Ohio State Buckeyes' 357-pound Rice transfer has NFL 1st-round potential

Ethan Onianwa is hard to miss.

And if he plays the way some expect he will this season, Ohio State's new offensive lineman should be powering straight into the NFL.

Onianwa transferred to OSU from Rice and is a crucial cog for the defending national champions, who are without four of their starting O-linemen from a season ago.

The 6-foot-6, 357-pounder played four years with the Owls and now takes the big step up in competition to the Big Ten.

Last season, Onianwa allowed no sacks and just eight total pressures while committing just two penalties, per ESPN.

Onianwa played mostly left tackle last season with Rice, and he has experience at both tackle spots.

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He'll get a big test in Week 1 when the stacked Texas pass rush gets a crack at him.

If he passes that test, Onianwa's name should quickly rise up draft boards.

"In a 2026 class that looks loaded at offensive tackle, Onianwa has plenty of competition atop that group," ESPN's Matt Miller writes. "If he can ace the Ohio State schedule and lock down future first-round pass rushers, his stock will soar."

The Buckeyes will especially need guys like Onianwa to step up given that they're breaking in a new quarterback, most likely Julian Sayin.

Will Howard was a veteran by the time he transferred to Columbus to play last season. Whoever wins the job this time around will have a lot less college experience.

That's where the experience of a guy like Onianwa can help even things out. He knows how to keep his QB upright, and that's exactly what Ohio State, and NFL scouts, want to see.

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