Former Arizona State Running Back DeaMonte Trayanum Transferring To Ohio State

The Akron native will play linebacker for the Buckeyes, who also recruited him out of high school.

Arizona State sophomore running back DeaMonte Trayanum announced on Saturday afternoon he is transferring to Ohio State, where he'll move to linebacker.

Coming back home playing defense, ain’t no other way to do it! O-H 🌰 #AnotherKidFromAkron pic.twitter.com/i7kOJU5DAo

— DeaMonte “Chip” Trayanum (@Chipperrz_) December 25, 2021

A former four-star prospect from Akron Archbishop Hoban, Trayanum was targeted by the Buckeyes as part of the 2022 recruiting cycle. The staff wanted him as a linebacker, but he was focused on playing running back at the next level instead.

The 5-foot-11 and 235-pound Trayanum rushed for 691 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games for the Sun Devils over the last two seasons. He dealt with an ankle injury early this fall and then had ball security issues that kept him off the field later in the year.

That said, Trayanum was in line to be Arizona State’s starting running back next fall with Rachaad White off to the NFL until he unexpectedly entered his name into the transfer portal in late November.

Of course, Ohio State doesn’t have a need at running back with TreVeyon Henderson coming off a breakout freshman year and plenty of depth behind him in redshirt sophomore Marcus Crowley, redshirt freshman Miyan Williams, true freshman Evan Pryor and incoming freshman Dallan Hayden.

There’s also redshirt junior Master Teague, who has two years of eligibility remaining but could opt to move on from the program after participating in Senior Day festivities ahead of the win over Michigan State on Nov. 20.

On the other side of the ball, however, the Buckeyes have a perfect blueprint for how to successfully transition from running back to linebacker in redshirt sophomore Steele Chambers, who did just that this season.

That position group didn’t exactly live up to the standard set by the Silver Bullets of years past, so adding a athlete of Trayanum’s caliber to a group that includes seniors Teradja Mitchell and Palaie Gaoteote; redshirt sophomore Tommy Eichenberg; sophomore Cody Simon; redshirt freshman Mitchell Melton; true freshman Reid Carrico; and incoming freshmen C.J. Hicks and Gabe Powers will only create some much-needed competition. 

Trayanum will have four seasons of immediate eligibility remaining with the Buckeyes after the NCAA granted an extra year to all student-athletes amid the pandemic.

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