Ohio State’s search for a new anchor in the middle has led straight to Alabama, and James Smith arrives in Columbus with something to prove.
With Kayden McDonald off to the NFL after going in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft to the Houston Texans, the Buckeyes have a major opening to fill at defensive tackle. Ryan Day and Matt Patricia explored every corner of the transfer portal, and Smith became one of the biggest answers they found.
The former five-star recruit never quite matched the hype in Tuscaloosa, but the raw production was still there. Over three seasons at Alabama, Smith played in 37 games and piled up 50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. As a junior, he started 12 games for an Alabama team that reached the College Football Playoff before falling to Indiana in the quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl.
There were flashes along the way, too. Smith’s showing against Michigan in the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl stood out, and Ohio State fans will remember it well. He finished with a career-high four tackles at the time, and two of them came behind the line of scrimmage, including the first sack of his college career.
If he brings that kind of edge when Ohio State and Michigan meet in Columbus in late November, Smith could hear plenty of love from the home crowd in what will likely be his final game at Ohio Stadium.
His 2025 season at Alabama followed a familiar pattern: a strong finish to his sophomore year raised expectations, but he never fully hit the level people were waiting for. His best outings came against Louisiana-Monroe, when he logged three tackles for loss, and against Tennessee, when he posted a career-high seven tackles and a sack. He appeared in 15 games and started 12 of them.
Now the job is different. McDonald is gone, and Smith is very much in the mix to help replace him. Ohio State is expected to use a timeshare with Smith and Eddrick Houston at defensive tackle, a setup that should keep both players fresher and make life harder on opposing offensive lines late in games.
Smith has already noticed the difference in his new environment, and he put it plainly: “Everything is so much faster at Ohio State.”
That kind of comment says plenty about where he’s coming from and what he’s walking into. It also hints at why the Buckeyes may be such a good fit.
Larry Johnson has a track record of getting the most out of talented defensive linemen, and during spring practices he called Smith a “work in progress.” Even so, the upside is obvious.
Smith has the size, power, and explosiveness that can turn a transfer into a real difference-maker.
He also didn’t arrive alone. Qua Russaw came over from Alabama as well, giving Smith a familiar face in the room.
Ohio State has become a destination for former Tide players in the post-Nick Saban era. Caleb Downs, Seth McLaughlin, and Julian Sayin all made the move a couple years ago, and now Smith and Russaw are part of that pipeline.
Smith can return in 2027 for a fifth season if he chooses, but the focus now is immediate impact. If he helps the Buckeyes on defense the way they hope, he won’t need long to win over Columbus - and Ohio State would gladly take one big season from him if it helps push the program toward a second national title in three years.
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