The 2026 Ohio State recruiting class took a hit last week. In-state corner Jakob Weatherspoon flipped from the Buckeyes to Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels. As a result, the Buckeyes are currently without a true cornerback in the class. They do have Jordan Thomas, a four-star “athlete,” but even then, only one corner in a class is not ideal. Two of the country’s top 12 corners are from Ohio, and the Buckeyes struck out with both.
With the advent of the transfer portal, the future impact may lessen. Even then, with one loss at corner, Ohio State could be in a great position to land a five-star player at another position.
Jakob Witherspoon Out, Bralan Womack In For Ohio State?
On August 23, Bralan Womack, the top safety in the 2026 class, is set to make his decision. Currently, Ohio State is considered the favorite, but it must stave off strong pushes from Florida, Auburn, and Texas A&M. Considering the Aggies stole the top recruit from Ohio (via a flip from Illinois), winning the battle for Womack would be significant. Even then, Ohio State must finish the deal.
247Sports compares Womack to current superstar Caleb Downs, setting the bar high. He possesses every trait a coach would dream up when creating their ideal safety. He has size, athleticism, and a natural football IQ that would give him a legitimate chance to play right away. As a junior in 2024, Womack earned Mississippi Player of the Year honors over the likes of Caleb Cunningham and Deuce Knight, who were both seniors and will be playing in the SEC this fall.
The comparison to Downs is apt. Womack has a knack for knowing what the offense is doing before the offense knows it themselves. He can cover the zone with ease, but can also play man coverage with the best of them. Just like Downs, Womack comes downhill as a run defender and is as sure of a tackler as any in the 2026 class. His athleticism is on display as he is a three-phase star as a receiver, safety, kick/punt returner, and on special teams coverage. He was all over the statsheet with 39 tackles and eight interceptions on defense, with 1,045 yards and 13 touchdowns on 54 receptions on offense. As a returner, he added both a kick and punt return for touchdowns.
An Elite Room
If Womack pledges his future to the Buckeyes, he will join a haul unlike any in Ohio State’s impressive history of recruiting safeties. Usually, bagging multiple top-end talents is reserved for corner and receiver positions. Barring a late flip, the Buckeyes’ efforts at corner are going to fall short of their usual results. Safety, however, is doing quite well.
Heading into 2025, the Buckeyes have Downs, arguably the best defender in college football. With him, there are Jaylen McClain, Malik Hartford, and Brenten Jones battling for time with highly-touted underclassmen, Faheem Delane, Cody Hadaad, Deshawn Stewart, and LeRoy Roker III. In the 2026 class, Ohio State is set to sign five-star Womack along with four-star (seventh-best in the country) Blaine Bradford and four-star Simeon Caldwell (currently rated as the sixth-best linebacker).
Even in such a loaded room, Womack is good enough to stand out from the jump. If Ohio State can land him in a month, it will have another potentially transcendent player.
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