Ohio State transfer should be on Penn State Football’s radar

A former Buckeye and five-star recruit is in the transfer portal and it would be smart of Penn State Football head coach James Franklin and company if they gave him a look

Penn State Football head coach James Franklin accurately predicted that there would be a wave of activity in the transfer portal after spring practices.

One of the most recent additions to the portal is former Ohio State safety Tyreke Johnson, a former five-star recruit who made the announcement official via his twitter profile earlier this week.

The junior will have two years of eligibility remaining after he arrived on campus in Columbus in 2018. Between 2019 and 2020, Johnson played in 12 games and totaled eight tackles. He saw action in only 77 snaps in last years Covid shortened season.

Johnson was as highly coveted a recruit as they come in the 2018 class, ranked as the 21st best player in the class, and second-ranked safety in the country according to 247sports. It has not panned out the way either side hoped in his three years in Columbus, but that does not mean Johnson is not talented and cannot be an instant contributor at his next stop.

Rivals own Mike Farrell is reporting that Florida, Oregon and Florida State among others have been aggressive in their pursuit of the former five-star, but it would make too much sense for Penn State Football to throw their hat in the ring for Johnson.

The Nittany Lions did not offer the Jacksonville native out of high school, but with the current state of the safety room in Happy Valley, they may want to try and establish that relationship now. Presumed starter Ji’Ayir Brown suffered an injury this spring, and although we still do not know the full extent of the injury, it could play a factor in whether or not he is ready for camp or the beginning of the regular season.

Outside of Brown, Jonathan Sutherland is the logical guy to step into a starting role while we have also seen sophomore Keaton Ellis potentially making the position change to safety from cornerback, something that was rumored back in the beginning of the offseason. Whether he is able to contribute at safety is unknown though, and regardless it is a room that could use an influx of talent like Tyreke Johnson.

The secondary has been an issue over the past few seasons for defensive coordinator Brent Pry, and while this cornerback group might be the best they have had in some time, safety is still an are of concern, and one Franklin mentioned all offseason as a position they would target in the portal if it was the right fit.