What Kaleb Browns transfer to Iowa means for Ohio State football

COLUMBUS, Ohio Despite his obvious talent, Kaleb Brown couldn’t find a direct route to a role at receiver for Ohio State football.

He might help revamp Iowa’s entire offense. Second year receiver announced the Hawkeyes as a transfer target on Thursday via Instagram.

Brown put his name on the transfer portal last Sunday, the last day of the spring window. He made 24 snaps as a true freshman. Overall, his transition from running back to receiver went well.

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However, with Emeka Egbuka and Xavier Johnson in place and freshman Brandon Inniss arriving this summer, Brown faced a roster squeeze as he earned the starting job.

However, in the Iowas’ offensive wasteland, he will be a Day 1 difference maker.3 The Hawkeyes brought in former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara in a transfer this offseason. Tight end Sam LaPorta left for the NFL, but more receiving weapons were needed.

Fifth-year Nico Ragaini, the leading returning receiver, ranked outside the top 1,000 out of high school in the 247 Sports composite. None of the wide receivers who played last season ranked in the top 300 nationally.

This lack of talent contributed to Iowa averaging just 17.7 points per game and ranking last among Big Ten Conference teams in total offense. Brown, at No. 79, was the highest-ranked 2022 receiver among OSU’s four-man signing group.

All of which explains McNamara’s response to Brown’s social media announcement.

Boom. Let’s work, McNamara wrote.

The Big Ten has yet to announce the league schedule for 2024 and beyond. It is not yet known when Ohio State will face Iowa again. However, OSU AD Gene Smith told cleveland.com last fall that one aspect of future schedules was to make sure all league teams play each other home and away every four years.

Chances are, the Buckeyes will eventually get a close look at the latter stages of Brown’s promising development.

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