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LGHL Ohio State offer was a long time coming for potential legacy Buckeye Jason Singleton
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Ohio State offer was a long time coming for potential legacy Buckeye Jason Singleton
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Offers are starting to roll in for the son of former Ohio State captain Jason Singleton.
It was a long time coming, but on Wednesday, Jason Singleton finally earned a scholarship offer from the program he’s been following his entire life. Ohio State has been keeping tabs on Singleton for some time now, but the rising senior and three-star guard announced Wednesday that he officially was offered an athletic scholarship by Jake Diebler and the Ohio State men’s basketball program.
Singleton is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard and is currently listed as the No. 175 player in the nation, the No. 17 combo guard in the 2026 class, and the seventh-best player in the state of Ohio. The Buckeyes are the fifth power conference school to offer Singleton, following Nebraska, Creighton, Xavier, and DePaul — coached by former Ohio State head man Chris Holtmann. Singleton has also received offers from Ohio, Miami (OH), Dayton, Davidson, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan, Harvard, and Yale.
247Sports National Basketball Director Eric Bossi recently described Singleton, the son of former Ohio State captain Jason Singleton, one of the “fastest rising players in the class of 2026.” Bossi also noted that Singleton has a chance to crack the top-150 as he continues to ascend.
The leader of Columbus Academy’s state runner-up team this past season, Singleton helped lead the Vikings to a 28-1 record and a run all the way to the Division-V state championship game this past season, falling to Cleveland Lutheran Heights in the final game of the year. It was the school’s first state title game appearance since 1981. Singleton finished with 27 points and nine rebounds in the title game.
Despite consistent production for Columbus Academy, Singleton’s recruiting rankings have lagged behind, likely because of the quality of his opponents in the Central Buckeye League. However, if you can play, they will find you, and big-time programs are starting to find him.
He holds offers from Ohio State and Nebraska out of the Big Ten, but Northwestern has also been sniffing around. Creighton and DePaul out of the Big East have both offered. Singleton could get an elite education and potentially play in March Madness if he picks Harvard or Yale.
Even though he describes guys like Michael Redd and Scoonie Penn as “uncles” and grew up watching Ohio State football and basketball, that does not mean the Ohio State offer wraps up his recruitment. The 2026 Ohio State backcourt already a bit crowded, and the availability of minutes could play a role in his decision.
John Mobley Jr. has two more years of eligibility after this season, and will hold down a starting spot until he graduates or leaves for the NBA. Taison Chatman and Gabe Cupps both have multiple years of eligibility left, and will be fighting for big-time minutes in 2026 when Bruce Thornton graduates. Serbian freshman guard Mathieu Grujicic, who committed to Ohio State earlier this week, has four years of eligibility. Four-star guard Marcus Johnson, the No. 30 player in the 2026 class, has been committed to Ohio State for over a year now.
Singleton has not laid out a timeline of when he will make a decision or cut down any type of list of finalists. There’s a growing crowd of suitors for the tall combo guard, but a Singleton wearing an Ohio State jersey under the bright lights just seems right.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Offers are starting to roll in for the son of former Ohio State captain Jason Singleton.
It was a long time coming, but on Wednesday, Jason Singleton finally earned a scholarship offer from the program he’s been following his entire life. Ohio State has been keeping tabs on Singleton for some time now, but the rising senior and three-star guard announced Wednesday that he officially was offered an athletic scholarship by Jake Diebler and the Ohio State men’s basketball program.
Singleton is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard and is currently listed as the No. 175 player in the nation, the No. 17 combo guard in the 2026 class, and the seventh-best player in the state of Ohio. The Buckeyes are the fifth power conference school to offer Singleton, following Nebraska, Creighton, Xavier, and DePaul — coached by former Ohio State head man Chris Holtmann. Singleton has also received offers from Ohio, Miami (OH), Dayton, Davidson, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan, Harvard, and Yale.
247Sports National Basketball Director Eric Bossi recently described Singleton, the son of former Ohio State captain Jason Singleton, one of the “fastest rising players in the class of 2026.” Bossi also noted that Singleton has a chance to crack the top-150 as he continues to ascend.
The leader of Columbus Academy’s state runner-up team this past season, Singleton helped lead the Vikings to a 28-1 record and a run all the way to the Division-V state championship game this past season, falling to Cleveland Lutheran Heights in the final game of the year. It was the school’s first state title game appearance since 1981. Singleton finished with 27 points and nine rebounds in the title game.
Despite consistent production for Columbus Academy, Singleton’s recruiting rankings have lagged behind, likely because of the quality of his opponents in the Central Buckeye League. However, if you can play, they will find you, and big-time programs are starting to find him.
He holds offers from Ohio State and Nebraska out of the Big Ten, but Northwestern has also been sniffing around. Creighton and DePaul out of the Big East have both offered. Singleton could get an elite education and potentially play in March Madness if he picks Harvard or Yale.
Even though he describes guys like Michael Redd and Scoonie Penn as “uncles” and grew up watching Ohio State football and basketball, that does not mean the Ohio State offer wraps up his recruitment. The 2026 Ohio State backcourt already a bit crowded, and the availability of minutes could play a role in his decision.
John Mobley Jr. has two more years of eligibility after this season, and will hold down a starting spot until he graduates or leaves for the NBA. Taison Chatman and Gabe Cupps both have multiple years of eligibility left, and will be fighting for big-time minutes in 2026 when Bruce Thornton graduates. Serbian freshman guard Mathieu Grujicic, who committed to Ohio State earlier this week, has four years of eligibility. Four-star guard Marcus Johnson, the No. 30 player in the 2026 class, has been committed to Ohio State for over a year now.
Singleton has not laid out a timeline of when he will make a decision or cut down any type of list of finalists. There’s a growing crowd of suitors for the tall combo guard, but a Singleton wearing an Ohio State jersey under the bright lights just seems right.
Continue reading...
LGHL Player(s) to Watch: Ohio State’s seven returning starters chasing rare repeat
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Player(s) to Watch: Ohio State’s seven returning starters chasing rare repeat
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes’ small handful of veterans look to lead the way for a second-straight national title.
The phrase has always been that Ohio State doesn’t rebuild, it only reloads. That theory is going to be put to the ultimate test in 2025, as the Buckeyes return only seven players that started at least half of their games during their national championship season.
Entering the 2024 campaign, Ryan Day saw a ton of his players put off the NFL Draft for one more year in Columbus, and the result was a roster laden with premier veteran talent. Guys like Jack Sawyer, TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka and a handful of others came back with unfinished business, and in a season the players themselves deemed ‘Natty or Bust’, managed to achieve the ultimate goal.
Ultimately, that meant the ensuing offseason would see a mass exodus of supremely important names. Following its national title, Ohio State had 14 players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft — the most of any program and tying a school record set back in 2004. It is the fifth time since 1994 that at least 10 Buckeyes were drafted, and it included four first round picks led by Egbuka at No. 19 and seven players total in the first two rounds.
With so much of last year’s team now gone, it leaves a small handful of guys in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to lead the charge for a rare national championship repeat. Only seven teams in college football history can lay claim to uncontested back-to-back national titles, with seven others claiming co-championships in at least one of the two seasons.
If the Buckeyes are going to go down in history as one of the elite programs ever to achieve the elusive feat, it will be on the backs of the seven returning players that helped Ohio State reach the top of the mountain in 2024.
That conversation, of course, begins with Jeremiah Smith. A five-star freshman that entered the season with the loftiest of expectations, Smith shattered even the wildest dreams of what Buckeye Nation thought the elite wide receiver could be.
Smith finished the year with 76 catches for a team-high 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, including more one-handed grabs and big catch-and-run chunk plays in one season than many guys will have in their entire careers. The Miami Gardens native capped off his scintillating campaign with a 56-yard reception on 3rd-and-11 to effectively ice the national championship game against Notre Dame, finishing the contest with five catches for 88 yards and touchdown.
With a new quarterback in place — likely redshirt freshman Julian Sayin — as well as a new-but-familiar offensive coordinator in Brian Hartline, the ceiling of what Ohio State’s offense can be in 2025 will rely on what an encore performance looks like for the nation’s best wide receiver.
Joining him in making a first-time starting QB’s life easier will be fellow wideout, Carnell Tate. As the No. 3 guy in the room last year behind Smith and Egbuka, Tate had a breakout sophomore season with 52 catches for 733 yards and four TDs. A former five-star prospect in his own right, the Chicago native made some huge plays for the Buckeyes throughout the year, and should have zero issue seeing his workload increase even further.
Elsewhere on offense, the only other two players that return with any sort of starting experience are offensive linemen Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola.
Hinzman made massive strides this past season after a rough 2023 campaign in which he was likely forced into action a year early. Beginning the 2024 season on the bench, Hinzman was thrust into the starting lineup at guard following the injury to Josh Simmons that moved Donovan Jackson to tackle. After the subsequent injury to Seth McLaughlin, Hinzman moved back to his natural position at center and flourished as the starter over the team’s final six games.
On the flip side, Tshabola earned the starting right guard job right out of the gate last season, but ended up in a bit of a time share at the position with Austin Siereveld. Showcasing his versatility and a ton of improvement as the year wore on, Tshabola finished with the third-most snaps of any Ohio State offensive lineman — behind only Jackson and Josh Fryar — and played at least 40 snaps in 11 games and at least 30 snaps in all 16.
While returning only four starters on offense seems troubling, the Buckeyes have a ton of young talent around them to shoulder the load, and will be able to lean on this quartet of experienced guys if times get tough. It is also one more starter than Ohio State returns on defense, which loses eight of 11 starters from 2024, including the entire defensive line.
On the bright side, one of the trio of starters that does return on that side of the ball happens to be the best safety and one of the best overall defensive players in college football in Caleb Downs.
Transferring in from Alabama following SEC Freshman of the Year and Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year honors in year one with the Crimson Tide, Downs followed up his stellar debut campaign with a dominant sophomore season at Ohio State. The do-it-all safety racked up 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions, six pass breakups and half a sack playing in the middle of the Buckeyes’ defense.
Even more than the counting stats, which were impressive in their own right, was what Downs allowed defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to do with the rest of the defense. Downs played a hybrid middle linebacker/safety role with the Buckeyes, and made his presence felt on nearly every play whether it be a run or pass. The unanimous First Team All-American will now be expected to help lead a new Ohio State defense under Matt Patricia as, effectively, a coach on the field.
Joining him in the backfield will be a pair of familiar faces in Sonny Styles and Davison Igbinosun.
Styles became a completely different guy by the end of the season in his first full year at linebacker, having moved down from his initial role at safety. Following some early struggles, Styles emerged as one of Ohio State’s best defensive players, finishing second on the team behind Cody Simon with 100 tackles to go along with 11 TFLs and six sacks. A special athlete with another offseason under James Laurinaitis, the Buckeyes will be expecting big things from Styles as a senior.
Igbinosun was a tale of two players in his second year with Ohio State after transferring in from Ole Miss. When he was at his best, he was leading the Buckeyes with nine pass breakups to add to 45 tackles and a pair of interceptions. When he wasn’t, his physical style of play led to far too many pass interference penalties. Iggy is a dominant coverage cornerback and came up clutch in some really big moments, he just needs to figure out a way to clean up on those seemingly weekly calls in this his senior season.
With an entirely new group up front, Downs, Igbinsoun and Styles will be relied upon to carry the torch in the back seven. There are a bunch of players around them that have logged a good deal of valuable reps, with guys like defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., linebacker Arvell Reese and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. all playing more than 300 snaps in 2024, but losing eight starters could still be tough to overcome early on.
At the end of the day, this Ohio State team is still choc full of high four and five-star players that are more than capable of getting the job done. It will be a very different Buckeyes team than the one that relied on a large group of returning seniors to win the national title last season, but one that features a number of new breakout stars and can look to its seven returnees for guidance along the way.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes’ small handful of veterans look to lead the way for a second-straight national title.
The phrase has always been that Ohio State doesn’t rebuild, it only reloads. That theory is going to be put to the ultimate test in 2025, as the Buckeyes return only seven players that started at least half of their games during their national championship season.
Entering the 2024 campaign, Ryan Day saw a ton of his players put off the NFL Draft for one more year in Columbus, and the result was a roster laden with premier veteran talent. Guys like Jack Sawyer, TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka and a handful of others came back with unfinished business, and in a season the players themselves deemed ‘Natty or Bust’, managed to achieve the ultimate goal.
Ultimately, that meant the ensuing offseason would see a mass exodus of supremely important names. Following its national title, Ohio State had 14 players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft — the most of any program and tying a school record set back in 2004. It is the fifth time since 1994 that at least 10 Buckeyes were drafted, and it included four first round picks led by Egbuka at No. 19 and seven players total in the first two rounds.
With so much of last year’s team now gone, it leaves a small handful of guys in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to lead the charge for a rare national championship repeat. Only seven teams in college football history can lay claim to uncontested back-to-back national titles, with seven others claiming co-championships in at least one of the two seasons.
If the Buckeyes are going to go down in history as one of the elite programs ever to achieve the elusive feat, it will be on the backs of the seven returning players that helped Ohio State reach the top of the mountain in 2024.
That conversation, of course, begins with Jeremiah Smith. A five-star freshman that entered the season with the loftiest of expectations, Smith shattered even the wildest dreams of what Buckeye Nation thought the elite wide receiver could be.
Smith finished the year with 76 catches for a team-high 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, including more one-handed grabs and big catch-and-run chunk plays in one season than many guys will have in their entire careers. The Miami Gardens native capped off his scintillating campaign with a 56-yard reception on 3rd-and-11 to effectively ice the national championship game against Notre Dame, finishing the contest with five catches for 88 yards and touchdown.
With a new quarterback in place — likely redshirt freshman Julian Sayin — as well as a new-but-familiar offensive coordinator in Brian Hartline, the ceiling of what Ohio State’s offense can be in 2025 will rely on what an encore performance looks like for the nation’s best wide receiver.
Joining him in making a first-time starting QB’s life easier will be fellow wideout, Carnell Tate. As the No. 3 guy in the room last year behind Smith and Egbuka, Tate had a breakout sophomore season with 52 catches for 733 yards and four TDs. A former five-star prospect in his own right, the Chicago native made some huge plays for the Buckeyes throughout the year, and should have zero issue seeing his workload increase even further.
Elsewhere on offense, the only other two players that return with any sort of starting experience are offensive linemen Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola.
Hinzman made massive strides this past season after a rough 2023 campaign in which he was likely forced into action a year early. Beginning the 2024 season on the bench, Hinzman was thrust into the starting lineup at guard following the injury to Josh Simmons that moved Donovan Jackson to tackle. After the subsequent injury to Seth McLaughlin, Hinzman moved back to his natural position at center and flourished as the starter over the team’s final six games.
On the flip side, Tshabola earned the starting right guard job right out of the gate last season, but ended up in a bit of a time share at the position with Austin Siereveld. Showcasing his versatility and a ton of improvement as the year wore on, Tshabola finished with the third-most snaps of any Ohio State offensive lineman — behind only Jackson and Josh Fryar — and played at least 40 snaps in 11 games and at least 30 snaps in all 16.
While returning only four starters on offense seems troubling, the Buckeyes have a ton of young talent around them to shoulder the load, and will be able to lean on this quartet of experienced guys if times get tough. It is also one more starter than Ohio State returns on defense, which loses eight of 11 starters from 2024, including the entire defensive line.
On the bright side, one of the trio of starters that does return on that side of the ball happens to be the best safety and one of the best overall defensive players in college football in Caleb Downs.
Transferring in from Alabama following SEC Freshman of the Year and Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year honors in year one with the Crimson Tide, Downs followed up his stellar debut campaign with a dominant sophomore season at Ohio State. The do-it-all safety racked up 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions, six pass breakups and half a sack playing in the middle of the Buckeyes’ defense.
Even more than the counting stats, which were impressive in their own right, was what Downs allowed defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to do with the rest of the defense. Downs played a hybrid middle linebacker/safety role with the Buckeyes, and made his presence felt on nearly every play whether it be a run or pass. The unanimous First Team All-American will now be expected to help lead a new Ohio State defense under Matt Patricia as, effectively, a coach on the field.
Joining him in the backfield will be a pair of familiar faces in Sonny Styles and Davison Igbinosun.
Styles became a completely different guy by the end of the season in his first full year at linebacker, having moved down from his initial role at safety. Following some early struggles, Styles emerged as one of Ohio State’s best defensive players, finishing second on the team behind Cody Simon with 100 tackles to go along with 11 TFLs and six sacks. A special athlete with another offseason under James Laurinaitis, the Buckeyes will be expecting big things from Styles as a senior.
Igbinosun was a tale of two players in his second year with Ohio State after transferring in from Ole Miss. When he was at his best, he was leading the Buckeyes with nine pass breakups to add to 45 tackles and a pair of interceptions. When he wasn’t, his physical style of play led to far too many pass interference penalties. Iggy is a dominant coverage cornerback and came up clutch in some really big moments, he just needs to figure out a way to clean up on those seemingly weekly calls in this his senior season.
With an entirely new group up front, Downs, Igbinsoun and Styles will be relied upon to carry the torch in the back seven. There are a bunch of players around them that have logged a good deal of valuable reps, with guys like defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., linebacker Arvell Reese and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. all playing more than 300 snaps in 2024, but losing eight starters could still be tough to overcome early on.
At the end of the day, this Ohio State team is still choc full of high four and five-star players that are more than capable of getting the job done. It will be a very different Buckeyes team than the one that relied on a large group of returning seniors to win the national title last season, but one that features a number of new breakout stars and can look to its seven returnees for guidance along the way.
Continue reading...
LGHL Players to Watch: Lorenzo Styles Jr. working for a bigger role in the Ohio State secondary
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Players to Watch: Lorenzo Styles Jr. working for a bigger role in the Ohio State secondary
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images
The Pickerington Central product will have the first crack at replacing Jordan Hancock at the nickelback position.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the Buckeyes we expect to excel this season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Players to Watch” articles here.
Lorenzo Styles Jr. has had quite an interesting college career so far. The Pickerington Central product was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, originally committing to Notre Dame as a wide receiver.
Heading to South Bend felt a little strange since Styles’ father played for the Buckeyes from 1992 to 1994 before playing in the NFL for six seasons. Styles’ mother also attended Ohio State, and younger brother Sonny was part of the 2022 recruiting class of the Buckeyes.
After graduating from Pickerington Central in 2020, Styles didn’t take long to make some noise at wide receiver for the Fighting Irish. In 2021, Styles caught 24 passes for 344 yards, followed by a 2022 season that saw him grab 30 passes for 340 yards.
Despite Notre Dame falling to Ohio State in the 2022 season opener, Styles had a moment he’ll never forget, hauling in a 54-yard pass under the lights at Ohio Stadium. While Styles probably grew up thinking he would be making big plays at the iconic college football stadium, he likely didn’t imagine he would be doing so as a member of the visiting team.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26018211/usa_today_19242353.jpg "Syndication: South Bend Tribune")
Michael Caterina / USA TODAY NETWORK
Despite becoming a trusted option at receiver in the Notre Dame offense, the lure of returning home was too much for Styles to ignore. In June 2023, Styles announced he was not only transferring to Ohio State, he would also be moving from wide receiver to defensive back.
With the incredible depth the Buckeyes have at wide receiver, it was determined that Styles would have a chance to make a bigger impact on the field in the secondary. Since he would be switching positions, Styles used his redshirt during the 2023 season, so he could become more familiar with life on defense and what would be expected of him when he did end up taking the field.
While Styles didn’t see a ton of playing time last season, every one of the 161 snaps he played over 16 games was important since there was a bigger plan in place. With Jordan Hancock holding down the nickelback role in the secondary, last year was all about Styles getting his feet wet at the position as he shadowed the future NFL defensive back.
Since Ohio State knew they would have to replace Hancock heading into the 2025 season, Styles would essentially be in an apprenticeship program, which would allow him to have first crack at filling the vacated spot.
Styles finished the 2024 season with 16 tackles and four passes defensed. As if just being able to play for the Buckeyes on the same defense as younger brother Sonny wasn’t thrilling enough, Lorenzo was part of an Ohio State team that won the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, ironically enough winning the title against the program where he started his college football career.
The Styles brothers were two of the four Buckeyes that attended Pickerington Central on last year’s title team.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26018214/2190747984.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 21 CFP First-Round - Tennessee at Ohio State")
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
If Styles is able to continue his growth at defensive back, the Ohio State secondary could be one of the top units in the country this year. The group features safety Caleb Downs, who figures to be a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Sitting behind those starting cornerbacks are underclassmen Devin Sanchez and Aaron Scott Jr., who figure to replace Igbinosun and Mathews as starters following this season.
What is going to determine how much playing time Styles sees this year is how much growth Sanchez and Scott show in preseason camp. Sanchez is definitely the wild card of the group since he was one of the top defensive back recruits in the country and many are projecting him to be a breakout star despite not yet having played a snap in a college football game.
If Sanchez is able to impress the coaching staff early, Styles could see his snaps cut into since Matt Patricia, Tim Walton, and Matt Guerrieri will look for ways to get Sanchez involved on the field.
Along with the veteran experience he possesses, one thing that sets Styles apart from the other cornerbacks on the team is he has an understanding of what opposing receivers are thinking and the tactics they are going to use since he spent two years as a wide receiver at the college level.
With his previous experience on the other side of the football, Styles should be able to anticipate better what he’ll see from receivers he is going to be tasked to cover. Not only will Styles use that knowledge to try and slow down opponents, he can also give his teammates pointers on what they might see thrown at them.
No matter what happens this year with Styles and Ohio State, the defensive back will have a college career that many players could only dream of. Styles has been able to play for two of the most prestigious programs in college football history, winning a national title against the team he started his college career with.
Along with winning a championship, Styles was able to do it with his brother. By doing so, Lorenzo and Sonny were able to accomplish a feat their father wasn’t able to at Ohio State. Although, at least for now Lorenzo Styles Sr. can remind his sons that he has a Super Bowl ring and they don’t yet.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images
The Pickerington Central product will have the first crack at replacing Jordan Hancock at the nickelback position.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the Buckeyes we expect to excel this season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Players to Watch” articles here.
Lorenzo Styles Jr. has had quite an interesting college career so far. The Pickerington Central product was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, originally committing to Notre Dame as a wide receiver.
Heading to South Bend felt a little strange since Styles’ father played for the Buckeyes from 1992 to 1994 before playing in the NFL for six seasons. Styles’ mother also attended Ohio State, and younger brother Sonny was part of the 2022 recruiting class of the Buckeyes.
After graduating from Pickerington Central in 2020, Styles didn’t take long to make some noise at wide receiver for the Fighting Irish. In 2021, Styles caught 24 passes for 344 yards, followed by a 2022 season that saw him grab 30 passes for 340 yards.
Despite Notre Dame falling to Ohio State in the 2022 season opener, Styles had a moment he’ll never forget, hauling in a 54-yard pass under the lights at Ohio Stadium. While Styles probably grew up thinking he would be making big plays at the iconic college football stadium, he likely didn’t imagine he would be doing so as a member of the visiting team.
Despite becoming a trusted option at receiver in the Notre Dame offense, the lure of returning home was too much for Styles to ignore. In June 2023, Styles announced he was not only transferring to Ohio State, he would also be moving from wide receiver to defensive back.
With the incredible depth the Buckeyes have at wide receiver, it was determined that Styles would have a chance to make a bigger impact on the field in the secondary. Since he would be switching positions, Styles used his redshirt during the 2023 season, so he could become more familiar with life on defense and what would be expected of him when he did end up taking the field.
While Styles didn’t see a ton of playing time last season, every one of the 161 snaps he played over 16 games was important since there was a bigger plan in place. With Jordan Hancock holding down the nickelback role in the secondary, last year was all about Styles getting his feet wet at the position as he shadowed the future NFL defensive back.
Since Ohio State knew they would have to replace Hancock heading into the 2025 season, Styles would essentially be in an apprenticeship program, which would allow him to have first crack at filling the vacated spot.
Styles finished the 2024 season with 16 tackles and four passes defensed. As if just being able to play for the Buckeyes on the same defense as younger brother Sonny wasn’t thrilling enough, Lorenzo was part of an Ohio State team that won the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, ironically enough winning the title against the program where he started his college football career.
The Styles brothers were two of the four Buckeyes that attended Pickerington Central on last year’s title team.
If Styles is able to continue his growth at defensive back, the Ohio State secondary could be one of the top units in the country this year. The group features safety Caleb Downs, who figures to be a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Sitting behind those starting cornerbacks are underclassmen Devin Sanchez and Aaron Scott Jr., who figure to replace Igbinosun and Mathews as starters following this season.
What is going to determine how much playing time Styles sees this year is how much growth Sanchez and Scott show in preseason camp. Sanchez is definitely the wild card of the group since he was one of the top defensive back recruits in the country and many are projecting him to be a breakout star despite not yet having played a snap in a college football game.
If Sanchez is able to impress the coaching staff early, Styles could see his snaps cut into since Matt Patricia, Tim Walton, and Matt Guerrieri will look for ways to get Sanchez involved on the field.
Along with the veteran experience he possesses, one thing that sets Styles apart from the other cornerbacks on the team is he has an understanding of what opposing receivers are thinking and the tactics they are going to use since he spent two years as a wide receiver at the college level.
With his previous experience on the other side of the football, Styles should be able to anticipate better what he’ll see from receivers he is going to be tasked to cover. Not only will Styles use that knowledge to try and slow down opponents, he can also give his teammates pointers on what they might see thrown at them.
No matter what happens this year with Styles and Ohio State, the defensive back will have a college career that many players could only dream of. Styles has been able to play for two of the most prestigious programs in college football history, winning a national title against the team he started his college career with.
Along with winning a championship, Styles was able to do it with his brother. By doing so, Lorenzo and Sonny were able to accomplish a feat their father wasn’t able to at Ohio State. Although, at least for now Lorenzo Styles Sr. can remind his sons that he has a Super Bowl ring and they don’t yet.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State adds Navy to future football schedule, men’s hoops signee asks for release
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Ohio State adds Navy to future football schedule, men’s hoops signee asks for release
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Adjustments Made to 2029 & 2030 Non-Conference Schedules
Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State Football To Host Navy In 2029
Tony Gerdeman, Buckeye Huddle
Ohio State’s Ryan Day says Big Ten deserves 4 AQ spots in CFP
Adam Rittenberg, ESPN.com
Projecting Ohio State’s offensive starters to begin the 2025 season
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Player to Watch: CJ Donaldson’s experience at running back is invaluable
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Which Ohio State receiving records could Jeremiah Smith break?
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State Loses Four-Star 2025 Freshman Commit as Dorian Jones Reopens Recruitment
Jack Diwik, The Lantern
4 things to know about European Ohio State commit Mathieu Grujicic
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Way-too-early Big Ten tiers: Starting lineup projections, observations on each team
Isaac Trotter, 247Sports
Analyzing Potential Strengths and Concerns For Ohio State’s 2025-26 Basketball Roster
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Welcome Tulsa Transfer Alex Okonkwo for Next Season
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Ice Hockey: Bittner Promoted to Associate Head Coach
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Golf: Hollenbaugh Earns Golfweek First Team All-American Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: Ratliff Named a CSC Third Team Academic All-American
Ohio State Athletics
I have my tickets, and I will be securing one of these:
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Adjustments Made to 2029 & 2030 Non-Conference Schedules
Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State Football To Host Navy In 2029
Tony Gerdeman, Buckeye Huddle
Ohio State’s Ryan Day says Big Ten deserves 4 AQ spots in CFP
Adam Rittenberg, ESPN.com
Projecting Ohio State’s offensive starters to begin the 2025 season
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Player to Watch: CJ Donaldson’s experience at running back is invaluable
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Which Ohio State receiving records could Jeremiah Smith break?
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
On the Hardwood
Ohio State Loses Four-Star 2025 Freshman Commit as Dorian Jones Reopens Recruitment
Jack Diwik, The Lantern
NEWS: 4️ Dorian Jones has requested his release from Ohio State and will reopen his recruitment, source told @On3Recruits.
The 6-3 shooting guard is the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Ohio for the 2025 class. https://t.co/IkBu8WloSa pic.twitter.com/wrWvDF7qP6
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 4, 2025
4 things to know about European Ohio State commit Mathieu Grujicic
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Way-too-early Big Ten tiers: Starting lineup projections, observations on each team
Isaac Trotter, 247Sports
Analyzing Potential Strengths and Concerns For Ohio State’s 2025-26 Basketball Roster
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Welcome Tulsa Transfer Alex Okonkwo for Next Season
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Ice Hockey: Bittner Promoted to Associate Head Coach
Ohio State Athletics
Congrats to JB Bittner, who has been promoted to associate head coach for the Buckeyes!
https://t.co/8J4DT7Xt0e #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/BEYZi4h7eP
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) June 4, 2025
Women’s Golf: Hollenbaugh Earns Golfweek First Team All-American Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: Ratliff Named a CSC Third Team Academic All-American
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
I have my tickets, and I will be securing one of these:
Continue reading...
LGHL 2026 OL target set to announce college decision on Saturday, Buckeyes offer Ohio State hoops legacy
- News
- 0 Replies
2026 OL target set to announce college decision on Saturday, Buckeyes offer Ohio State hoops legacy
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Florida native Micah Smith is set to decide his college commitment this coming weekend.
Offensive line coach Tyler Bowen hasn’t been in Columbus for that long, but his presence has been felt in a major way.
Coming in and immediately developing a rapport with prospects all over the country, the Buckeyes landed that jolt in recruiting they needed. Three 2026 commits at the spot thus far, Ohio State is ready for more and would rather it come sooner than later.
One target the Buckeyes have long been in on is Florida native, Micah Smith. A 6-foot-5, 325 pound athlete, Smith is the No. 165 player nationally and 10th best interior lineman per the 247Sports Composite for the current class. With nearly 40 offers to his name, Ohio State is in the mix, and the latest news came Wednesday when Smith set his announcement date to pick the school of his choice.
Revealing the decision this coming Saturday, the Buckeyes will learn their fate as one of six remaining schools he has in mind. Alabama, Illinois, South Carolina, Tennessee, and UCLA the other programs worth noting, the latest intel has a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction in favor of UCLA winning this battle for the four-star talent.
Vero Beach being the home to Smith and 2025 signee TJ Alford, Ohio State seemed destined to look at the prep powerhouse closely yet again. While UCLA may be favored, the Buckeyes and Bowen have a real shot here be it now or down the road. Several other options remain, but the staff will learn their fate this coming weekend either way for a player they’ve recruited for the duration of this cycle.
It was just this past weekend that Ohio State had the chance to host the No. 17 player nationally and top running back per the 247Sports Composite in the 2026 class courtesy of Virginia native Savion Hiter.
The top running back on the board for seemingly every program, the Buckeyes have a courtship with Hiter than has seen tons of effort recently. Making multiple stops to see Savion on the road this spring, Carlos Locklyn and Brian Hartline each made their trek to Virginia in pursuit of this top athlete, and having him already complete his official visit in Columbus shows his mindset when it concerns the Buckeyes.
Taking additional trips in the coming weeks to other programs, Ohio State has a fight here as expected, and though experts such as Steve Wiltfong give the Buckeyes less chance than they’d like to hear, Hiter himself has taken the opportunity to debunk this notion.
Sharing via social media yesterday that he has yet to do any interviews regarding his recruitment, the overall sentiment was pretty clear. Hiter may have schools such as Tennessee and Michigan right there in the fold, but Ohio State has every bit of chance here at landing his services.
Not to diminish the experts, but the Buckeyes are going to stay at this recruitment regardless what anyone says — and rightfully so. Fresh off a national title where two running backs were drafted, Ohio State has as much going for them as anyone, so it would be foolish to not say they have every opportunity to lock Hiter up.
The No. 7 player nationally and top defensive lineman in the 2027 class per the 247Sports Composite, this month has seen the 2026 class as the top priority, but making efforts and looking to build lasting impacts on the future cycles is also in the plans.
A five-star in every category, Brewster is a crown jewel of a recruiting class caliber player, and him spending time and resources to see the Buckeyes this early on bodes well for the coaching staff.
The 17th best player at his position per the 247Sports rankings, Singleton adds Ohio State to an offer list that includes Creighton, Dayton, DePaul, Nebraska, and a host of others. One would think this recruitment should sort itself out fairly easily considering the ties to the program.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Florida native Micah Smith is set to decide his college commitment this coming weekend.
Offensive line coach Tyler Bowen hasn’t been in Columbus for that long, but his presence has been felt in a major way.
Coming in and immediately developing a rapport with prospects all over the country, the Buckeyes landed that jolt in recruiting they needed. Three 2026 commits at the spot thus far, Ohio State is ready for more and would rather it come sooner than later.
One target the Buckeyes have long been in on is Florida native, Micah Smith. A 6-foot-5, 325 pound athlete, Smith is the No. 165 player nationally and 10th best interior lineman per the 247Sports Composite for the current class. With nearly 40 offers to his name, Ohio State is in the mix, and the latest news came Wednesday when Smith set his announcement date to pick the school of his choice.
Revealing the decision this coming Saturday, the Buckeyes will learn their fate as one of six remaining schools he has in mind. Alabama, Illinois, South Carolina, Tennessee, and UCLA the other programs worth noting, the latest intel has a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction in favor of UCLA winning this battle for the four-star talent.
Vero Beach being the home to Smith and 2025 signee TJ Alford, Ohio State seemed destined to look at the prep powerhouse closely yet again. While UCLA may be favored, the Buckeyes and Bowen have a real shot here be it now or down the road. Several other options remain, but the staff will learn their fate this coming weekend either way for a player they’ve recruited for the duration of this cycle.
Not so fast says top running back target
It was just this past weekend that Ohio State had the chance to host the No. 17 player nationally and top running back per the 247Sports Composite in the 2026 class courtesy of Virginia native Savion Hiter.
The top running back on the board for seemingly every program, the Buckeyes have a courtship with Hiter than has seen tons of effort recently. Making multiple stops to see Savion on the road this spring, Carlos Locklyn and Brian Hartline each made their trek to Virginia in pursuit of this top athlete, and having him already complete his official visit in Columbus shows his mindset when it concerns the Buckeyes.
Taking additional trips in the coming weeks to other programs, Ohio State has a fight here as expected, and though experts such as Steve Wiltfong give the Buckeyes less chance than they’d like to hear, Hiter himself has taken the opportunity to debunk this notion.
Sharing via social media yesterday that he has yet to do any interviews regarding his recruitment, the overall sentiment was pretty clear. Hiter may have schools such as Tennessee and Michigan right there in the fold, but Ohio State has every bit of chance here at landing his services.
Not to diminish the experts, but the Buckeyes are going to stay at this recruitment regardless what anyone says — and rightfully so. Fresh off a national title where two running backs were drafted, Ohio State has as much going for them as anyone, so it would be foolish to not say they have every opportunity to lock Hiter up.
Quick Hits
- Major visits happening basically every day this month, Ohio State had another big time guest on campus recently when Texas native Jalen Brewster made the trek to see all that the Buckeyes have to offer.
The No. 7 player nationally and top defensive lineman in the 2027 class per the 247Sports Composite, this month has seen the 2026 class as the top priority, but making efforts and looking to build lasting impacts on the future cycles is also in the plans.
A five-star in every category, Brewster is a crown jewel of a recruiting class caliber player, and him spending time and resources to see the Buckeyes this early on bodes well for the coaching staff.
- Moving to the hardwood, Ohio State was active on the basketball recruiting front in Wednesday when they offered Buckeye legacy, Jason Singleton. A 6-foot-4, 175 pound combo guard out of Columbus Academy, Singleton knows the Ohio State program well considering his dad was a member of the 1999 Final Four Buckeye team.
The 17th best player at his position per the 247Sports rankings, Singleton adds Ohio State to an offer list that includes Creighton, Dayton, DePaul, Nebraska, and a host of others. One would think this recruitment should sort itself out fairly easily considering the ties to the program.
Continue reading...
LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land: Felix Ojo visits, Noon games narrative overblown?
- News
- 0 Replies
Hangout in the Holy Land: Felix Ojo visits, Noon games narrative overblown?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Also, we give our players to watch for this week’s Theme Week.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On episode three of the new-look Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin and Alex are back to talk all things Ohio State football, starting with the recent visit of 2026 five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo. Ojo is crystal balled to Texas, but the visit to Columbus went well.
We discuss Ojo and our favorite 2026 commits thus far. Also, ESPN released its FPI for the season, and we discuss the Buckeyes' slotting in at third. Then, we have the Big Noon Kickoff discussion: Do we even care about noon games, or is the conversation overblown?
To close, we dip into the LGHL theme this week: Players to Watch. We each give three players we are keeping a closer eye on this season.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Alex Frank:
Twitter: @frankie_nnati
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Also, we give our players to watch for this week’s Theme Week.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On episode three of the new-look Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin and Alex are back to talk all things Ohio State football, starting with the recent visit of 2026 five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo. Ojo is crystal balled to Texas, but the visit to Columbus went well.
We discuss Ojo and our favorite 2026 commits thus far. Also, ESPN released its FPI for the season, and we discuss the Buckeyes' slotting in at third. Then, we have the Big Noon Kickoff discussion: Do we even care about noon games, or is the conversation overblown?
To close, we dip into the LGHL theme this week: Players to Watch. We each give three players we are keeping a closer eye on this season.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Alex Frank:
Twitter: @frankie_nnati
Continue reading...