COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State’s defensive line depth took a hit on Friday as rising redshirt junior defensive tackle Hero Kanu entered the transfer portal, seeking a fresh start for his final two years of college football.
Kanu arrived in Columbus as a raw, highly athletic prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, ranked 129th overall and 19th among defensive linemen according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Originally from Germany, where he played soccer before transitioning to football, Kanu moved to the United States for his senior year of high school, playing for Santa Margarita Catholic in California.
After redshirting his first year, Kanu saw limited action in his second season. However, he did find some rotational playing time this past year, recording 14 tackles and a sack. Despite this, he played only 123 snaps in 2024, which was the fifth-most among Buckeye defensive tackles. Freshman Eddrick Houston ultimately surpassed Kanu on the depth chart as the season progressed.
With two years of eligibility remaining, Kanu now looks for a new home to finish his college career.
As the Buckeyes move into 2025, the departure of senior defensive tackles Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams leaves a void at the position. Junior Kayden McDonald appears to be the frontrunner for the starting nose guard role, having received the third-most snaps among Ohio State’s interior linemen last season. Houston’s strong late-season performance suggests he could be in line for the three-technique role, but competition will come from redshirt sophomore Jason Moore and redshirt senior Tywone Malone.
Additionally, redshirt sophomore Will Smith Jr. and redshirt freshman Eric Mensah round out the returning defensive tackle group. Ohio State will also welcome a trio of highly-touted four-star freshmen — Jarquez Carter, Trajen Odom, and Maxwell Roy — adding more competition to the mix.
