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Ohio State football offers transfer portal defensive tackle with pass rush background

C.Thompson3 months ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With the entire trio at the top of its defensive tackle rotation considering NFL opportunities, Ohio State football likely needs help there in the transfer portal.

Confirmation came Wednesday that they are seeking it. Former Middle Tennessee State defensive tackle Marley Cook announced he received an offer from the Buckeyes. According to On3.com, Cook said he plans to visit Miami and Ohio State in the coming weeks.

While the portal does not open for all players until Monday, Cook can enter early as both a graduate transfer and because MTSU made a coaching change.

Cook started his MTSU career in 2019 out of Water Valley, Mississippi. Listed as a three-star offensive line prospect in the 247 Sports national composite, ranked in the 2000s, Cook grew into an impact defensive tackle at the Group of Five level.

In 2022, his first season as a full-time starter, Cook posted 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. That put him on the Lombardi Trophy watch list for this season, where he collected 6 TFLs, one sack and one interception while again starting every game.

The 6-2, 298-pound Cook averaged 55 snaps per game for MTSU. He graded out a solid 73.4 for the season, per Pro Football Focus. That included an 80.8 game grade against Alabama in the season opener.

Regardless of whether Cook could transfer in and play at an OSU starter’s level, bolstering depth at defensive tackle is likely an offseason priority. Depending on pending NFL decisions, the room could lose all of Jaden McKenzie, Tyleik Williams, Mike Hall Jr. and Ty Hamilton. Williams in particular may have elevated his pro stock so substantially this season that he cannot pass up the opportunity.

Redshirt freshman Hero Kanu gradually earned more playing time last season. True freshman Kayden McDonald also earned more trust as the year progressed. Jason Moore and Will Smith also joined via the 2023 signing class, though the latter spent much of the season unavailable due to injury.

Tywone Malone, who transferred in from Ole Miss last May, had only a minor role in his first OSU season. In the worst-case scenario, all of the above would leave the defensive tackle group with no proven veterans and an extremely young profile.

Cook is the kind of player who could help on both accounts. Plenty of other teams feel the same way, though. He has also announced offers from Baylor, Boston College, Cal, Kansas, Louisville, Missouri, Tennessee and TCU, among others, in addition to the Hurricanes.

Ohio State coaches return to the road when the post-Thanksgiving dead period lifts on Friday. They have already made their first appeal to Cook.

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