Former Ohio State running back James Peoples is transferring to Penn State football, he announced on social media Tuesday evening. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Peoples was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2024 out of San Antonio, ranked as the No. 115 overall prospect, No. 8 running back, and No. 19 player from Texas, according to the 247Sports Composite. He earned an offer from James Franklin and his staff in the process, but the Nittany Lions were not among his final schools. He chose Ohio State over Oklahoma, among others, in April 2023.

Despite being in a loaded depth chart that included future NFL second-round picks TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Peoples burned his redshirt in 2024, making 49 carries for 197 yards and two touchdowns, playing primarily in garbage time.

After Henderson and Judkins left, he entered a platoon system with freshman Bo Jackson and transfer senior CJ Donaldson Jr., increasing his role and seeing him tally 61 carries for 344 yards and three touchdowns, along with 10 catches for 50 yards out of the backfield.

Still, he was third in the pecking order and did not get a carry in the final three games of the season before entering the transfer portal when it opened. Upon entering, the 5’10” tailback was assigned a four-star rating and ranked as the No. 13 running back in the portal.

Peoples averaged 4.9 yards per carry in his two years with the Buckeyes and showed an ability to be a factor in the pass game as a sophomore. He figures to compete for touches in 2026 with the returning Quinton Martin Jr. and Iowa State transfer Carson Hansen.