Is Julian Fleming to Penn State an imminent move as Ohio State WR gets mired in transfer portal rumors?

Former Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Julian Fleming decided to enter the transfer portal last week alongside former quarterback Kyle McCord. This was a double whammy for Ryan Day's side.

Fleming announced his departure from Columbus on X, thanking the Buckeyes' fraternity for their support.

“I want to thank Ohio State and all the amazing people who were a part of my rollercoaster of a journey. It was an amazing four years and I have built relationships that will last a lifetime with so many of my fellow players as well as coaches," Fleming tweeted.

"Playing in Columbus has truly been one of the greatest times of my life and I want to take the time to thank the entire Buckeyes nation for all the support! With that being said, I am entering my name into the transfer portal for a final year!”

Fleming and McCord visited the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Monday but it appears as if Fleming is trending towards the Penn State Nittany Lions and McCord towards the Syracuse Orange.

On Thursday, On3's Pete Nakos submitted an RPM pick of 70 percent confidence level that Fleming favors a move to Penn State, suggesting that a move is imminent.

Why did Julian Fleming enter the transfer portal?

Julian Fleming was a big contributor to the Ohio State Buckeyes last season but he got intense competition from fellow wide receiver, freshman Carnell Tate, this season.

On3's Spencer Holbrook appearing on an episode of 'Andy Staples' speculated that the competition from Tate was one of the reasons why Julian Fleming entered the transfer portal.

Fleming caught 26 passes for 270 yards this season while Tate had 260 yards on 17 passes, including a touchdown.

“Carnell Tate split time with Julian Fleming a little bit this year and made Julian’s role a little lesser than it was in 2022,” Spencer Holbrook said. “And that’s okay because Carnell is a really good player that’s going to have a great career at Ohio State.”

Holbrook added that the transfer by Fleming could help him transition better into the NFL when he decides to declare for the draft.

“Great teammate, great presence in the locker room,” Holbrook said. “Now, I just think it’s time for Julian to find a new way to be productive at the college level and try to get to the NFL. It might just be time for Ohio State to move on with the younger guys in the room who are really talented and go with that youth movement in the wide receiver room.”

If the Penn State Nittany Lions manage to bag one of the best wide receivers in the nation from direct rivals, it will be a major coup.