Ohio State Buckeyes Lose Out on Top Transfer Defender to Oregon

The Ohio State Buckeyes have lost a major transfer portal battle to the Oregon Ducks.

Nov 30, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Ke'Shawn Williams (5) runs the ball while Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) defends in the first half at Memorial Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes were hopeful of landing a major defensive transfer in the portal. Dillon Thieneman, a transfer from the Purdue Boilermakers, was a player that Ohio State was very interested in.

Unfortunately, the Buckeyes have lost that battle to the Oregon Ducks.

According to a report from Chris Hummer of 247 Sports, Thieneman has made his commitment to Oregon. He was the 247 Sports True Freshman of the Year in 2023.

Losing out on Thieneman to the Ducks was a tough blow. He would have been a perfect fit alongside of Caleb Downs in the secondary and would have given Ohio State arguably the best safety duo in the nation.

Oregon has been a thorn in the side of the Buckeyes. They stole away Na'eem Offord on the recruiting trail and now they have won the sweepstakes to land Thieneman's commitment.

During the 2024 season, Thieneman put up huge numbers for Purdue. He ended up recording 104 total tackles to go along with a sack and six defended passes. In his freshman season, he had an even bigger year.

Thieneman was a dominant force and a huge playmaker for the Boilermakers in 2023. He totaled 106 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles, six interceptions, and two defended passes.

Now, the unfortunate part of this news is not that Ohio State won't land Thieneman, but they will also have to play against him in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes aren't scheduled to play the Ducks in the regular season, but they're likely to end up seeing them at some point in the postseason.

Ryan Day and the coaching staff have to be very disappointed. But, the name of the game in recruiting is that you win some and you lose some.

Hopefully, the program is able to land a few key pieces in the transfer portal. There are still plenty of talented players available and Ohio State is still one of the top potential destinations for those players.