CJ Donaldson Brings ‘Wealth Of Experience,’ Versatility To Ohio State RB Room

The Buckeyes are losing a pair of very experienced running backs this year, so it makes sense that OSU running backs coach Carlos Locklyn went into the portal to sign West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson.

Gone from Ohio State are TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, who have each rushed for over 3,700 in their respective careers, starting dozens of games in the process.

True freshman James Peoples rushed for 197 yards this past season, and he is the only returning scholarship tailback for the Buckeyes since classmate Sam Williams-Dixon hit the portal a few weeks back. Locklyn has also signed three incoming freshmen, but the need for experience was apparent.

Enter CJ Donaldson, who has played three years for the Mountaineers and rushed for 2,058 yards in his career. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Miami native has eight career 100-yard rushing games.

What made him an appealing addition?

“I mean, he’s a veteran back,” Carlos Locklyn recently told Buckeye Huddle. “My job is to go get the best backs and put them in my room. Like Coach Day says all the time, you’re the head coach of your position, so I’m always going to go out and get the best talent. Competition breeds success. That’s my mindset.”

CJ Donaldson will be by far the Buckeyes’ most experienced running back this season. It isn’t always easy for transfers to come in and become a leader of a room, which is why the tone will be set by Locklyn.

“He’s going to feed off of what I’m doing. I’m the coach of the room,” Locklyn said. “So leadership-wise, it’s going to come from me. And then it’s going to go from him to whatever other back, you know? I’ve got to show them how to lead. I think that’s the biggest thing, showing him and the other backs how to lead, that starts with me. But I mean, he’s a 20-year-old kid, already played three years of college football, he’s got a wealth of experience, so I just look forward to working with him.”

Donaldson was a three-star receiver at Gulliver Prep. Soon after he arrived at West Virginia, he was moved to tight end. Shortly after that, they moved him to running back.

As a true freshman with the Mountaineers, he rushed for 526 yards in seven games, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. In his three years at West Virginia, Donaldson also caught 32 passes for 190 yards.

“I think he has the skill set of what teams are looking for now in their running backs,” Locklyn said. “He just can’t be a runner now. He can probably line up wide, probably line up in the slot, catch the ball out of the backfield. I mean, there’s a number of things you can do with him. He runs between the tackles. I think he’s a very talented man.”

CJ Donaldson has 13 career starts to his credit and over 400 carries. He’s played in nearly three dozen games in college, but Carlos Locklyn is convinced there is still more to see from the rising senior.

“I don’t think he’s scratched the surface of what he’s capable of,” Locklyn said. “But I know his running back coach over there at West Virginia, Chad Scott, he’s done an excellent job with the young man. I’m just going to try to build off of the foundation he gave me.”

[CJ Donaldson header photo courtesy of the West Virginia Dept. of Athletics.]

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