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The Buckeyes’ transfer portal class this year was note-worthy, filled with veteran experience and players intended to meet an immediate need. But amidst the hullabaloo, they also made a quieter addition, snagging cornerback Dominick Kelly from Georgia.
Don’t be fooled by the lack of buzz: While Kelly might not have the same proven production as his peers, he’s no less intriguing. In fact, if his upside ends up being as high as it looks, Kelly could very well end up being the biggest steal in this year’s portal class, becoming an enormous impact player for Ohio State in the long run.
As far as experience goes, Kelly has relatively little at the collegiate level. He appeared in 10 games for the Bulldogs last season as a reserve cornerback, logging three tackles and three pass breakups while allowing three catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
It might not seem like much, but the fact that Kelly has any experience at all speaks to his potential. Elite programs like Georgia aren’t in the habit of handing snaps to freshmen cornerbacks, so his 61 defensive snaps (according to Pro Football Focus) indicate the trust Kirby Smart and his staff had in Kelly.
When he ultimately announced his decision to transfer, he was the first member of Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class to leave, and it raised eyebrows from coaches and fans alike. His stats might not seem like much on paper—yet—but Smart’s disappointment at his departure indicates that while Kelly didn’t have a clear path to start in 2026, Smart viewed him as a key piece of the Bulldogs’ longer-term vision.
It was an intriguing decision for Kelly and the Buckeyes both. Ohio State’s secondary is already quite loaded, and with Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Devin Sanchez returning this season, Kelly’s path to a starting role is no clearer at OSU than it was at Georgia. From a development standpoint, the difference between the Buckeye and Bulldog defenses feels marginal.
Still, Kelly adds some much-needed depth for the Buckeyes, and it seems Ryan Day and Matt Patricia have a long-term vision of their own.
Out of high school, Kelly was a four-star prospect, according to his 247Sports composite. A St. Petersburg, Fla., native, Kelly attended Robinson for three years before finishing his high school career at the prestigious IMG Academy, one of the country’s premier high school football programs, where he logged four interceptions his senior year.
Initially a member of the 2026 recruiting class, Kelly ultimately reclassified to the 2025 class. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he comes to Ohio State with three years of eligibility remaining, including the 2026 season.
By all accounts, Kelly is expected to play more of a rotational role this year, slotting in behind Mathews. In fact, many people believe the Buckeyes signed Kelly with the intention of using this year to train him to replace Mathews, who is expected to declare for the NFL Draft after this season.
This gives Kelly a year to learn Patricia’s defensive system while taking meaningful reps, and his presence provides some strong insurance should the Buckeyes have to dip into their reserves for any reason.
But Kelly is making the most of it: He had his black stripe removed after 11 practices last April and boasted an impressive spring showing. Day seems impressed by how quickly Kelly acclimated to Ohio State, as well as the caliber of play we’re seeing from him thus far.
In spring practice, including the student appreciation practice, Kelly solidified himself as a strong roster addition, breaking up passes in the end zone and locking in on coverage.
Kelly went on to earn himself first-team snaps on the first day of fall camp, leading to some speculation that the Buckeyes could shift from two corners to more of a three-player rotation. At the very least, if Day is even considering that as an option, the gap between Kelly compared to Mathews and Sanchez is a smaller margin than initially expected.
While decisions are still being made, it’s clear Day views Kelly as a key piece of this Buckeye defense, both this season and in the future. He has room to grow in both size and experience, but he is already proving he can stay ahead of the learning curve, using this season to refine his skills so he is ready when his number is called. If he continues on his current trajectory, he’ll make a worthy successor for Mathews, assuming it even takes that long.
But whether he miraculously earns a starting job in 2026 or plays a rotational role this season as expected, Day and Patricia seem to be playing the long game with Kelly, whose ceiling looks high. If it requires patience from coaches and fans, remember—some players are worth the wait. Dominick Kelly very well could be one of them.
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