Mitchell Melton Intending To Enter Transfer Portal After The Season

Ohio State fifth-year senior defensive end Mitchell Melton intends to enter the transfer portal following the season.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the news.

Melton has played in every game this season for the Buckeyes, save for the trip to Wrigley Field against Northwestern. For the season he has 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks.

Despite being a fifth-year senior, this is just the second year that Melton has been healthy and playing. He played his first game in the season opener as a true freshman in 2020, but did not play again that season. He was then lost for the season in both 2021 and 2022.

Last year, Melton landed all three of his tackles in the backfield, including a sack.

Melton was a four-star prospect out of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland where he was the No. 11 outside linebacker in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 184 player overall.

The Buckeyes are now losing their three senior defensive ends from this year’s squad, as starters Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau will both be off to the NFL after the season.

Melton has one year of eligibility remaining, but could probably successfully petition for a second as well.

Buckeye Huddle’s Tom Orr and Tony Gerdeman discuss the transfer news of Mitchell Melton and what it means for the Buckeyes.