Gophers lineman Phillip Daniels transfers to Ohio State
Minnesota now has to replace four of its five starting offensive linemen.
The Gophers’ loss is Ohio State’s gain.
Minnesota offensive tackle Phillip Daniels entered the NCAA transfer portal on Monday and the Cincinnati native signed with the Buckeyes on Wednesday. He visited Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday.
As a redshirt freshman, Daniels moved into the starting lineup at Minnesota for the Illinois game Nov. 2 and remained there for the final four games of the regular season.
Daniels is now a projected starter for the Buckeyes next fall; the Gophers will play at Ohio State on Oct. 4.
Rumors of Daniels to Ohio State started immediately after he entered the portal and the quick commitment begs questions on what might have happened behind the scenes to bring on the switch for the 6-foot-6, 330-pound player.
Daniels was reportedly interested in Ohio State coming out of Princeton High School, but didn’t receive an offer from the in-state powerhouse. He is the cousin of former Buckeyes star OT Paris Johnson.
The exit of Daniels means Minnesota will lose four of its five offensive linemen from this year. In turn, the U will need to try to find replacements via the portal. They have communicated with a handful of candidates but have yet to have an O-lineman commit among its 10 pledges.
Left tackle Aireontae Ersery, the Big Ten offensive lineman of the year, has accepted a spot in the Senior Bowl and factors to be a high pick in the NFL in April. Left guard Tyler Cooper and right guard/right tackle Quinn Carroll are seniors and will prepare for a shot at the next level. Center Greg Johnson is expected to return for 2025.
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