Little Jr. joined Parker in officially becoming a Buckeye on Saturday. The former All-ACC safety arrived in Columbus after two years at Alabama and two years at Florida State. He has recorded 93 tackles with three tackles for loss, one sack, four interceptions and two pass breakups across 35 career games.
Little Jr. is one of two transfers the Buckeyes brought in at safety, along with former Duke defensive back Terry Moore. Little Jr. is expected to play nickel for the Buckeyes, while Moore is projected as a free safety.
MARCH 28, 2026
Kyle Parker
Parker’s status as the first Buckeye to have his black stripe removed this spring was revealed by Ohio State wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton during an interview session after Ohio State’s fifth practice of the spring.
Zone 6 adds a Fast & Physical Baller to the room. Welcome, @realkp4_ pic.twitter.com/SohsEE4MH8
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 28, 2026
The stripe removal made Hankton think of another former wide receiver at LSU, Kyren Lacy, who died by suicide last April.
“To see KP, who was like a brother to Kyren, taking that black stripe off, man, it was really just fun and heartwarming to watch, because I know that dude would be smiling for him,” Hankton said. “I can see them dancing in the corner and celebrating. And it’s days like today that truly lets you take the perspective of being thankful and grateful to be in this position to coach.”
Parker, a redshirt junior, is competing for a starting wide receiver job at Ohio State this spring after catching 31 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns at LSU in 2025. His achievement of losing his black stripe before any other player this spring suggests his quest to earn that job – or at least a significant spot in the rotation – is off to a great start.
Ohio State’s 2026 Black Stripe Removals
Player
Pos
Year
Date
KYLE PARKER
WR
REDSHIRT JUNIOR
MARCH 28
EARL LITTLE JR.
S
REDSHIRT SENIOR
MARCH 28
Be sure to check out our Black Stripe Tradition page to see the history of Ohio State’s black stripe removals from 2012, when the tradition started, all the way through today.