Tag: ohio state recruiting

In-state 2026 offensive tackle has Ohio State football in his top group

The Buckeyes continue on in his recruitment. #GoBucks

In recruiting, it’s never too early to go after upcoming classes and Ohio State football is on top of its game.

One of the Buckeyes biggest targets is a local product, Avon Lake offensive tackle, [autotag]Maxwell Riley[/autotag]. The 6-foot, 5-inch, 263-pound lineman narrowed down his recruiting list on Tuesday to just seven schools: Michigan State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida State, Clemson and Ohio State.

Riley is a priority prospect for the Buckeyes, not just due to the fact that he resides in Ohio, but his elite play as well. He’s ranked as the nation’s No. 57 overall prospect, 9th offensive tackle and second in the state according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

At this stage of the 2026 cycle, Ohio State has just one commitment, wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., who is originally from Ohio but is currently finishing his high school career in California.

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Seven-foot center has Ohio State in list of final eight schools

Buckeyes hoping for some help in the paint #GoBucks

Jake Diebler and the Ohio State basketball team got some good news recently when one of the top centers in the country put the Buckeyes on his trimmed list.

Malachi Moreno is a seven-footer with great length and athletic fluidity who can score and protect the rim. He is rated as the No. 2 overall center according to 247Sports composite rankings. While he has taken an unofficial visit to Ohio State, it sounds like he is in no hurry to make a commitment having no other official visits currently scheduled.

Other schools that made the shortlist include Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, and Notre Dame.

Take a look at some of the big man’s highlights below.

It’s still early, but this would be a huge catch for Diebler and the Buckeyes. If there is one place Ohio State basketball has lacked consistency it’s at the center position.

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Ohio State basketball makes final cut for in-state guard who will commit next week

Could the Buckeyes get a basketball BOOM! next week? #GoBucks

Although Ohio State basketball does not yet have a commitment for its 2025 recruiting class, that doesn’t mean the Buckeyes recruiting momentum has stopped.

Typically, when a new coach arrives, in this case Jake Diebler, a team sees a jump with prospects. In Ohio State’s situation, it was more in the transfer portal, but it did receive a commitment from 2026 in-state star point guard Marcus Johnson.

Ohio State once again didn’t have to go far for one of its top recruiting targets, as Cleveland’s [autotag]Dorian Jones[/autotag] is among the nation’s best, ranking as the No. 72 overall prospect and 12th shooting guard. He narrowed his list to four schools — Missouri, Michigan, Rutgers and the Buckeyes.

The 6-foot, 4-inch, 160-pound Jones will make his commitment in a week, on the first of July. Hopefully he opts to stay home and play for the Buckeyes.

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BOOM! Ohio State football adds elite pass rusher Zion Grady to its 2025 recruiting class

The Buckeyes stay hot on the recruiting trail. #GoBucks

The final weekend of the summer official visit season was a huge success for Ohio State football.

The Buckeyes hosted multiple prospecst and grabbed a commitment from offensive lineman Jake Cook on Sunday. The good news for OSU continued on Monday, as Alabama defensive end, [autotag]Zion Grady[/autotag], verbally committed to Ohio State.

At 6-foot, 4-inches and 235-pounds, Grady is ranked as the nation’s No. 66 overall prospect and 6th edge rusher according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. With him joining Ohio State’s defensive line class, the Buckeyes now have three of the country’s best along with London Merritt and Zahir Mathis.

Once again defensive line coach Larry Johnson shows that he’s not quite finished, reeling in the trio of elite players. Ohio State’s 2025 class continues to pace the sport, ranking No. 1 according to the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings.

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Elite USC defensive line target Trajan Odom set to make decision

USC is going after a defensive lineman who could thrive under Eric Henderson.

Trajen Odom, a 6-foot-4 285 pound defensive lineman currently residing in Matthews, North Carolina, had his official visit with USC this past weekend. Odom, who was born down the street from the Trojan campus in Inglewood, has expressed he is very comfortable with the area where he still has family.

Odom is coming off four official visits the past month to LSU, UCLA, Ohio State, and Oregon prior to USC.

Defensive line coach Eric Henderson likes his linemen to be versatile. Odom’s size and athleticism would allow him to play all along the line for the Trojans.

Odom summed up his concerns and Lincoln Riley’s answer to his doubts in  an interview with Anna Adams from 247Sports.

“I expressed that he hasn’t led a program that has been known for an elite defense. He’s been known for his offensive success. And now he’s got a new defensive staff and how will that mesh? That was my biggest worry. He said that they have different guys in the program now, some that they have hand-picked as a staff and it’s players they have wanted in the program. He also said that in going to any school, there will always be doubts about something as a recruit. Nothing will be perfect. He said their defense is a work in progress and they’re building it to be something special and he has plans to continue to elevate the program. He wants me to be a part of that and feels strongly that I can make an immediate impact.”

Odom has stated that he plans to make his decision by June 28, or even sooner.  We will find out soon enough if he shares Riley’s vision of a return to dominant defenses at Troy.  Adams believes that Ohio State is the team to beat for his signature.

https://twitter.com/traajenn/status/1803822527170359759

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Ohio State football offers 2025 in-state wide receiver committed to Kentucky

The Buckeyes are trying to flip the in-state receiver. #GoBucks

It seems like Ohio State football’s depth chart is scaring away more than a few of its top 2025 targets, especially at wide receiver.

The Buckeyes do have commits from Quincy Porter, De’Zie Jones and Bodpegn Miller, but the coaching staff was looking to add one or two more elite players to join them. It currently doesn’t look like that will be the case as on Sunday they offered in-state receiver [autotag]Preston Bowman[/autotag], who is currently committed to Kentucky.

The Pickerington North product stands 6-feet and weighs 190-pounds, and is ranked as the country’s No. 1242 player and 179th wide receiver according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Although his recruiting ranking may not be very high at all, if Ohio State makes an offer, especially at receiver, you know it’s going after a very good player. It remains to be seen how much of an impact the scholarship will have on Bowman.

This report from 247Sports Allan Trieu makes it seem like he’s firm with the Wildcats, but an Ohio State offer is typically a game-changer.

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Ohio State football misses out on another 2025 offensive tackle

The offensive line recruiting misses are starting to add up. #GoBucks

Although Ohio State football gained a commitment from in-state 2025 offensive lineman Jake Cook, it wasn’t all good new for the Buckeyes this weekend.

Another top target, Alabama offensive tackle [autotag]Micah DeBose[/autotag], who at one point was trending to Ohio State, opted to stay home and play for the Crimson Tide. The 6-foot, 5-inch 315-pounder made his official visit to Columbus two weeks ago, but Ohio State couldn’t get him to join the class.

Alabama gets one of the top offensive lineman in the country. DeBose was ranked the nation’s No. 89 overall player and No. 8 at his position on the 247Sports composite.

Ohio State has Cook and high four-star Carter Lowe committed at the moment. There is still hope of reeling in a big prospect. Five-star David Sanders Jr. is currently on an official visit while another elite lineman, Josh Petty, took one last weekend.

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BOOM! 2025 offensive lineman commits to Ohio State

Another Boom! over the weekend. #GoBucks

Things just keep clicking along for the Ohio State football 2025 recruiting class, and the Buckeyes gained another commitment on Sunday when in-state talent, Jake Cook pledged to OSU. He is expected to play center.

A local standout from Westerville North High School in the northern suburbs of Columbus, Cook is rated a three-star prospect as the 39th-best interior offensive lineman in the class of 2025 on the 247Sports composite. While the recruiting profile and rankings will not send shock waves through the college football world, you can bet the OSU coaches like what they see or the offer and commitment would not have come.

For Ohio State, it is the 18th commitment in the 2025 class, one that continues to set the pace across the country and one that still has plenty of big targets in the mix to come to Columbus. Cook’s commitment makes it two offensive lineman in the class with OSU looking to land much more for the cycle (queue up the David Sanders Jr. watch).

It is a notoriously busy time of the year for recruiting and we’ll continue to bring you any new pledges, buzz, and the like as we continue to head towards the start of fall camp.

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Ohio State basketball reaches out to for transfer guard

The Buckeyes could plug their guard vacancy with Cochran. #GoBucks

With the season-ending injury to Ohio State men’s basketball guard Taison Chatmam, the Buckeyes are a bit light at the position heading into the season.

New head coach [autotag]Jake Diebler[/autotag] has done a great job working the transfer portal, and now he looks to be doing it again. According to a report by The Portal Report, Ohio State has made contact with Toledo’s [autotag]Tyler Cochran[/autotag], who had committed to Oregon State, but has reopened the process.

Although the Illinois native has jumped around to three schools (Northern Illinois, Ball State and Toledo), it hasn’t been due to production. In his collegiate career, Cochran has shot 47.3% from the field, and 34% from beyond the arc.

Multiple programs have done the same as Ohio State, but clearly the need is there for the Buckeyes and proximity could play in their favor with 6-foot, 2-inch, 225-pound Cochran.

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Ohio State football misses on another 2026 quarterback, Brady Smigiel

On to the next one for the Buckeyes in 2026. #GoBucks

Although it is extremely early in the 2026 cycle, Ohio State football might be falling behind the eight-ball with its recruitment of quarterbacks.

Some of the Buckeyes top targets like Jared Curtis, and Dia Bell have already made their choices to played elsewhere. You can now add [autotag]Brady Smigiel[/autotag] to that list because on Saturday afternoon he committed to Florida State. The 6-foot, 5-inch, 205-pound Californian is ranked as the nation’s No. 53 overall player and 5th quarterback according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Ohio State annually brings in top quarterback talent, which could be an issue for the 2026 class as it looks at depth charts. Anyone that commits now will most likely have to wait behind Julian Sayin or Air Noland for their turn if they were to choose the Buckeyes.

Since Smigiel is now off the board, you can expect Ohio State to turn up the heat on Faizon Brandon, Jonas Williams and Jaden O’Neal (who is set to make a commitment on Monday.)

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