Recruit Joshua Mickens visits Ohio Stadium during the Ohio State, Michigan game. Joshua Mickens Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

UConn Lands Ohio State Transfer Pass Rusher

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI
By Shivani Menon | Last updated Jan 21, 2026 8:57 AM ET

The UConn Huskies' winter of uncertainty is starting to turn into something more interesting. Jim Mora’s sudden exit to Colorado State, no doubt, derailed the program's momentum, with multiple players decommitting and many entering the transfer portal. However, now, with Jason Candle officially stepping in on a six-year deal through 2031, all hope might not be lost.

The Huskies are going full throttle into the portal this season, and now, they have landed yet another player. UConn has landed Ohio State edge rusher Joshua Mickens, a former top-120 national recruit who arrives with a Big Ten pedigree and untapped upside.

Mickens is a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end who spent three seasons at Ohio State, redshirting in 2023 before appearing in five games in 2024 and seven more in 2025. Over that span, he had 12 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a sack.

While the numbers don’t seem like much, let’s not forget Mickens was fighting for snaps on a CFP title-winning roster. To make things more interesting, Mickens was a four-star prospect in the 2023 class, the No. 101 overall recruit in the country, the No. 14 edge rusher nationally, and the No. 1 player in Indiana.

At Lawrence Central High School, Mickens had 74 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks as a senior, after an even more explosive junior year with 23 TFLs, 12 sacks, and five forced fumbles. That kind of production does not simply disappear; it just needs a stage.

Now that untapped potential comes to Storrs, Mickens joins a crowded, dangerous defensive line room. He becomes the latest addition to a portal class that already includes Anas Luqman from Ohio, Desmond Aladuge from Duke, Melvin Hills III from Texas, Esean Carter from Toledo, Andrew Laurich from Colorado State, Jamel Howard from Wisconsin, Tahjae Mullix from Oregon State and Shamar Riser-Pressley from Buffalo.

Despite 40+ additions, the Huskies, haven’t stopped just yet. Only hours after the Ohio State news broke, they landed yet another piece, this time on the offensive line.

Jason Candle Lands a Transfer From Virginia Tech

The Huskies have landed Hannes Hammer from Virginia Tech. Hammer is a 6-foot-7, 313-pound tackle and is the Huskies' sixth offensive line transfer. He was born in Cologne, Germany, and played his high school football at North Cross School in Virginia before joining Virginia Tech as part of the 2023 recruiting class.

Virginia Tech OT Hannes Hammer is committing to UConn, a source tells @chris_hummer.

The 6-foot-7, 313-pound redshirt junior appeared in six games the past two seasons. He has two years of eligibility remaining.https://t.co/eQu7jprID2… pic.twitter.com/nGYIncCzox
— 247Sports Transfer Portal (@247SportsPortal) January 21, 2026

After redshirting that year, he appeared in one game in 2024 before a season-ending injury, then returned in 2025 to play in five games, primarily on special teams. Now he arrives in Storrs.

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