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Ohio State set to host one of the top transfer portal players for a visit, but it looks like they’ll have to battle Georgia to land him

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Apr 16, 2025 10:41 PM ET

The spring transfer portal isn’t as active as the winter portal for college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes likely won’t do a ton of work with it this spring.

However, Ryan Day did say after the spring game that the Buckeyes will take a look at the defensive line to potentially make addition(s) there.

"I think we've got to take a hard look at it," Day said. "I don't think I have the answer right now. But we've got to look at it. It seemed to me like there was just a lot of knock back on the offensive side of the ball here. But then again, I don't want to make any judgments until I watch the film."

Ohio set to host North Carolina EDGE Beau Atkinson

According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, former North Carolina standout DE Beau Atkinson will take a visit to Columbus. Atkinson will visit Georgia as well and it appears this could be a battle between two of college football’s better teams to land one of the top players in the portal.

NEWS: North Carolina standout transfer EDGE Beau Atkinson will visit Ohio State & Georgia, @on3sports has learned

Atkinson, one of the Top Players in the Portal, has totaled 11 Sacks through 2 seasons

Plans to add more visits as his process goes on https://t.co/1Bi914u4Zs pic.twitter.com/e7AN9p0vBJ
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 16, 2025

Atkinson had 35 tackles (12 TFL) and 7.5 sacks during his sophomore season last year with the Tar Heels. As a freshman, Atkinson made 19 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 13 games played. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound pass rusher was a four-star recruit out of high school in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the No. 22 EDGE in the class of 2022, per 247 Sports Composite.

Ohio State lost both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau to graduation and will likely lean on fourth-year players Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson in 2025 to be their starters. The Buckeyes brought in FCS transfer Logan George and C.J. Hicks has one year of eligibility left and will be a pass rusher as well.

Atkinson will have two years of eligibility remaining and would give the Buckeyes depth next year and beyond. It won’t be easy to land him though, as Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs are in pursuit as well.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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