WR Brandon Inniss made his decision public on Thursday. Ohio State’s captain is staying for another season in Scarlet and Gray. He entered the offseason listed behind Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith in the receiver pecking order with 36 catches, 271 yards, and three touchdowns. With one leaving, he’s now stepping up in his captain role with his former high school teammate. 

“The newest Ohio State safety getting his first experience with Buckeye nation,” Adam King of 10TV reported on X on January 20. “OSU Captain Brandon Inniss is at the hoops game with Earl Little Jr, the two were high school teammates.”

On Wednesday night, cameras caught Brandon Inniss courtside at an Ohio State basketball game, sitting next to newly arrived safety Earl Little Jr. But these two already shared history together. 

Brandon Inniss and Earl Little Jr. crossed paths at American Heritage High School in Miami Gardens. Little Jr. arrived there already carrying expectations. He played corner, ran track, handled special teams, and contributed as early as his freshman year. By 2020, he was starting on a state title team. His coach, Patrick Surtain Sr., knows professional standards, and he rarely offers praise lightly.

As for Brandon Inniss, Surtain once described him as “selfless,” pointing to a 2021 stretch when the receiver was asked to take snaps at QB. He did the job. That reputation followed him to Columbus, where he became a captain without ever being the loudest voice in the room.

Earl Little Jr.’s road was more volatile. He signed with Alabama as the No. 12 CB in the 2022 class, spent a season in Tuscaloosa, then transferred to Florida State. By 2025, he had become one of the ACC’s most productive safeties. He led the Seminoles with 76 tackles, added four interceptions, forced two fumbles, and earned second-team All-ACC honors. He won FSU’s Defensive MVP award and the Bobby Bowden Leadership Award. He recorded at least five tackles in ten of twelve games. Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing just 14 catches on 22 targets across 342 coverage snaps.

Little Jr. initially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, then reversed course and entered the transfer portal instead. Ryan Day moved quickly. On January 12, On3 reported that he had committed to the Buckeyes as the No. 7 safety and No. 82 overall player in the portal rankings. And it’s a nice addition to an Ohio State transfer situation that’s seeing multiple losses. 

Brandon Inniss is lending a hand to Ryan Day

This offseason, Ryan Day watched more than 30 players leave through the portal and the draft. The departures created panic among fans, especially as Ohio State stayed quiet during the portal’s opening week. The secondary took the biggest hit. Safety Caleb Downs declared early, CB Davison Igbinosun moved on, and Nickel Lorenzo Styles Jr. exited. And that reality set the stage for a late but decisive response from the Buckeyes staff.

Ohio State added six transfers in a 24-hour window on January 12, cutting through weeks of noise with precision. Earl Little Jr. was the headliner on the back end. His experience, versatility, and production address a unit that needed stability as much as talent. He arrives as a one-year solution with immediate expectations. 

Brandon Inniss understands that transition better than most. His presence beside Little Jr. was about accountability. It’s about one leader recognizing another and making sure the message is clear early. Ohio State is reloading. And the players who chose to stay are making sure the newcomers understand what that means.

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