In the Ryan Day era, the Ohio State recruiting classes have been home to all kinds of top-end receiver talents. While the Buckeyes have missed out on the top 10 wide receivers in the 2025 class, they have been building up with other highly-rated recruits. On Saturday, August 31, as the Buckeyes were gearing up for/taking down/getting back from beating Akron, four-star Phillip Bell committed to the program.
Bell is considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports and is the 30th-ranked receiver in the class. Additionally, he’s the 22nd-best player from the state of California. Bell becomes the 26th commit to the Buckeyes’ top-ranked class and fourth wide receiver.
Ohio State won a battle with new Big Ten rival USC for the California native. Bell is the first Californian in the Ohio State 2025 recruiting class.
BREAKING: Four-Star WR Phillip Bell III has Committed to Ohio State, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’2 195 WR from Mission Viejo, CA chose the Buckeyes over USC
“Buckeye type, I love you mom #zone6ski”https://t.co/4BpvXSmOp6 pic.twitter.com/q6GtBghpA2
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 1, 2024
Ohio State’s 2025 Recruiting Class Adds Phillip Bell
Hailing from Mission Viejo, California, Bell is a six-foot-three, 195-pound playmaker. He spent his first two seasons at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento and was one of California’s top receivers from the jump. As a freshman, he hauled in 57 passes for 1,002 yards and 12 touchdowns. Then, as a sophomore, he amassed 818 yards and 20 touchdowns off 73 catches.
Last year, in the jump in competition, he added 56 receptions for 633 yards and seven touchdowns.
Bell has great ball skills and incredible body control. 247Sports asserts that he is more quick than he is fast. With a great route-running ability to go with that agility, Bell can create the separation that a faster receiver couldn’t. Despite being a tad smaller, he can fight through contact and can win 50/50 balls in the red zone. He’s as sure-handed as they come and can make the difficult catch with incredible concentration in traffic.
His track speed/acceleration is evident when he takes off after the catch. Further, he was one of the top performers from the SoCal Under Armour Next Camp in March.
