Gene Ross
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BOOOOOM! Five-star 2025 LB Riley Pettijohn commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State commits Tarvos Alford (left) and Riley Pettijohn (right) with James Laurinaitis (center). | @r_pettijohn on Twitter
James Laurinaitis has put together an insane linebacker class in his first offseason as full-time position coach.
This offseason, Ohio State finally promoted James Laurinaitis to a full-time assistant, allowing the three-time All-American to coach the position he starred at as a player for the Buckeyes. In addition to an increased role on the practice field and on game day, it also meant Laurinaitis could now get out on the recruiting trail.
That move has already paid dividends, with Ohio State securing commitments from high four-star Florida linebacker Tarvos Alford as well as Eli Lee, the No. 2 in-state linebacker in the 2025 class. With two exceptional players already in the fold, it allowed the Buckeyes to aim high in its search for a third member of the group, and Laurinaitis was able to do that and more.
On Saturday, five-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn announced his commitment to Ohio State. The Texas native is the No. 4 LB and No. 31 overall prospect nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
Pettijohn chose the Buckeyes over Texas, Texas A&M and USC — his finalists out of 30-plus offers. The 6-foot-1.5, 215-pound linebacker took an official visit to Ohio State on May 31, where Laurinaitis, Jim Knowles and the rest of the defensive staff laid out their plan for his development. For a while it seemed as though the in-state programs were the frontrunners to land Pettijohn, but a late surge for the Buckeyes swayed the McKinney star to Columbus.
“We really enjoyed our trip back to Columbus,” Pettijohn’s father told On3 after the visit. “The biggest takeaway we had was just the consistency and transparency in everything about the program. Ohio State is an elite institution that is poised to remain for a long time and we like that.”
Pettijohn is an impressive athlete, competing in track and field in both the 100-meter dash and the long jump. After finishing his sophomore football season with 42 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks, Pettijohn really broke out as a junior. He registered 125 tackles, eight TFLs, three sacks and an interception in 2023, adding four QB hurries and a blocked field goal. Pettijohn comes from an athletic family as well, as his father Duke Pettijohn was a two-time All-Big East selection at Syracuse in 1997-2000 as a defensive end.
Here is some of what 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks had to say of the new Ohio State commit:
As previously mentioned, Pettijohn becomes the third linebacker in this class for Ohio State, with Laurinaitis landing two of the top five players in the country (composite ranking) at the position between he and Alford. Pettijohn is the highest-rated linebacker to commit to the Buckeyes since C.J. Hicks in 2022, and is the fourth composite five-star in this cycle for Ohio State, joining Devin Sanchez, Na’eem Offord and Tavien St. Clair.
Ryan Day’s 2025 group now features 11 top-100 players, maintaining its lead as the No. 1 class in the country. At 310.47 points, Ohio State has already surpassed each of its previous three recruiting classes (not including transfers) with still more work to be done. The Buckeyes currently hold 23 total commits, but will likely wind up signing closer to 28-30 players with this new era of the transfer portal requiring larger classes.
Sanders, the No. 1 OT and No. 2 overall player in the country per the 247Sports Composite, was once viewed as a Clemson lean, but since then Ohio State and Tennessee have surged to the top. The North Carolina native has played his recruitment very close to the vest, and it is unclear at this current moment who exactly is the favorite to land the nation’s best offensive lineman.
If Ohio State wants to finish this cycle with the No. 1 overall class, Sanders is a necessary piece of the puzzle. It would also obviously be a huge addition for position coach Justin Frye, whose recruiting chops and development have come into question lately.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State commits Tarvos Alford (left) and Riley Pettijohn (right) with James Laurinaitis (center). | @r_pettijohn on Twitter
James Laurinaitis has put together an insane linebacker class in his first offseason as full-time position coach.
This offseason, Ohio State finally promoted James Laurinaitis to a full-time assistant, allowing the three-time All-American to coach the position he starred at as a player for the Buckeyes. In addition to an increased role on the practice field and on game day, it also meant Laurinaitis could now get out on the recruiting trail.
That move has already paid dividends, with Ohio State securing commitments from high four-star Florida linebacker Tarvos Alford as well as Eli Lee, the No. 2 in-state linebacker in the 2025 class. With two exceptional players already in the fold, it allowed the Buckeyes to aim high in its search for a third member of the group, and Laurinaitis was able to do that and more.
On Saturday, five-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn announced his commitment to Ohio State. The Texas native is the No. 4 LB and No. 31 overall prospect nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
Pettijohn chose the Buckeyes over Texas, Texas A&M and USC — his finalists out of 30-plus offers. The 6-foot-1.5, 215-pound linebacker took an official visit to Ohio State on May 31, where Laurinaitis, Jim Knowles and the rest of the defensive staff laid out their plan for his development. For a while it seemed as though the in-state programs were the frontrunners to land Pettijohn, but a late surge for the Buckeyes swayed the McKinney star to Columbus.
“We really enjoyed our trip back to Columbus,” Pettijohn’s father told On3 after the visit. “The biggest takeaway we had was just the consistency and transparency in everything about the program. Ohio State is an elite institution that is poised to remain for a long time and we like that.”
Pettijohn is an impressive athlete, competing in track and field in both the 100-meter dash and the long jump. After finishing his sophomore football season with 42 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks, Pettijohn really broke out as a junior. He registered 125 tackles, eight TFLs, three sacks and an interception in 2023, adding four QB hurries and a blocked field goal. Pettijohn comes from an athletic family as well, as his father Duke Pettijohn was a two-time All-Big East selection at Syracuse in 1997-2000 as a defensive end.
Here is some of what 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks had to say of the new Ohio State commit:
As previously mentioned, Pettijohn becomes the third linebacker in this class for Ohio State, with Laurinaitis landing two of the top five players in the country (composite ranking) at the position between he and Alford. Pettijohn is the highest-rated linebacker to commit to the Buckeyes since C.J. Hicks in 2022, and is the fourth composite five-star in this cycle for Ohio State, joining Devin Sanchez, Na’eem Offord and Tavien St. Clair.
Ryan Day’s 2025 group now features 11 top-100 players, maintaining its lead as the No. 1 class in the country. At 310.47 points, Ohio State has already surpassed each of its previous three recruiting classes (not including transfers) with still more work to be done. The Buckeyes currently hold 23 total commits, but will likely wind up signing closer to 28-30 players with this new era of the transfer portal requiring larger classes.
Quick Hits
- There is now a set commitment date for Ohio State’s biggest remaining target it the 2025 class. Five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. has scheduled his decision date for Aug. 17, with a final four schools that includes the Buckeyes alongside Georgia, Nebraska and Tennessee.
Sanders, the No. 1 OT and No. 2 overall player in the country per the 247Sports Composite, was once viewed as a Clemson lean, but since then Ohio State and Tennessee have surged to the top. The North Carolina native has played his recruitment very close to the vest, and it is unclear at this current moment who exactly is the favorite to land the nation’s best offensive lineman.
If Ohio State wants to finish this cycle with the No. 1 overall class, Sanders is a necessary piece of the puzzle. It would also obviously be a huge addition for position coach Justin Frye, whose recruiting chops and development have come into question lately.
WHERE’S HOME 
- According to Steve Wiltfong, Ohio State is in good position to try and flip defensive tackle Malik Autry from Auburn. The 6-foot-5.5 lineman out of Opelika, Alabama has been committed to the Tigers since February 2023, but took an official visit to Columbus at the end of June and is close friends with OSU commit Zion Grady. While there is likely much more work to be done, the Buckeyes have to like where they stand for the No. 4 DL and No. 29 overall player per 247Sports’ rankings.
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