The 2026 Ohio State recruiting class is taking shape as we are just about into official visit and commitment season. High schools are out for the summer, camps are kicking off, and the Twitter graphic makers are revving up their machines. For folks who follow high school recruiting, it’s almost as titillating as National Signing Day. As the Buckeyes’ class currently sits, there are 13 rising seniors pledged to Ryan Day’s program. This weekend, he and his position coaches will be working hard to add to the total with plenty of highly-rated recruits on hand.
Ohio State Recruiting Closes May With Massive Weekend of Visits
Big-Time Offensive Talents
Heading to Columbus is quite at the top of the Buckeyes’ wish list at running back, Savion Hiter. Ohio State has been in contention for the five-star back out of Virginia. Already, Carlos Locklyn has a pair of commits locked down, but a strong visit would add a crown jewel at the position. Tennessee looks to be the favorite, and Michigan is putting on a full-court press with former Buckeye coach Tony Alford. However, this will be Hiter’s second visit in five weeks, showing the program is prioritizing him.
Another five-star on campus will be Felix Ojo, an offensive tackle from Texas. If there’s a big fish to be landed, it’s Ojo. One area Buckeye fans have been waiting for development is the offensive line recruiting. To this point, Tyler Bowen has done well with three commits under his wing, two of which are from Ohio. The Buckeyes will have to fend off Ojo’s pick of the litter for his services. The fifth-best overall recruit in the class (according to 247Sports) is expected to be a multi-year contributor and eventual NFL Draft pick. If Bowen can nab Ojo, the Buckeyes can relax their need for multiple transfers on the line moving forward.
Fortifying the Defense
The Ohio State recruiting efforts at linebacker have taken a turn for the better as of late. The 2025 class featured a pair of commits who could challenge for playing time this fall. Currently, there is one three-star linebacker in the class, so getting five-star Xavier Griffin on campus is huge for James Laurinaitis. The USC decommit will be a high priority for not only the Buckeyes but also Florida State, Alabama, and Texas. The experts seem to believe he’s leaning toward the Crimson Tide, who they often compare to Jihaad Campbell.
Larry Johnson’s recruiting chops will get another crack at adding to his defensive line with four defensive linemen on hand. To this point in the process, there are no commits on the defensive line headed to Ohio State.
According to Eleven Warriors, the full list of visitors is:
- Five-star running back Savion Hiter
- Five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo
- Five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin
- Four-star defensive end Luke Wafle
- Four-star defensive end Jake Kreul
- Four-star tight end Mack Sutter
- Four-star defensive lineman Preston Carey
- Four-star safety Donovan Webb
- Four-star defensive tackle Khary Wilder
- Three-star tight end Corbyn Fordham (committed November 28, 2024)
- Three-star offensive tackle Aaron Thomas
Recruiting Momentum
After this weekend, the Buckeyes will have their eyes on a handful of 2026 recruits making decisions in the coming months. The following weekend, five-star safety Jett Washington will be on campus for the third of four visits he will take this summer. Alabama and USC get to see him before Ohio State and Oregon pitch him. On June 19, five-star linebacker Cincere Johnson will pick between Ohio State, Penn State, and Alabama. Joining Johnson will be a handful of priority recruits as well as commits like Blaine Bradford.
Arguably, the top safety in the class, Bralan Womack, is set to commit on August 22. He’s narrowed his field to Ohio State, Florida, Texas A&M, and Auburn
Main Photo: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
