The transfer portal does not officially open until Monday, but it hasn’t stopped Ohio State from getting an early jump on any potential transfer action.
The Buckeyes sent out an offer on Thursday to Middle Tennessee defensive tackle Marley Cook (6-2, 298), who recently completed his fifth season with the Raiders. A graduate transfer, he entered the portal after Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Stockstill was fired earlier in the week.
In five seasons at Middle Tennessee State, Cook has appeared in 39 games and has started each of the past two seasons. This year, he collected 22 tackles (six for loss) and a sack in addition to a pass breakup. In 2022, he had 22 tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. According to a report from On3, Cook will visit Ohio State on Dec. 15, and also has a trip to Miami set for Dec. 8.
Ohio State could be losing two notable contributors on the defensive line after this season, as both Tyleik Williams and Mike Hall Jr. could explore entering the NFL Draft, so depth is a potential concern in the trenches for the Buckeyes.
Both the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary figure to be potential options for Ohio State in the portal, and the Buckeyes will certainly be sending out more offers in the coming weeks.
