Ohio State's Transfer Class: Who's Up, Who's Down in Final 247Sports Rankings?

As we delve into the latest scoop on Ohio State’s basketball roster moves, let me hit you with some straight talk — Ohio State’s 2025 transfer portal class ain’t playin’ around, it’s like they’ve been plotting their comeback like a phoenix risin’ from the ashes. They’ve snagged three transfers, mind you, each of ’em ranking in the top 300 according to 247Sports.com. That’s right, they’re reinforcing with the best of the best, pulling talent that’s statistically sharp, not just some wild cards hoping to land a big fish.

And boy, did they reel in a monster in Christoph Tilly, a 7-foot, 240 lbs. bruiser from Santa Clara who averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds last season. He’s not just a player; he’s a force that’s gonna set the Big Ten alight. He does need to continue his scoring streak, averaged above 12.5 points a game, if Ohio State wants to compete for the natty. You eye-witness it live, but seeing it in numbers is a different ball game. LEARN MORE

AI-assisted summary
• Ohio State added three transfers, all ranked within the top 300 by 247Sports.com.
• The Buckeyes’ top transfer, Christoph Tilly, averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds at Santa Clara.
• Ohio State lost five players to the transfer portal, none ranked within the top 200.

Finally, center Austin Parks has transferred to Toledo after two years with the Buckeyes. His averages of 1.3 points and 0.9 rebounds in 15 appearances made him the No. 431 transfer prospect.Center Aaron Bradshaw, who averaged 6.0 points and 2.7 rebounds, is No. 221 and has transferred to Memphis. Forward Sean Stewart averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds with the Buckeyes. He is No. 246. Stewart entered the portal in the final hours before it closed and has not yet committed to a school. Both Bradshaw and Stewart have two years of eligibility remaining. They played their freshman years at Kentucky and Duke, respectively.The portal closed on April 23, and players didn’t have to pick a school by that date, but they did have to be in the portal by then in order to remain eligible at their new school for the 2025-26 season.

With the closing of the portal, ESPN ranked Ohio State as the preseason No. 24 team nationally.

In a year when more than 2,500 players reportedly entered the portal, the Buckeyes have seen five players depart and three players sign.Both are more experienced than Ohio State’s third signee. Centerville, Ohio, native Gabe Cupps played as a freshman at Indiana in 2023-24. He suffered a knee injury in 2024-25 and, assuming he is granted a medical redshirt, will have three years remaining to play for the Buckeyes. The 6-2, 180-pound guard is the No. 298 transfer in the class. As a freshman, he averaged 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists while playing in 33 games (22 starts) and averaging 21.7 minutes per game.

Wright State transfer Brandon Noel is also a top-200 prospect. A 6-8, 240-pound forward, who – like Tilly – has one year of eligibility remaining, Noel is No. 181 in the rankings. In 2024-25, Noel averaged a career-high 19.0 points with 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the Raiders.That’s another way of saying Ohio State’s not done adding to its roster. The Buckeyes remain in the market for a wing and a forward to complete their 2025-26 team, while current signees Christoph Tilly, Brandon Noel and Gabe Cupps all rank inside the top 300 nationally – even if it’s by a slim margin.

All three members of Ohio State’s 2025 transfer class are ranked among the top 300 transfers in the final 247Sports.com rankings.

Evan Mahaffey is No. 301. He played one year at Penn State and the last two at Ohio State, where last year he averaged 3.6 points and 3.1 rebounds and blocked 28 shots in 31 games. He has one year of eligibility remaining and will play at Akron.

None of Ohio State’s outgoing transfers rank among the top 200. The highest-rated, guard Meechie Johnson Jr., is No. 205. He will play at South Carolina and apply for a medical hardship waiver after playing in 10 games for the Buckeyes last year, averaging 9.1 points and 2.7 assists.Tilly, a 7-foot, 240-pound center from Santa Clara, is Ohio State’s highest-rated transfer to this point. He’s the No. 115 transfer in the 247Sports rankings after averaging 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds while leading the West Coast Conference with a 55.4 shooting percentage and starting 31 games for the Broncos.Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at [email protected], on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.

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