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Here are 5 things we learned about Ohio State football's new transfers
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- Here are 5 things we learned about Ohio State football's new transfers
Five of Ohio State 's six new transfers spoke with reporters at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Tuesday morning. (Quarterback Julian Sayin , who is a freshman, was the one player not made available.) Here are five things we learned from their media scrums:
Will Howard weighed entering the NFL draft
Had Howard not transferred to Ohio State for his final season of eligibility, he expected to declare for the NFL draft.
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"That was probably most likely," Howard said.
Feedback he had gathered pegged him as a passer who could be selected as high as the third round or as low as the sixth round.
Jan 30, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State University football quarterback transfer Will Howard talks with the Columbus media during his first sit-down interview since transferring.
There were also opportunities for him to boost his stock before April.
In the days before committing to the Buckeyes, Howard received an invitation to the Senior Bowl, a showcase for upperclassmen to impress the league's scouts.
But he saw a chance for a bigger audition in Columbus.
"I felt like my talent level didn't match where my stock was," Howard said, "and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to bump that up and compete for a national championship."
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More: 'He's a self-made guy': Will Howard went from three-star recruit to top transfer QB
The assessment from NFL personnel relayed to Howard was that he needed more time behind center.
Though he made 27 starts at Kansas State , they were scattered over four seasons. Howard started all but two games last year, completing 61.3% of his passes for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns, all career-highs.
"The resounding things I heard from these guys and people around the league," Howard said, "was that you need to play more and we need to see more high-level play."
Quinshon Judkins could be in a different role
Over his two seasons at Mississippi , there was little question about Judkins' role.
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He was the feature back, seeing a combined 545 carries. Last fall, only four others in the Football Bowl Subdivision had more rush attempts.
But Judkins is sharing a backfield with TreVeyon Henderson at Ohio State , a situation that is likely to result in fewer touches for Judkins.
The potential for a lighter workload, though, is not something that he appears to mind. He pointed to bigger ambitions.
"The idea of coming to a team where you're playing for something that is bigger than yourself," he said.
He noted the other high-profile transfers were swayed by the same consideration this offseason.
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"When you come together for a cause that is bigger than yourself," Judkins said, "and you have great players around you, and you want to win, that's what it's all about."
More: 4 thoughts on Ohio State football's pickup of Mississippi transfer RB Quinshon Judkins
Judkins said he has also been close with Henderson for several years, and they have kept in touch on social media.
"Just supporting each other throughout our collegiate careers," Judkins said, "and when I decided to come here, he was very excited."
No position change for Seth McLaughlin
McLaughlin is remaining at center.
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While all 25 of his starts over the last three seasons at Alabama have been as the anchor of the offensive line, he had trouble snapping last fall , raising the possibility for a position switch.
But the Buckeyes are keeping McLaughlin at the spot where he holds the most experience. They figure to benefit from a veteran presence after Carson Hinzman had ups and downs as a redshirt freshman last fall. Hinzman was ultimately benched for the Cotton Bowl.
Seth McLaughlin started 25 games with Alabama over the past three seasons.
Snapping had not been an issue for McLaughlin until 2023.
"Once you have a bad one, you kind of start thinking, 'OK, I got to get this right,'" McLaughlin said. "I don't think I was really struggling from a mental standpoint. It was just a matter of it would happen."
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McLaughlin added he is moving forward and looking to fixing the problem with offensive line coach Justin Frye.
He has lined up elsewhere, having at times practiced at guard with the Crimson Tide, and he would be willing to move to guard if asked.
"That's up for the coaches to decide," he said. "I'm here to just help the success of this program."
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs talks with reporters during his first media availability since transferring from Alabama.
Caleb Downs is in line to replace Josh Proctor
The addition of Downs, the All-America safety from Alabama, not only provides Ohio State's secondary with star power , but also versatility.
Downs lined up at multiple spots for the Crimson Tide last season, his snaps nearly evenly divided between the box, slot and free safety, according to data from Pro Football Focus.
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It's feasible he could be featured at all three safety positions in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' system.
Early indications suggest, though, he's most likely to take over for the NFL draft-bound Proctor as the free safety.
Downs said the staff has spoken to him more about playing in the role known as the "adjustor" rather than the "bandit," the strong safety spot that has been held by Lathan Ransom the past two seasons.
"But at the end of the day, I just want to play where I can get on the field," Downs said.
He finished with 107 tackles last season. Only four FBS defensive backs had more.
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Will Kacmarek once felt overlooked
Coming out of the Mary Institute and Country Day School in St. Louis three years ago, Kacmarek saw himself as a tight end who could play at the Power Five conference level.
But no opportunity materialized. Ohio was the only school to offer him a scholarship.
"The recruiting process was weird for me," he said. It was a weird time with Covid."
The pandemic resulted in the NCAA imposing a dead period that halted recruiting high school players in person. Kacmarek had fewer opportunities to impress staffs.
After three seasons with the Bobcats, catching 42 passes for 507 yards and two touchdowns the last two of them, he entered the portal and found that long-awaited opportunity at Ohio State .
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"This was a path of how I got here," Kacmarek said, "and I ultimately got here. I'm truly blessed."
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football: 5 things we learned about new transfers
