Ohio State to add duo from Alabama out of transfer portal

Ohio State landed two transfers from Alabama on Jan. 12, adding to a portal haul that nearly doubled over a single day.

Defensive tackle James Smith and linebacker Qua Russaw both announced plans on social media to join the Buckeyes in 2026.

It was a sort of package deal as Smith and Russaw had visited schools together after entering the transfer portal last week. They were teammates as well at Carver High School in Montgomery, Alabama.

They provide the Buckeyes with a mix of starting experience and upside.

Smith is the more established of the two transfers, having made 12 starts for the Crimson Tide as a junior last fall when he had 28 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The transfer rankings by 247Sports considered him to be the No. 1 interior defensive lineman available during the offseason window, which opened on Jan. 2.

Russaw started three of the first four games for Alabama last season until he suffered a foot injury in a win over Georgia on Sept. 27 that sidelined him for more than a month. He missed six games and did not return until a week before the Nov. 29 game against Auburn.

The Crimson Tide listed Russaw as a linebacker, but he often lined up on the edge of the defensive line as a standup pass rusher. According to Pro Football Focus, just over three-fourths of his 618 snaps on defense in 2025 and 2024 were on the defensive line.

Russaw has totaled 50 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions in 22 career games.

As a result of taking a redshirt as a freshman in 2023, Russaw has two years of eligibility left, while Smith is entering his last year of eligibility.

Both should compete for starting jobs. Ohio State lost both of its starting defensive tackles, as well as Arvell Reese, the linebacker who was also used as a hybrid edge defender.

Smith and Russaw grew the number of commitments or signings on Jan. 12 to five, following Maryland quarterback Justyn Martin, Northwestern tight end Hunter Welcing and Duke safety Terry Moore.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at [email protected] and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: James Smith, Qua Russaw to transfer from Alabama to Ohio State