After entering the transfer portal Dec. 7, former Ohio State safety Jaylen Johnson decided on Memphis as his next collegiate destination Sunday, announcing his intentions via Twitter.
“They forgot, I didn’t,” Johnson said in his announcement. “Let’s work Memphis, I’m home.”
Johnson never saw the field in a two-year career with the Buckeyes, redshirting his first campaign after sustaining a season-ending knee injury. Completing his prep career at Cincinnati La Salle, he was the only position player in Ohio State’s No. 2-ranked 2021 recruiting class, a three-star prospect landing as the No. 406 overall player in the 247Sports composite. He was the 30th best safety in the country and 12th-best prospect from Ohio.
Ohio State recently added former Syracuse defensive back Ja’Had Carter, the No. 1 safety in the transfer portal per 247, to help ease the transfers out of Johnson and fellow second-year Jantzen Dunn at the position, as well as pending departures for the NFL from fourth-year Ronnie Hickman and graduate Tanner McCalister. Fifth-year Josh Proctor and third-year Lathan Ransom have yet to make official declarations about their futures as well.
With the Tigers Johnson will reunite with the coach that recruited him, former Ohio State defensive backs coach and current Memphis defensive coordinator Matt Barnes. Barnes called plays for Ohio State’s defense for 11 games in 2021 after then-defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs was relieved of those duties.
