Ohio State suffered a significant loss in December when No. 1 overall 2024 recruit Dylan Raiola decommitted. However, since the recruiting cycle got busy, no other program has done a better job of accumulating high-end high school football talent from around the country.
Over the last two weeks, the Buckeyes have gotten a flurry of new commitments from blue-chip recruits, including four-star twin offensive tackles Deontae Armstrong and Devontae Armstrong from St. Edward (Ohio). They have also replaced Raiola with Langston Hughes (Ga.) four-star quarterback Air Noland.
The latest addition is Lovejoy (Texas) four-star linebacker Payton Pierce.
Committed to The Ohio State University. pic.twitter.com/T9cQjgevQf
— Payton Pierce (@payton_pierce26) April 11, 2023
According to On3, Pierce had offers from nearly 40 other schools, including Texas, Baylor, North Texas, TCU and Texas A&M. However, Pierce told Nick Harris at Rivals that Ohio State is a special opportunity.
“I have a really great relationship with Coach Laurinaitis. He’s done it at the highest level and he’s done it the right way. I think it’s really cool to have someone who knows how to do it at that university and at that position so I think it’s just a really special opportunity. Their defense fits me real well.”
Pierce (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) is ranked No. 15 among linebackers in his class and No. 27 overall in the state of Texas.
Ohio State’s class of 2024 now has 10 hard commits, with nine of them having a four or five-star rating. This group ranks No. 2 in the nation.
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