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Ohio State Lands All-ACC Safety Earl Little Jr. From Florida State

The playmaking defensive back arrives to bolster a secondary reshaping following Caleb DownsNFL departure.

Overview

  • Earl Little Jr. committed to the Buckeyes on Jan. 11, per multiple reports led by On3, becoming Ohio State’s fifth transfer addition of the offseason.
  • Little earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2025 after leading Florida State with 76 tackles and four interceptions, plus two forced fumbles.
  • He began his career at Alabama as a four-star 2022 recruit before transferring to Florida State, where he broke out after limited early snaps.
  • Beat-writer projections have Little contending to start in Ohio State’s secondary alongside Jaylen McClain, with his versatility cited as a fit for Matt Patricia’s scheme.
  • Yahoo Sports notes he briefly declared for the NFL draft in December before choosing Ohio State, and he was ranked No. 82 overall in On3’s transfer portal rankings.