Oklahoma State Transfer Defensive Back Will Join Jim Knowles At Ohio State

Two weeks ago, starting defensive back Tanner McCalister announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal. Pokes Report confirmed with McCalister himself when he gave the quote: “It’s just a case of me seeing if there is anything better for me in my final year,” McCalister said. “It’s nothing with OSU. I love OSU and everything is good. I talked to my position coach and I’m just seeing what is possibly out there for me and I will discuss it with my family.”

The two-year Cowboys starter has now gone public with his new school and he will be joining his former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles at Ohio State. 

McCalister told me after the Fiesta Bowl that Ohio State was a real possibility of his next school. It did not take long for it to come to fruition. 

McCalister has been the biggest hit of the group of transfers to announce their departure as the safety out of Rockwall, Texas, has been responsible for 119 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and one interception in his career. He has been a staple member of the secondary for the Cowboys in the past two seasons. 

The 2021 season was originally scheduled to be McCalister’s senior and final season in Stillwater, but COVID-19 allows him another year of eligibility.

McCalister is the second starting defensive back to announce his departure of the program as Tre Sterling announced his intentions to declare for the NFL Draft. 

Christian Holmes is known to be heading to the NFL as he has graduated, so now comes the decisions of Kolby Harvell-Peel and Jarrick Bernard-Converse. Both players have expressed that they will use this week to make decisions with their families. 

So, it is very possible the Cowboys will be replacing 4/5 of their starting secondary for the 2022 season. The one player who is known to be staying as of right now is Jason Taylor II, who just finished his first year of starting at safety.

At the cornerback position, the two first replacements to pencil in are Korie Black and Jabbar Muhammad. At safety, there are tons of names such as Kendal Daniels, Thomas Harper, Nick Session, Kanion Williams, Lyrik Rawls, and Ty Williams, most of whom are in their first or second year in the program.