022. He was ranked as the No. 12 defensive back and among the top 100 players in the country according to 247Sports. He initially committed to Nick Saban and Alabama; However, after Saban retired in early 2024, Little jumped into the portal and landed at State of Florida.
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As a freshman starter in Tallahassee, Little led FSU with 76 tackles and four interceptions. He was named second-team All-ACC honoree as a free safety for the ‘Noles. The FSU safety originally declared for the NFL Draft in December, before putting those dreams on hold and committing to the Buckeyes.
It has been somewhat concerning that Ohio State has experienced such a mass exodus of players into the transfer portal, but it is starting to become apparent what is happening. Ryan Day it’s choosing to do with the NIL money available for the program. The Buckeyes are returning to what won them a national championship a year ago…paying for production rather than potential. Unfortunately, everyone wants a salary increase, even those who have not yet contributed. Ohio State basically said, “Wait your turn,” and many of those players chose to look elsewhere, entering the portal in search of someone who would pay for unproven potential.
The same thing happens with players OSU wants in the portal. Look no further than the case of State of Pennsylvania transfer Chaz Coleman. Most experts thought it was a given that Coleman, an Ohio native, would inevitably end up in Columbus. But Ohio State wasn’t willing to risk paying too much to exploit that potential and instead authorized another program, in this case. Tennesseetake the risk. Unless he’s a can’t-miss prospect, it appears Ryan Day is changing his philosophy to focus on guys with a few years of experience and identifiable production.
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It’s frustrating for fans to see players leave. It feels a bit like the sky is falling, but it appears the Buckeyes have a plan in place, a good example being the commitment of a player like Earl Little Jr. Sometimes it’s hard for fans to see the big picture, but let’s wait for the dust to settle before we let panic set in.
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This article was originally published on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State lands second-team All-ACC safety Florida State
