Ohio State offers new prospects, set to host pair of top edge rushers this weekend
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The Buckeyes were busy on Thursday offering new players and making additional visit plans for this weekend.
Some of the better recruiting stories out there involve players who had to work a little harder for the offers they want. When it comes to class of 2027 in-state prospect
Reinaldo Perez, the Buckeyes saw enough out of the nearby Columbus Academy product.
A 6-foot-5, 245 pound defensive lineman, Perez is currently the
No. 182 player nationally and 21st best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite. Clearly wanting to earn the offer from the Buckeyes, Perez camped multiple times this summer already at
Ohio State, putting in the work to be noticed by the coaching staff.
Holding double-digit offers to his name, Ohio State saw enough to get into the mix giving, him the good news on Thursday. Schools such as
Arizona State, Florida, and USC are also among the most recent programs to offer.
From here, the Buckeyes shouldn’t have to have many conflicts with getting him to campus. Being that local, Perez is just minutes away from the staff and that should benefit Ohio State’s chances. Building a stronger relationship is up next for Larry Johnson and the rest of the coaches, but this is close enough to the program that you like the chances of him ending up staying close to home come decision time.
Another new offer for the Buckeyes, Ohio State is now in the mix early on for Mississippi native,
Travion Washington. A 6-foot-1, 207 pound athlete out of Brandon High School, Washington has only played one year of prep football to date, but nearing double-digit offers to his name this early in his recruitment tells you he’s the real deal.
Unranked due to his class status, schools such as Arkansas, Colorado,
Florida State, Mississippi State, and others tell you more are sure to come, and so is a top ranking. The Buckeyes arguably the biggest program to offer thus far, it’s only a matter of time before the other top blue bloods start snooping around.
With an increased presence recruiting Mississippi for the Buckeyes presently, the coaches are looking at the long haul here, and have their next guy worth keeping tabs on. Position coach James Laurinaitis is quickly becoming one of the best at his craft in the college landscape, so right away you have to believe Ohio State will have a real shot here.
Ohio State set to host 2026 four-star edge rusher
A lot can change in just 24 hours, and that it did for the Buckeyes and their pursuit of New Jersey native,
Luke Wafle. A recruitment that had been the talk of the week, it was Thursday that Wafle announced his commitment to USC over Ohio State, with Penn State and Texas also at least somewhat in the mix.
An official visit to Ohio State in late May put the Buckeyes in front for the edge rusher, but USC and their NIL pitch took all of the momentum. While many experts thought Ohio State had won Wafle back over on Wednesday night, it gave just enough time for USC to find even more money to make sure they won this commitment in the end.
While it’s a commitment that’s lost, Ohio State’s stance has long been that money can’t be the main priority for the guys they recruit the hardest, and in this case NIL was the primary factor.
Looking elsewhere now, shortly after the Wafle to USC predictions news dropped that Ohio State would be playing host to
KJ Ford this weekend for an official visit. Of course, this visit is in direct correlation to the Trojans landing Wafle, as Ford was originally supposed to visit USC this weekend.
Now heading to Columbus, Ohio State will have the chance to show Ford what he can benefit from while being a Buckeye. Being the
No. 116 player nationally and 15th best edge rusher in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, the NIL money that would have been reserved for Wafle can be put to good use with Ford.
A class that desperately needs defensive linemen, Ohio State will roll out the red carpet this weekend for sure. Hopefully Ford and the Buckeyes can move quickly with what seems to be a heavy mutual interest.
Quick Hits
- Traveling with Ford this weekend, high school teammate Landon Barnes will also be making the trek to Columbus. The two were together for the spring game in April, so seeing Barnes and Ford for that matter coming back so soon shows the real interest here in what the Buckeyes have to offer.
The
No. 139 player nationally and the 18th best edge rusher in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, package deals are rarely a thing in recruiting, but it never hurts to have familiar faces around when talking about the future.
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