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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye do you want selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft?
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You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye do you want selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft?
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 Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in Green Bay on Thursday night. Over the three-day event, over 250 college players will see their dreams of being drafted into the NFL realized. Some will go on to win the Super Bowl and possibly earn their place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Others will be released before the regular season begins and will be forced to evaluate what their future holds.
Today, we are only going to focus on what might happen in the first round of this year’s draft on Thursday night. While the Tennessee Titans sound like they’ll be selecting Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the top pick, everything that will happen after is up in the air. While there is a lot of uncertainty about the picks we’ll see following the Titans' pick of Ward, there should be a couple of Buckeyes selected in Thursday night’s first round.
What we want to know is which Ohio State player you are hoping is drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night. We don’t care if it’s realistic that the player you are caping for actually has a shot at being drafted in this year’s First Round; we just want to know who you want to see taken within the first 32 picks.
Is there a fringe player you are hoping a team has graded highly and selects him before the end of Thursday? Or your choice could be a player who has been mocked in the first round for months, and you are just eager to see which team he lands with. With at least 10 Ohio State players predicted to be drafted this year, there are plenty of options to choose from.
It’s hard to think of another Buckeye who loves Ohio State more than Jack Sawyer. The defensive end easily could have entered last year’s NFL Draft after his strong finish to the 2023 season. Instead, Sawyer and a bunch of his teammates on the defense knew they had some unfinished business to take care of and returned to Columbus for another season. Even though Sawyer’s Ohio State career finished without a win over Michigan, the Pickerington product was a key figure in the national title run of the Buckeyes.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article stating that a fun landing spot for Sawyer would be with the Cincinnati Bengals. The move makes perfect sense since former Buckeye defensive end Sam Hubbard announced he was retiring, and the Bengals are dealing with Trey Hendrickson’s hopes for a new contract. Sawyer would instantly become a fan favorite since he grew up just a couple of hours up I-71. The only thing that worries me about Cincinnati taking Sawyer is that they currently have the 17th pick in the first round, so I don’t think they’d take Sawyer quite that high. Sawyer could be in play if the Bengals decide to trade down and accumulate more draft capital, since they’ll likely need it after breaking the bank on Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the offseason.
Another interesting landing spot for Sawyer could be with the Detroit Lions at pick 28. Imagine the defensive line of Detroit if they brought in Sawyer just a few years after drafting defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the top pick. Those two would definitely push each other to be the better defensive end, since there is already the rivalry factor between the two since Hutchinson went to Michigan. Since the Lions are already loaded on offense, it makes sense for Detroit to focus on improving their defense in the draft after they were torched by Washington in the playoffs.
In reality, Sawyer is likely going to be a day two pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Just because he wasn’t drafted in the first round doesn’t mean he won’t be able to make an impact at the next level. Really, the only difference is Sawyer’s paycheck won’t be as big as those who are taken ahead of him. When it comes to heart and determination, there aren’t many players in this year’s draft who can match Sawyer. Hopefully, Sawyer can become the latest great defensive end from Ohio State in the NFL.
Look, I know this isn’t going to happen, but the prompt isn’t about which Buckeye player do we think is going to be taken in the first round, it is which player do we want to be taken in the first round, and that makes it easy for me to go with Will Howard. Of course, I want Emeka Egbuka, Tyleik Williams, TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, and the rest of the draft-eligible Buckeyes to float up to the top of the draft, but I don’t think that OSU’s one-year quarterback gets nearly the acclaim that he deserves.
To be honest with you, I want him to go as high as possible and have an incredible pro career, in part, just to stick it to those ass-hat Michigan fans who ridiculously tried to convince the internet that his NFL Combine performance was anything other than stellar.
Perhaps it was growing up in Pennsylvania, but for whatever reason, the moment that Howard got to Columbus from Kansas State, he just seemed to emanate the essence of what it means to be a Buckeye. A lot of times with first-year players in the program — freshman and transfers alike — that can come off as a little forced and fake, but with Howard, it felt so genuine that it immediately endeared him to me, long before he ever took the field as OSU’s QB.
Then, he went out and led Ohio State to its first national championship in a decade, and was largely dismissed as just an average guy surrounded by a “bought-and-paid-for” roster. We all know the idiocy of people claiming that Ryan Day and company “bought” a national title, and have rightly fought back against it, but Will Howard was an exceptional quarterback for Ohio State.
No, he didn’t have the arm of Dwyane Haskins, he didn’t have the skill of Justin Fields, he didn’t have the accuracy of C.J. Stroud, but he had enough of each of those guys to be the perfect signal-caller for OSU this season, and I would love to see him continue that into the NFL.
Even though I know it won’t happen, I would love to see him taken late in the first round by a team with an established quarterback. This will allow Howard to learn on the bench of a winning team and wait for his opportunity to step into the spotlight. It’s not the exact same thing as going from Kansas State to Columbus, but if things play out that way, it would feel somewhat similar.
So, give me Will Howard to the Buffalo Bills with Pick No. 30.
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 Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in Green Bay on Thursday night. Over the three-day event, over 250 college players will see their dreams of being drafted into the NFL realized. Some will go on to win the Super Bowl and possibly earn their place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Others will be released before the regular season begins and will be forced to evaluate what their future holds.
Today, we are only going to focus on what might happen in the first round of this year’s draft on Thursday night. While the Tennessee Titans sound like they’ll be selecting Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the top pick, everything that will happen after is up in the air. While there is a lot of uncertainty about the picks we’ll see following the Titans' pick of Ward, there should be a couple of Buckeyes selected in Thursday night’s first round.
What we want to know is which Ohio State player you are hoping is drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night. We don’t care if it’s realistic that the player you are caping for actually has a shot at being drafted in this year’s First Round; we just want to know who you want to see taken within the first 32 picks.
Is there a fringe player you are hoping a team has graded highly and selects him before the end of Thursday? Or your choice could be a player who has been mocked in the first round for months, and you are just eager to see which team he lands with. With at least 10 Ohio State players predicted to be drafted this year, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Today’s question: Which Buckeye do you want selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Jack Sawyer
It’s hard to think of another Buckeye who loves Ohio State more than Jack Sawyer. The defensive end easily could have entered last year’s NFL Draft after his strong finish to the 2023 season. Instead, Sawyer and a bunch of his teammates on the defense knew they had some unfinished business to take care of and returned to Columbus for another season. Even though Sawyer’s Ohio State career finished without a win over Michigan, the Pickerington product was a key figure in the national title run of the Buckeyes.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article stating that a fun landing spot for Sawyer would be with the Cincinnati Bengals. The move makes perfect sense since former Buckeye defensive end Sam Hubbard announced he was retiring, and the Bengals are dealing with Trey Hendrickson’s hopes for a new contract. Sawyer would instantly become a fan favorite since he grew up just a couple of hours up I-71. The only thing that worries me about Cincinnati taking Sawyer is that they currently have the 17th pick in the first round, so I don’t think they’d take Sawyer quite that high. Sawyer could be in play if the Bengals decide to trade down and accumulate more draft capital, since they’ll likely need it after breaking the bank on Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the offseason.
Another interesting landing spot for Sawyer could be with the Detroit Lions at pick 28. Imagine the defensive line of Detroit if they brought in Sawyer just a few years after drafting defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the top pick. Those two would definitely push each other to be the better defensive end, since there is already the rivalry factor between the two since Hutchinson went to Michigan. Since the Lions are already loaded on offense, it makes sense for Detroit to focus on improving their defense in the draft after they were torched by Washington in the playoffs.
In reality, Sawyer is likely going to be a day two pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Just because he wasn’t drafted in the first round doesn’t mean he won’t be able to make an impact at the next level. Really, the only difference is Sawyer’s paycheck won’t be as big as those who are taken ahead of him. When it comes to heart and determination, there aren’t many players in this year’s draft who can match Sawyer. Hopefully, Sawyer can become the latest great defensive end from Ohio State in the NFL.
Matt’s answer: Will Howard
Look, I know this isn’t going to happen, but the prompt isn’t about which Buckeye player do we think is going to be taken in the first round, it is which player do we want to be taken in the first round, and that makes it easy for me to go with Will Howard. Of course, I want Emeka Egbuka, Tyleik Williams, TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, and the rest of the draft-eligible Buckeyes to float up to the top of the draft, but I don’t think that OSU’s one-year quarterback gets nearly the acclaim that he deserves.
To be honest with you, I want him to go as high as possible and have an incredible pro career, in part, just to stick it to those ass-hat Michigan fans who ridiculously tried to convince the internet that his NFL Combine performance was anything other than stellar.
Perhaps it was growing up in Pennsylvania, but for whatever reason, the moment that Howard got to Columbus from Kansas State, he just seemed to emanate the essence of what it means to be a Buckeye. A lot of times with first-year players in the program — freshman and transfers alike — that can come off as a little forced and fake, but with Howard, it felt so genuine that it immediately endeared him to me, long before he ever took the field as OSU’s QB.
Then, he went out and led Ohio State to its first national championship in a decade, and was largely dismissed as just an average guy surrounded by a “bought-and-paid-for” roster. We all know the idiocy of people claiming that Ryan Day and company “bought” a national title, and have rightly fought back against it, but Will Howard was an exceptional quarterback for Ohio State.
No, he didn’t have the arm of Dwyane Haskins, he didn’t have the skill of Justin Fields, he didn’t have the accuracy of C.J. Stroud, but he had enough of each of those guys to be the perfect signal-caller for OSU this season, and I would love to see him continue that into the NFL.
Even though I know it won’t happen, I would love to see him taken late in the first round by a team with an established quarterback. This will allow Howard to learn on the bench of a winning team and wait for his opportunity to step into the spotlight. It’s not the exact same thing as going from Kansas State to Columbus, but if things play out that way, it would feel somewhat similar.
So, give me Will Howard to the Buffalo Bills with Pick No. 30.
Continue reading...
USC Trojans
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 4 Replies
Sources: USC recruit Arenas in coma after crash
Five-star prospect and USC commit Alijah Arenas has been placed in an induced coma after he was involved in a serious car crash in the Los Angeles area, sources told ESPN.
USC recruit Alijah Arenas in induced coma after crash, per sources
Five-star prospect and USC commit Alijah Arenas has been placed in an induced coma after he was involved in a serious car crash in the Los Angeles area early Thursday morning, sources told ESPN.
No details of the crash were immediately available. Sources told ESPN that initial tests showed no broken bones for Arenas.
Arenas, 18, is the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. He is the No. 13-ranked recruit in the Class of 2025.
He reclassified to the 2025 class in December then committed to USC in January. Arenas joined a Trojans recruiting class that also includes Bryce James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
LGHL Ohio State football will have a healthy involvement in the 2025 NFL Draft
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Ohio State football will have a healthy involvement in the 2025 NFL Draft
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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
We use some numbers from past drafts to set the table for what we could see from Ohio State in this year’s NFL Draft.
This evening the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in Green Bay. Over the next three days, over 250 players will find out where their professional careers will begin. The first round of the NFL Draft will take place tonight, the second and third rounds will be held on Friday, and the draft will wrap up on Saturday with rounds four through seven.
There figures to be plenty of Ohio State influence on this year’s draft considering how many Buckeyes could be selected. Over the years, Ohio State has been one of the top schools at producing NFL talent. There are some interesting numbers that illustrate just how many Buckeyes have been drafted, especially recently.
To help pass some time before the festivities kick off in Green Bay this evening, we put together some interesting Ohio State draft numbers to know, along with which Buckeyes could hear their name called earlier in the draft.
Since Gomer Jones was taken with the 15th pick in the second round by the Chicago Cardinals in 1936, Ohio State has had 511 other players selected in the NFL Draft. Currently, the last Buckeye drafted was linebacker Tommy Eichenberg by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fifth round of last year’s draft.
The total ranks third among colleges. Notre Dame enters this year’s draft with 569 players selected, and USC sits second all-time with 557 players drafted.
Ohio State has seen 91 of their players selected in the first round over the years, which is the most by one school. The Buckeyes had one player selected in the first round last year, as Marvin Harrison Jr. was taken with the fourth overall selection by the Arizona Cardinals.
Since 2016, Ohio State has seen at least one of their players drafted in the first round in seven drafts.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25966059/2149639407.jpg "NFL: APR 25 2024 Draft")
Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
At least one Buckeye has been selected in the first round in each of the last nine drafts. The last time an Ohio State player wasn’t selected in the first round of the NFL Draft was 2015 when Devin Smith was the first Buckeye selected when the New York Jets took him in the second round.
By comparison, there have been two drafts since 2006 where Ohio State saw five players selected in the first round. Those occurrences came in 2006 and 2016. The nine straight years with a first round pick is currently second to Alabama, who has had a player drafted in the first round in 16 straight years.
Over the last five years, Ohio State is averaging more than eight players drafted per year, as 36 Buckeyes have been selected. The total ranks fifth in the country. Georgia leads the country with 49 players drafted over the last five years, Alabama has had 46 players selected, Michigan is third with 45 players drafted, and LSU has seen 43 Tigers selected during that span.
2020 and 2021 saw 10 Ohio State players drafted each year, followed by six in 2022 and 2023, and last year there were four Buckeyes selected.
For quite a while Ohio State held the record for most players selected in one draft when they saw 14 Buckeyes drafted in 2006. LSU tied the record when they had 14 players drafted in 2022, and two years later Georgia broke the record when 15 Bulldogs were drafted in 2022.
Last year Michigan came close to equaling Ohio State’s school record when 13 Wolverines heard their name called in the draft. The Buckeyes also had 12 players taken in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Ohio State could see as many as 15 players drafted this year, which would tie Georgia for the most players taken in one draft. 15 Buckeyes were invited to the NFL Draft Combine, which allowed teams to get a closer look at a lot of the school’s prospects. While we aren’t going to touch on every Ohio State player that might be drafted this weekend, we are going to touch briefly on a few of the names you could hear early on.
The offensive tackle who started his career at San Diego State suffered a devastating end to his Ohio State career when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 32-31 loss at Oregon back in October. The injury came as Simmons’ draft stock was rising with each game the Buckeyes played in the 2024 season.
Indications are that Simmons will be selected later in the first round, with a common landing spot in mock drafts being at the 31st pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25966060/1793808300.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 18 Minnesota at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Jackson’s name has been picking up steam over the last few weeks. Teams are impressed with Jackson’s versatility after he moved from guard to tackle following the season-ending injury to Simmons. Because Jackson has shown he can be successful at multiple positions on the offensive line, the monster from Texas has become a popular pick at 28 for the Detroit Lions, which would see him join former Buckeye Taylor Decker on Detroit’s offensive line.
When it comes to Buckeyes in the draft, the wild card is TreVeyon Henderson. This year there seems to be an upswing in running back value, especially with Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton expected to be selected in the first round. If Jeanty and Hampton are off the board when the Denver Broncos are on the clock with the 20th pick, Henderson could be targeted by the Broncos, who need to upgrade their running back position now that they have a quarterback in place after taking Bo Nix in the first round last year.
The Ohio State player who seems like he’ll be a sure thing in the NFL is wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. The problem for Egbuka is he was so steady throughout his career in Columbus that he didn’t really wow teams like teammates Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jeremiah Smith have.
Egbuka isn’t going to be the top receiver on a team but he is going to be a very valuable number two receiver for whoever scoops him up. If a team doesn’t trade back into the bottom of the first round to take Egbuka on Thursday, expect him to hear his name called early in Friday’s proceedings.
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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
We use some numbers from past drafts to set the table for what we could see from Ohio State in this year’s NFL Draft.
This evening the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in Green Bay. Over the next three days, over 250 players will find out where their professional careers will begin. The first round of the NFL Draft will take place tonight, the second and third rounds will be held on Friday, and the draft will wrap up on Saturday with rounds four through seven.
There figures to be plenty of Ohio State influence on this year’s draft considering how many Buckeyes could be selected. Over the years, Ohio State has been one of the top schools at producing NFL talent. There are some interesting numbers that illustrate just how many Buckeyes have been drafted, especially recently.
To help pass some time before the festivities kick off in Green Bay this evening, we put together some interesting Ohio State draft numbers to know, along with which Buckeyes could hear their name called earlier in the draft.
512
Since Gomer Jones was taken with the 15th pick in the second round by the Chicago Cardinals in 1936, Ohio State has had 511 other players selected in the NFL Draft. Currently, the last Buckeye drafted was linebacker Tommy Eichenberg by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fifth round of last year’s draft.
The total ranks third among colleges. Notre Dame enters this year’s draft with 569 players selected, and USC sits second all-time with 557 players drafted.
91
Ohio State has seen 91 of their players selected in the first round over the years, which is the most by one school. The Buckeyes had one player selected in the first round last year, as Marvin Harrison Jr. was taken with the fourth overall selection by the Arizona Cardinals.
Since 2016, Ohio State has seen at least one of their players drafted in the first round in seven drafts.
9
At least one Buckeye has been selected in the first round in each of the last nine drafts. The last time an Ohio State player wasn’t selected in the first round of the NFL Draft was 2015 when Devin Smith was the first Buckeye selected when the New York Jets took him in the second round.
By comparison, there have been two drafts since 2006 where Ohio State saw five players selected in the first round. Those occurrences came in 2006 and 2016. The nine straight years with a first round pick is currently second to Alabama, who has had a player drafted in the first round in 16 straight years.
36
Over the last five years, Ohio State is averaging more than eight players drafted per year, as 36 Buckeyes have been selected. The total ranks fifth in the country. Georgia leads the country with 49 players drafted over the last five years, Alabama has had 46 players selected, Michigan is third with 45 players drafted, and LSU has seen 43 Tigers selected during that span.
2020 and 2021 saw 10 Ohio State players drafted each year, followed by six in 2022 and 2023, and last year there were four Buckeyes selected.
14
For quite a while Ohio State held the record for most players selected in one draft when they saw 14 Buckeyes drafted in 2006. LSU tied the record when they had 14 players drafted in 2022, and two years later Georgia broke the record when 15 Bulldogs were drafted in 2022.
Last year Michigan came close to equaling Ohio State’s school record when 13 Wolverines heard their name called in the draft. The Buckeyes also had 12 players taken in the 2016 NFL Draft.
15
Ohio State could see as many as 15 players drafted this year, which would tie Georgia for the most players taken in one draft. 15 Buckeyes were invited to the NFL Draft Combine, which allowed teams to get a closer look at a lot of the school’s prospects. While we aren’t going to touch on every Ohio State player that might be drafted this weekend, we are going to touch briefly on a few of the names you could hear early on.
Josh Simmons
The offensive tackle who started his career at San Diego State suffered a devastating end to his Ohio State career when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 32-31 loss at Oregon back in October. The injury came as Simmons’ draft stock was rising with each game the Buckeyes played in the 2024 season.
Indications are that Simmons will be selected later in the first round, with a common landing spot in mock drafts being at the 31st pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Donovan Jackson
Jackson’s name has been picking up steam over the last few weeks. Teams are impressed with Jackson’s versatility after he moved from guard to tackle following the season-ending injury to Simmons. Because Jackson has shown he can be successful at multiple positions on the offensive line, the monster from Texas has become a popular pick at 28 for the Detroit Lions, which would see him join former Buckeye Taylor Decker on Detroit’s offensive line.
TreVeyon Henderson
When it comes to Buckeyes in the draft, the wild card is TreVeyon Henderson. This year there seems to be an upswing in running back value, especially with Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton expected to be selected in the first round. If Jeanty and Hampton are off the board when the Denver Broncos are on the clock with the 20th pick, Henderson could be targeted by the Broncos, who need to upgrade their running back position now that they have a quarterback in place after taking Bo Nix in the first round last year.
Emeka Egbuka
The Ohio State player who seems like he’ll be a sure thing in the NFL is wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. The problem for Egbuka is he was so steady throughout his career in Columbus that he didn’t really wow teams like teammates Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jeremiah Smith have.
Egbuka isn’t going to be the top receiver on a team but he is going to be a very valuable number two receiver for whoever scoops him up. If a team doesn’t trade back into the bottom of the first round to take Egbuka on Thursday, expect him to hear his name called early in Friday’s proceedings.
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2027 VA OL JR Saunders (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247
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Class: 2027
Position: OT
School: Woodberry Forest(VA) Woodberry Forest
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 280lbs
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Class: 2027
Position: OT
School: Woodberry Forest(VA) Woodberry Forest
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 280lbs
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2027 MD DL Anthony Sweeney (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
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Class: 2027
School: Olney(MD) Our Lady of Good Counsel
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
School: Olney(MD) Our Lady of Good Counsel
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220lbs
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LGHL BOOM! Ohio State lands transfer DE Beau Atkinson to help anchor defensive line
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BOOM! Ohio State lands transfer DE Beau Atkinson to help anchor defensive line
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes add to their already impressive roster with a major transfer addition.
With spring ball in the books and the summer months still a few weeks away, it’s time for the Buckeyes’ coaching staff to get back on the road. Taking time to prioritize recruiting efforts more times than not, Ryan Day and his crew have one goal in mind, and that’s adding elite talent to their already impressive 2026 class.
While majority of the attention on Wednesday was spent on prep recruiting work, Ohio State got serious good news late Wednesday night via the portal when the Buckeyes landed the commitment of North Carolina transfer target, Beau Atkinson.
One the top players to enter the portal at his position, Atkinson immediately became a name the program was going to contact, and quickly a visit was scheduled for the former Tar Heel to see Columbus and all that Ohio State has to offer. Scheduling a trip to visit Georgia as well, the Buckeyes won out in the end and it’s a major feat for a team that wanted to add depth along their defensive line.
A 6-foot-6, 260 pound edge rusher, Atkinson tallied 54 tackles and 11 sacks in the past two seasons, and now has the chance to really bloom under Larry Johnson. This definitely is the news Ohio State was hoping for, and while an interior guy remains another goal, you can’t undersell how big of a win this is for the program.
The Ohio State coaching staff has been out on the recruiting trail, and the Buckeyes are once again in full recruiting mode. Using this time to check in on their top targets, it’s also a chance for this staff to offer new names. Wednesday provided that when running backs coach Carlos Locklyn spent time in Virginia making multiple important stops.
Stopping by Woodberry Forest High School, Locklyn was in to see class of 2027 prospect Junior Saunders, and made the visit well worth his time by making him the latest player to earn an Ohio State offer.
A 6-foot-6, 270 pound offensive tackle, Saunders is currently the No. 366 player nationally and 35th best tackle per the 247Sports Composite grades, and clearly checks all the boxes. Double-digit offers to his name and from the likes of Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, the Buckeyes getting involved is sure to have others taking a closer look.
Not ironically, seeing the Hokies as one of the programs to offer makes sense as to why Tyler Bowen would have this strong of interest now in his new position at Ohio State. Locklyn may have been the one to deliver the news, but this is a Bowen recruitment all the way. Seeing the momentum he’s having, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Saunders immediately have Ohio State at the forefront of his mind with this new offer in hand.
Jackson Cantwell is the top player in the country for the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite and rightfully so. A 6-foot-7, 300 pound offensive tackle, Cantwell is a five-star in every aspect and has not been shy about his recruiting process as of late. Wanting to come to a decision sooner rather than later, Jackson has made real progress towards an end destination, and Wednesday saw another update that will make his top schools wait just a little bit longer.
Previously set to announce on April 30, Cantwell broke that news earlier this month when his original top schools list was narrowed down to four from six. Keeping Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, and Oregon in the fold, Michigan and Missouri were left out of his mid-April update, which now leads to the latest in his recruitment giving way to a May 13 decision date.
Taking to his social media yesterday, Cantwell announced that he was adding a visit on May 10 to see Georgia, and pushed back his commitment by two weeks to ensure he was doing right by his process. Still deciding between the same four schools, Ohio State is remaining, but the other three programs look to be more of a threat for his commitment.
A lone prediction has Jackson slated to Miami per the 247Sports Crystal Ball, and it does look as if Miami or Georgia may have the inside track here, but in recruiting in 2025 anything can happen in two weeks time. At any rate, there’s a new date worth watching to see if Ohio State really has a chance at landing the top-ranked player in this current cycle.
The No. 86 player nationally and sixth ranked tight-end per the 247Sports Composite grades, Bailey has Mack on his big board and wasted no time in making sure he knows how much of a priority he is for this 2026 class. With nearly 50 offers to his name, the Buckeyes are certainly in the mix here and these in-home visits never hurt.
Ohio State sees Gray as a major piece to their 2026 class, and while they are in a good spot currently, these visits are the staff doing all they can to ensure he knows just how important he is to the class as a whole.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes add to their already impressive roster with a major transfer addition.
With spring ball in the books and the summer months still a few weeks away, it’s time for the Buckeyes’ coaching staff to get back on the road. Taking time to prioritize recruiting efforts more times than not, Ryan Day and his crew have one goal in mind, and that’s adding elite talent to their already impressive 2026 class.
BOOM! Buckeyes add North Carolina transfer
While majority of the attention on Wednesday was spent on prep recruiting work, Ohio State got serious good news late Wednesday night via the portal when the Buckeyes landed the commitment of North Carolina transfer target, Beau Atkinson.
One the top players to enter the portal at his position, Atkinson immediately became a name the program was going to contact, and quickly a visit was scheduled for the former Tar Heel to see Columbus and all that Ohio State has to offer. Scheduling a trip to visit Georgia as well, the Buckeyes won out in the end and it’s a major feat for a team that wanted to add depth along their defensive line.
A 6-foot-6, 260 pound edge rusher, Atkinson tallied 54 tackles and 11 sacks in the past two seasons, and now has the chance to really bloom under Larry Johnson. This definitely is the news Ohio State was hoping for, and while an interior guy remains another goal, you can’t undersell how big of a win this is for the program.
2027 Virginia native lands OSU offer
The Ohio State coaching staff has been out on the recruiting trail, and the Buckeyes are once again in full recruiting mode. Using this time to check in on their top targets, it’s also a chance for this staff to offer new names. Wednesday provided that when running backs coach Carlos Locklyn spent time in Virginia making multiple important stops.
Stopping by Woodberry Forest High School, Locklyn was in to see class of 2027 prospect Junior Saunders, and made the visit well worth his time by making him the latest player to earn an Ohio State offer.
A 6-foot-6, 270 pound offensive tackle, Saunders is currently the No. 366 player nationally and 35th best tackle per the 247Sports Composite grades, and clearly checks all the boxes. Double-digit offers to his name and from the likes of Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, the Buckeyes getting involved is sure to have others taking a closer look.
Not ironically, seeing the Hokies as one of the programs to offer makes sense as to why Tyler Bowen would have this strong of interest now in his new position at Ohio State. Locklyn may have been the one to deliver the news, but this is a Bowen recruitment all the way. Seeing the momentum he’s having, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Saunders immediately have Ohio State at the forefront of his mind with this new offer in hand.
Cantwell updates recruitment with new commitment plans
Jackson Cantwell is the top player in the country for the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite and rightfully so. A 6-foot-7, 300 pound offensive tackle, Cantwell is a five-star in every aspect and has not been shy about his recruiting process as of late. Wanting to come to a decision sooner rather than later, Jackson has made real progress towards an end destination, and Wednesday saw another update that will make his top schools wait just a little bit longer.
Previously set to announce on April 30, Cantwell broke that news earlier this month when his original top schools list was narrowed down to four from six. Keeping Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, and Oregon in the fold, Michigan and Missouri were left out of his mid-April update, which now leads to the latest in his recruitment giving way to a May 13 decision date.
Taking to his social media yesterday, Cantwell announced that he was adding a visit on May 10 to see Georgia, and pushed back his commitment by two weeks to ensure he was doing right by his process. Still deciding between the same four schools, Ohio State is remaining, but the other three programs look to be more of a threat for his commitment.
A lone prediction has Jackson slated to Miami per the 247Sports Crystal Ball, and it does look as if Miami or Georgia may have the inside track here, but in recruiting in 2025 anything can happen in two weeks time. At any rate, there’s a new date worth watching to see if Ohio State really has a chance at landing the top-ranked player in this current cycle.
Quick Hits
- Not the only offensive position coach on the road Wednesday, tight ends coach Keenan Bailey put in the miles as he too took time to check in on some top targets, making a stop in Illinois for four-star prospect, Mack Sutter.
The No. 86 player nationally and sixth ranked tight-end per the 247Sports Composite grades, Bailey has Mack on his big board and wasted no time in making sure he knows how much of a priority he is for this 2026 class. With nearly 50 offers to his name, the Buckeyes are certainly in the mix here and these in-home visits never hurt.
- One more stop worth mentioning, Locklyn as seen was fairly busy on Wednesday and that included a stop to check in on major Ohio State target, Darius Gray. The No. 29 player nationally and second best interior offensive lineman per the 247Sports Composite, Gray has been closely linked to the Buckeyes as of late.
Ohio State sees Gray as a major piece to their 2026 class, and while they are in a good spot currently, these visits are the staff doing all they can to ensure he knows just how important he is to the class as a whole.
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