Among the players set to leave Ohio State, the Buckeyes will have the most ground to cover in replacing their departing linebackers. Ryan Day made significant progress in that regard by landing former Wisconsin linebacker Christian Alliegro, who was also considering Texas, from the college football transfer portal.
After visiting Ohio State and Texas, Alliegro committed to the Buckeyes on Thursday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported. The junior has one year of eligibility remaining after three years in Madison.
Alliegro joins the Buckeyes with 120 career tackles, including 49 in 2025. He also recorded a career-high four sacks in his junior season. He was third on the team in tackles, behind star freshman duo Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano.
With Ohio State set to lose NFL Draft prospects Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles at the heart of their defense, adding a veteran like Alliegro was exactly what the doctor ordered. The Buckeyes are set to lose their top four leading tacklers from the 2025 season, a number that could increase if defensive end Kayden McDonald declares for the 2026 NFL Draft.
In addition to the NFL Draft losses, Ohio State's defense could entirely flip on its head in the upcoming offseason. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who has a wealth of experience in the NFL, is receiving interest from organizations at the next level and could depart in the coming months.
The Buckeyes have already lost offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, potentially forcing Day to replace the majority of his coaching staff. Despite two consecutive College Football Playoff berths, Ohio State has not won a Big Ten title since 2020.
