The Ohio State Buckeyes weren't just unable to defend their national championship, they didn't even win a game in the College Football Playoff. The New Year's Eve curse for Ryan Day's team continued in an upset loss to Miami on Wednesday night, which puts the No. 2 seed in the CFP out of the postseason. More pressingly for Ohio State, though, it also means that a number of legitimate stars are now likely gone for the NFL Draft and the Buckeyes have to find replacements.
Of course, in the transfer portal era, you can never count out that as an avenue for replacements. That's especially true when you think about Ohio State bringing back Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith next season and having eyes for a title once again. And it's never a guarantee that players with eligibility left will leave. As things currently stand, however, these six players are near locks to be gone for the 2026 season, and their replacements will have some big shoes to fill for the Buckeyes.
DB Caleb Downs
Despite playing a non-premium position as primarily a safety, it says everything about Caleb Downs that he might still be a Top 10 pick when he enters the draft. Downs has been everything Ohio State could've ever wanted when they landed him in the transfer portal following his freshman season at Alabama. In two seasons and 29 games, he totaled 12.5 tackles for loss, 142 total tackles, four interceptions, and eight pass defenses.
Downs, among others, has been a field general for the defense who has absolutely helped clamp down on opponents throughout his career, including en route to last year's national championship. Replacing him is going to be a tall task.
Ohio State's replacement for Downs: Malik Hartford
It's wild that a former 4-star and Top 75 recruit from 2023 like Malik Hartford isn't considered a lock to be able to replace Downs, but that speaks more to his predecessor. He did play in 14 games for Ohio State last season, though, before injuries limited him to just four appearances this season. The talent and tools are there, but it'd be impossible to say that anyone as unproven is fully ready to replace what Downs meant to this Buckeyes defense.
WR Carnell Tate
Typical for Ohio State, Carnell Tate is going to be either the first or second wide receiver off the board in the 2026 draft. In all likelihood, he's a lock to be a Top 10 pick as well. And when you look at the production despite playing in the same offense as the all-world Jeremiah Smith, it's not hard to see why — especially considering he could've been a first-rounder had he opted for the NFL after last season.
In 10 games entering the CFB Playoff, Tate accrued 48 catches for 838 yards and nine touchdowns. Had he played a full year, he'd have been a lock for a 1,000-yard season, but no one is denying the talent and how substantial of a loss he could be. Good thing the Buckeyes have planted their flag as Wide Receiver U, though!
Ohio State's replacement for Tate: Mylan Graham
Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Ohio State has another 5-star receiver on deck, this time in the case of Mylan Graham. The redshirt freshman in 2025 played sparingly in eight games, but even then still showed some electricity. He caught only six passes, but averaged 15.5 yards per catch with a total of 93 yards on the year. He's an absolute monster who was compared to CeeDee Lamb as a recruit, and could quite seamlessly be able to step in for Tate after his departure.
LB Arvell Reese
Champagne problems for Ohio State, they have potentially another Top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft that they could lose when it comes to Arvell Reese. And point-blank, he might be the hardest to replace, not just because of his elite production — 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for lass, two pass defenses, 62 total tackles — but also because of the versatility he provides. Reese is a unique blend of size and explosiveness, as well as strength, that allows him to attack off the edge but be equally as dynamic in a traditional stand-up linebacker role.
I don't think there are many players in college football at large who could replace Reese, but the Buckeyes have an intriguing talent who can try.
Ohio State's replacement for Reese: Riley Pettijohn
Make no mistake, Riley Pettijohn is young, but the traits are there for the 101st-best recruit in the 2025 cycle. The former 4-star played in all 13 games as a true freshman for the Buckeyes, speaking to his talent, and came up with nine tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defense, and a forced fumble returned for a touchdown. He has the makings of a playmaker and, while living up to Reese's billing is a tall task, Pettijohn is clearly the best chance Ohio State has of finding someone to do so, at least who's currently in the building.
TE Max Klare
You could also throw veteran Will Kacmarek into this as well, as he'll exhaust his eligibility after this season. But losing Max Klare will ultimately feel like the bigger blow after the Purdue transfer shined in his lone season with the Buckeyes offense.
Klare came into the Playoff with 43 receptions, 448 yards and two touchdowns, but that minimizes his impact on the offense. He's been a safety outlet for Julian Sayin throughout the year and a good blocker to help fortify a shaky offensive line. Losing him and Kacmarek will be a tough pill to swallow, but Day and the Ohio State staff have been preparing for this transition.
Ohio State's replacement for Klare: Nate Roberts
Even if Christian Bennett returns for another year, I expect 2025 freshman and former 4-star recruit Nate Roberts to be the one that Ohio State utilizes most in a role similar to Klare's. He was the 10th-best tight end in the recruiting cycle and has the frame that looks like a prototype tight end. Obviously, he's young and inexperienced, but he offers more upside than someone like Bennett at this point, which the Buckeyes made pretty clear in regard to Bennett by going out and adding Klare in the portal.
DT Kayden McDonald
Because of all of the star power in Columbus, it certainly feels like Kayden McDonald has gone underappreciated on a national level. But the big defensive tackle has been a complete game-wrecker for Ohio State this season. He had eight tackles for loss on the year coming into the CFP matchup with Miami, adding more against the Canes. He's a versatile big body that can pin his ears back on passing downs and create pressure up the middle, but is also stout against the run. That all means he'll be sorely missed by the Buckeyes.
Ohio State's replacement for McDonald: Will Smith Jr.
It would appear that the experienced Will Smith Jr. will be stepping into McDonald's role upon the veteran's departure for the NFL, and that should make some Ohio State fans feel a bit better. He was a Top 175 recruit in 2023 and has played in 19 games over the past two seasons, albeit sparingly. This could be a spot where Ryan Day and his staff look to supplement the roster in the transfer portal, but Smith is still a more than fine option if they come up empty-handed in any portal-related pursuits.
LB Sonny Styles
While guys like Reese, Downs and Tate might be considered better NFL Draft prospects than Sonny Styles, the middle linebacker could also be a first-round pick — and the loss for Ohio State might hurt the Buckeyes worse than any of the others when he makes his way to the pros.
Styles has proven to be a do-it-all player and a bonafide leader in the middle of Matt Patricia's defense this year. His range, football IQ and versatility have been infinitely important to the team's success on that side of the ball, and his departure will certainly be one that the Buckeyes feel keenly, even if they have a strong replacement waiting in the wings.
Ohio State's replacement for Styles: Payton Pierce
Pierce was a 4-star recruit and the 15th-best linebacker in the country during the 2024 cycle according to the 247Sports Composite and has already seen the field and been solid as a sophomore in the 2025 season. Pierce appeared in 13 games prior to the College Football Playoff game, recording 41 combined tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception. He has big shoes to fill, but the signs are there that he can step up when called upon.