According to several reports, Ohio State redshirt freshman cornerback JK Johnson entered his name into the transfer portal on Tuesday.
After playing in just two games as a true freshman, Johnson appeared in all 13 games this season for Ohio State and made five starts for the Buckeyes, filling in at several junctions when cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Cameron Brown were on the mend, though he did not appear in Ohio State’s most recent loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
He finished with a career-high five tackles in Ohio State’s win over Northwestern, and also picked up four tackles in his first career start against Wisconsin. It was enough of an audition that he likely would have competed for a starting role next year opposite Burke, but he will instead look to use his three remaining seasons of eligibility elsewhere.
Johnson was a top-50 prospect in high school out of DeSmet in Saint Louis, Mo., and the former four-star committed to Ohio State as a member of the 2021 recruiting class. His departure will leave Ohio State with six scholarship cornerbacks entering next season, including Burke, Jyaire Brown, Ryan Turner, Jordan Hancock, and incoming freshmen Jermaine Mathews and Calvin Simpson-Hunt.
The Buckeyes could also look to bolster depth at cornerback – an issue which was raised back during fall camp, leading to several safeties cross training at the position – through the transfer portal. Ohio State has already lost out on Virginia cornerback Fentrell Cypress, who has announced his transfer to Florida State, but the Buckeyes have also been involved with North Carolina transfer Tony Grimes
