Back to the Ohio State Buckeyes Newsfeed

Former Alabama Defensive Tackle James Smith, the No. 1 Defensive Tackle in the Transfer Portal, Commits to Ohio State

Ohio State just made a big splash on the defensive line for its 2026 transfer portal class.

Former Alabama defensive tackle James Smith, ranked as the No. 1 interior defensive lineman in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, committed to the Buckeyes on Monday over fellow finalists Georgia, LSU, Missouri and Tennessee.

BREAKING: Alabama transfer DL James Smith and EDGE Qua Russaw have Committed to Ohio State, they tell @On3sports

Both were ranked as five-star recruits coming out of high school and are among the top players in the portal https://t.