Gene Ross
Guest
BOOOOM! Nation’s No. 2 safety commits to Ohio State, Buckeyes move up to No. 1 class
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 four-star safety Faheem Delane poses with Ohio State coaches on his official visit. | Via @faheemdelane on X/Twitter
BIA gained its newest member of Sunday with the commitment of elite safety Faheem Delane.
Ohio State is deep in the weeds of official visit season, and these last two weekends have both proved fruitful with the Buckeyes landing a pair of major commitments amid hosting dozens of the nation’s top players. After adding a massive in-state target last week in running back Bo Jackson following his OV, Ryan Day’s group once again made the most of their time on campus with the players with yet another huge addition — this time on defense.
On Sunday, four-star 2025 safety Faheem Delane announced this commitment to Ohio State. The elite defensive back out of Maryland chose the Buckeyes over Oregon and LSU, as the nation’s No. 2 safety and No. 34 player nationally, per the 247Sports Composite, joins a loaded cycle for secondary coaches Tim Walton and Matt Guerrieri.
An important recruiting win over the now-conference-rival Ducks, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Delane holds offers from over 30 schools, but seemingly always had Ohio State and Oregon near the top of his list alongside LSU, Maryland and Virginia Tech — the five programs that made his official short list in early April. Beginning his official visit with the Buckeyes on Friday, Guerrieri and Walton were able to seal the deal.
“I was really excited, because Ohio State, that’s definitely one of the DBUs,” Delane told Eleven Warriors after getting his initial offer back in May of 2022. “Jeff Okudah, Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker all came from there. So many more in the history of the program with DBs going to the NFL. To get that offer was just an honor.
Here is some of what 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins had to say of Delane’s abilities:
As a junior at Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, MD), Delane recorded 69 tackles and 18 pass breakups, good enough to be named an All-Met selection by the Washington Post. The do-it-all defender helped lead to the Falcons to a WCAC Championship victory this past season, and will look to bring that athleticism, versatility and championship pedigree to the next level.
“I like to blitz off the edge, play man-to-man and zone, I love to do it all, but mostly I love to blitz off the edge and play man because my best qualities are just sticking with receivers and covering them,” Delane told Eleven Warriors. “Either way, safety or cornerback, I definitely feel comfortable at both positions. I think I could play both at a high level.”
Delane’s pledge gives Ohio State 14 total commitments in its 2025 class, a group that is now ranked as No. 1 in the country — despite having seven less commits than No. 2 Notre Dame. The Buckeyes’ average player rating of 95.14 also ranks atop the nation, with seven top-100 players already committed, including Delane, as well as three composite five-stars. That trio of five-stars is the same amount as the next six best recruiting classes (Notre Dame, Clemson, USC, Alabama and Oklahoma, in that order) combined.
Looking at the secondary in particular, Ohio State could not be off to a more perfect start in this cycle. The Buckeyes hold commitments from the top two cornerbacks in the country in Devin Sanchez (No. 1 CB, No. 4 Natl.) and Na’eem Offord (No. 2 CB, No. 6 Natl.) and now add the No. 2 safety in Delane. That isn’t even including the other pair of talented safeties in Ohio State’s class in DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad, as well as the continued pursuit of No. 1 safety Trey McNutt, an Ohio native.
Odom, the No. 31 DL and No. 283 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, received a Crystal Ball to Ohio State a little over a week ago. Shanklin, the No. 11 EDGE and No. 114 player nationally, seems to be currently leaning towards LSU. The Buckeyes appear to have a lead for Odom, though that is no guarantee, but will need to do a bit more to lure the Indiana native Shanklin to Columbus. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson would love to add one or both to his room in this cycle.
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
2025 four-star safety Faheem Delane poses with Ohio State coaches on his official visit. | Via @faheemdelane on X/Twitter
BIA gained its newest member of Sunday with the commitment of elite safety Faheem Delane.
Ohio State is deep in the weeds of official visit season, and these last two weekends have both proved fruitful with the Buckeyes landing a pair of major commitments amid hosting dozens of the nation’s top players. After adding a massive in-state target last week in running back Bo Jackson following his OV, Ryan Day’s group once again made the most of their time on campus with the players with yet another huge addition — this time on defense.
On Sunday, four-star 2025 safety Faheem Delane announced this commitment to Ohio State. The elite defensive back out of Maryland chose the Buckeyes over Oregon and LSU, as the nation’s No. 2 safety and No. 34 player nationally, per the 247Sports Composite, joins a loaded cycle for secondary coaches Tim Walton and Matt Guerrieri.
An important recruiting win over the now-conference-rival Ducks, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Delane holds offers from over 30 schools, but seemingly always had Ohio State and Oregon near the top of his list alongside LSU, Maryland and Virginia Tech — the five programs that made his official short list in early April. Beginning his official visit with the Buckeyes on Friday, Guerrieri and Walton were able to seal the deal.
“I was really excited, because Ohio State, that’s definitely one of the DBUs,” Delane told Eleven Warriors after getting his initial offer back in May of 2022. “Jeff Okudah, Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker all came from there. So many more in the history of the program with DBs going to the NFL. To get that offer was just an honor.
Here is some of what 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins had to say of Delane’s abilities:
As a junior at Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, MD), Delane recorded 69 tackles and 18 pass breakups, good enough to be named an All-Met selection by the Washington Post. The do-it-all defender helped lead to the Falcons to a WCAC Championship victory this past season, and will look to bring that athleticism, versatility and championship pedigree to the next level.
“I like to blitz off the edge, play man-to-man and zone, I love to do it all, but mostly I love to blitz off the edge and play man because my best qualities are just sticking with receivers and covering them,” Delane told Eleven Warriors. “Either way, safety or cornerback, I definitely feel comfortable at both positions. I think I could play both at a high level.”
Delane’s pledge gives Ohio State 14 total commitments in its 2025 class, a group that is now ranked as No. 1 in the country — despite having seven less commits than No. 2 Notre Dame. The Buckeyes’ average player rating of 95.14 also ranks atop the nation, with seven top-100 players already committed, including Delane, as well as three composite five-stars. That trio of five-stars is the same amount as the next six best recruiting classes (Notre Dame, Clemson, USC, Alabama and Oklahoma, in that order) combined.
Looking at the secondary in particular, Ohio State could not be off to a more perfect start in this cycle. The Buckeyes hold commitments from the top two cornerbacks in the country in Devin Sanchez (No. 1 CB, No. 4 Natl.) and Na’eem Offord (No. 2 CB, No. 6 Natl.) and now add the No. 2 safety in Delane. That isn’t even including the other pair of talented safeties in Ohio State’s class in DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad, as well as the continued pursuit of No. 1 safety Trey McNutt, an Ohio native.
Quick Hits
- It isn’t just prime recruiting season for Ohio State football. Jake Diebler’s group was also busy over the weekend, sending out a new offer to 2025 shooting guard Kiyan Anthony. The son of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, Kiyan currently ranks as the No. 4 SG and No. 38 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite. He is the top player from his home state of New York.
- With another list of double-digit official visitors on hand this weekend, names to keep an eye from this group include four-star defensive end Damien Shanklin and four-star defensive tackle Trajen Odom. The Buckeyes will need a big haul along the defensive line in this class, and while they are off to a great start with a pair of top-150 commits in Zahir Mathis and London Merritt, there is still work to be done.
Odom, the No. 31 DL and No. 283 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, received a Crystal Ball to Ohio State a little over a week ago. Shanklin, the No. 11 EDGE and No. 114 player nationally, seems to be currently leaning towards LSU. The Buckeyes appear to have a lead for Odom, though that is no guarantee, but will need to do a bit more to lure the Indiana native Shanklin to Columbus. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson would love to add one or both to his room in this cycle.
Continue reading...