2026 BRPT Class Review

[pnuts34]

Fellow BP'ers:

So we're at the time of year where we can look back at the 2026 class and see how it fits into the program going forward. The Portal has made things more interesting, but I will focus solely on the HS class. But predictions on how the HSers fit will only get more difficult going forward, because you have to know in the back of your mind that OSU could lose almost half of its class to the Portal, and this class could look WAY different even next year. But as of now, there are 28 new Buckeyes that we hope have success and benefit the team.

With that out of the way, here we go:

General Thoughts
2026 shows a very balanced class from top to bottom. And though I do think there were some reaches to keep numbers at particular positions because I don't think the coaches knew how active the Portal would be. Yet again, a WR is the highest rated recruit, but the highest ranked recruits are also split among DB, LB, OL and DL. Day seemed to have set a level of competition among his coaches to go out and get the best talent possible. This class seems to have been a perfect compliment to the roster and how Day wants it constructed for the future. The hardest thing about these lists is narrowing down each category to one name, because multiple names could be used for almost every category(CHjr could be named in at least 3 for example).

Earliest Impact

Chris Henry Jr.- OSU loses 2 young prospects to the Portal, and it doesn't seem like they panicked for one second. And I think that's due to they knew what they had incoming with CHjr. A tall, uber athletic, tough WR who also has the leaping ability of a top end basketball player. He on one side and JJ on the other is an absolute nightmare for opposing CBs, and DCs.

Most Star Potential

Khary Wilder- Wilder can be next in line of superstar DEs from OSU. He came from a great HS program, and he showed sheer dominance through the HS season but also in every camp. He has shown to be unblockable at times, and I could see him getting PT very early as a true frosh.

Most Intriguing

Legend Bey- Will he be a RB, will he be a WR? How many ways can Day and his OC find ways to get Bey the ball in an advantageous way for the offense. But 1 thing is for sure, Bey is a player that you have to gameplan for, and he has gamebreaking speed that can put 6 on the board in a blink of an eye.

Biggest Reach

Luke Fahey- Fahey is nice recruit, and I know Day wants a QB in every class. And whomever they got in the '26 class I probably would've given this distinction. He's sandwiched between TSC and Edmunds, 2 recruits that were/are at the top of their respective classes. He'll provide some solid depth, but I don't see him being counted on anytime soon if all QBs are healthy.

Sleeper

Brock Boyd- I'm not sure how he didn't get ranked higher by season's end. He was super productive at one of the best HS in TX, in the biggest division in the state. He put up comparable numbers to JSN, who ended up being a 5star in the same division in TX. He could be a steal of the class, and I hope Hankton is able to have a WR rotation unlike Hartline, so we can see Boyd sooner rather than later.

Biggest Surprise Commitment

Braxton Rembert- flipping a Wake Forest commit will always be a surprise, especially when that was his only offer. What he could become is what makes him so intriguing. A 6'5 200lbs LB, but could become a 6'5 230-240lbs LB makes everyone salivate and dream of Arvell Reese.

The Ones Who Got Away

Kayden Dixon- Wyatt, Derrek Cooper, Carsyn Baker, Kelvin Obot, Kevin Brown, Micah Smith, Luke Wafle, Felix Ojo, Jake Kreul, KJ Ford, Deuce Geralds, Tyler Atkinson, Ja'Dyn Williams, Elbert Hill, CJ Bronough, Victor Singleton, Bralan Womack, Jett Washington, Aaron Gregory and Jackson Ford

I'm sure I missed a few guys, but everyone on this list OSU either led for at one time or was committed to OSU. All would've been welcome additions, but they also would've altered the class as well. And that is a ton of talent, that slipped away from OSU, but the amount of money they would've had to dish out would've been astronomical.

What This Class Lacks

Several more high end trench talent on both sides of the ball. Not saying that Bowen or LJsr dropped the ball, but NIL has changed the game, to where just walking into a school or living room wearing the block O on your chest moves the needle on its own.

2026 Outlook
Hartline's last class he ended by landing one of his biggest signees of his tenure, and Day was able to keep him in the end. Several 11th hour highly ranked commits OSU was able to end with, which they ended up being even better than the guys they replaced. There are multiple guys who could be foundational talents for the team in a few years(assuming they remain Buckeyes). Players like: CHjr, Greer, Wilder, Cincere Johnson, Jordan Thomas, Bradford and Ruffin could be guys who become All B1G and/or All Americans at OSU, and there are several others who could see early playing time. With the way that CFB is going, they need to either play the freshman as soon as possible, or risk losing them after 1 year. And even playing them won't guarantee they stay, but it will help the chances. I hope I did almost as good of a job as when @RB07OSU does the annual breakdown. I look forward to everyone else's thoughts on the class

 

[calibuck]

Great write-up Pnut. Used to so enjoy watching four of the mods give them takes on the incoming class, so kudos to you for picking up the flag and charging forward. A realistic look at the class is always warranted, because it sometimes makes one wrinkle one's forehead when one reads what the 'national' reporters write, not looking at the Buckeyes with scarlet-tinted glasses. Keep it up, please.....Go Bucks!

 

[RB07OSU]

Mine will be coming shortly, but shout out to @pnuts34 for getting the ball rolling.

 

[pnuts34]

Great write-up Pnut. Used to so enjoy watching four of the mods give them takes on the incoming class, so kudos to you for picking up the flag and charging forward. A realistic look at the class is always warranted, because it sometimes makes one wrinkle one's forehead when one reads what the 'national' reporters write, not looking at the Buckeyes with scarlet-tinted glasses. Keep it up, please.....Go Bucks!

Honestly it was one of my favorite parts of BP over the years. Reading the opinions from the mods @LordJeffBuck @MD Buckeye @wadc45 @krenzelicious
was awesome, because I didn’t know close to the info they did. And I could relay it back to my buddies who weren’t on the site and keep them informed on the future. It was so fun speculating about who would be future Buckeye stars(JT Barrett, Terry McLaurin, BB Landers, Tyvis Powell, etc) and who you thought would but… not so much(I.e. Dontre Wilson, Noah Spence, Demario McCall, Jashon Cornell, etc

Mine will be coming shortly, but shout out to @pnuts34 for getting the ball rolling.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

I love these but yall need to add another section... "Most likely to enter the portal next Jan". Its tough to get excited about any folks except the high ranking ones because they'll likely transfer out next year...

 

[pnuts34]

I love these but yall need to add another section... "Most likely to enter the portal next Jan". Its tough to get excited about any folks except the high ranking ones because they'll likely transfer out next year...

Buddy, if we did that, it could be half of the class

 

[Best Buckeye]

Man, I was this close to doing my own write up........... GJ sigh

 

[calibuck]

Hey, most of you guys are closer to the heart of Buckeye football than those of us on the Left Coast. Soooo, we'll take anything Buckeye oriented we can find. I agree, some of the 'classic' reporters (whatever happened to Wade?), did a great job of coordinating with others to do the four-pronged report, and added just enough difference. Will read any and every Buckeye outlook printed....Maybe a special section?

Go Bucks! And chuckled at the transfer portal bit. Given what we've seen, EVERYONE could be listed there, given the outrageous amounts of cash being thrown at these guys. Might opine that tOSU had so many transfer because of their/our proclivity to NOT pay outrageous sums to 18 year old recruits, but if one makes two-deep, etc then their money goes up. And that the three and four deep guys, leave, certainly for playing time, but for more cash.....would be interesting (to me at least), if some stalwart blogger would corner one of the transferees and ask what they're taking in versus what they did at tOSU.....

 

[RB07OSU]

General Thoughts (a preamble or meandering in my past years)

For much of this past year, I was hospitalized and/or in a fog due to some pretty serious medical issues. I say that only to mention that, as my addition to the title above suggests, the journey of this recruiting class was somewhat obscured for me. Add the intricacies of the Portal and NIL as they continue to evolve (or devolve depending on your perspective), recruiting has taken a unique shape that irks the most of the elder members of the prestigious BPRT.

However, being the elitist pricks that we are, the BRPT will mostly stick to the same format while begrudgingly accommodating for the Portal additions. That said, even the elitist pricks have warmed the deepest cockles of our hearts to turn the BPRT Review into an interactive exercise where everyone is invited to use the format (or disregard the format for your own flavor) to create a more holistic and collaborative look at each recruiting class. From our more junior members or recent members to join the site, this write up has been going for many years and is a great way to put a bow on the class and fun to look back on for our swings and misses, or hits.

Jokes aside, I love reading all posters thoughts on the category even though the Mods give our first crack traditionally. BP has faced many challenges over the years that would make most sites crumble quickly, but thanks to our amazing posters and their generosity (and a specific one that was instrumental in getting the torch passed from Clarity, we all know who I am talking about), BP continues to be the best forum in terms of content and continued updates. But enough dithering, here comes my report hot from the keyboard into the interwebs.

The 2026 class was approached with a balance view towards team needs and blends in star power with addressing needs even if we didn't land our first options. The journey that turned into the final class contained many moments of elation and frustration with commitment flips. But as mentioned above, the higher ranked recruits are sprinkled into areas of need, but our top commitment (Henry Jr.) comes in at a position of need after the defections at WR when Hartline bolted south. But once the dust was settled, I really like this class when you pair it with what we have done so far in the Portal. Without further adieu, here is my recap.

Earliest Impact

DL Khary Wilder - Whether he ends up a jumbo DE like Houston or Heyward, or a more undersized 3-tech, Wilder is just a dog on the DL that is so disruptive with his hands and uses every bit of his size to overwhelm his blocker. With McDonald and Curry gone, we need an impact player to step up and frankly the talent is here in droves, along with the size to fine tune in the S&C program. Expect to hear his name early and often.

Honorable runner up is Henry Jr...he very well may be the guy with all the WRs leaving and he almost seems to be the de facto #2 across from Smith next year and he has the polish, size and talent to play at a high level right away. Thomas also seems primed to compete for a starting spot in the secondary, he showed good polish and the instincts you want to see at his position in the AA game.

Most Star Potential

Jay Timmons - He also falls into the "surest thing" category that we used to have but eliminated for some redundancy of other categories. Mixing the NFL pedigree, incredible film against good competition and more ceiling to recognize in our program, I see Timmons as a mainstay at an early stage but with the tools to be our next dominant safety. He won't give anything up over the top but he is insanely physical and flies to the ball at the LOS with bad intentions. I also see him jumping in very early and contributing this year.

Honorable mention here is Henry Jr., with his pedigree, mentoring and development, and sheer talent, the sky is the limit and it seems we have another 1st rounder in the making here.

Most Intriguing

Cincere Johnson - A physical freak that showed out at the AA practices and game, Johnson seems like the heir apparent to the blended EDGE/LB role that fellow Tarblooder Reese occupied with aplum this season. The size is there and just needs fine tuned in the weight program, and his physical play matched with surprising athleticism for his size will get him looks out of the gate. If he is a student of the game and picks up Patricia's defense quickly, he is going to be an absolute force out there.

Honorable mention is Legend Bey. He reminds me of a guy we would have put into the "Harvin" (or "Samuel") position in the past. He is an electric playmaker that I see us creating a special role for in both the run and pass game.

Biggest Reach

Tucker Smith - I know we needed OL in a bad way, but this seemed like a reach to fill a spot after missing on many other recruits higher on the board. I also think that with a pretty dang good OL class, the path to be a starter will be a tough one, particularly after we hit the Portal and bring in the next OL class.

Sleeper

Darryus McKinley - Pnuts preemptively picked who I would put here, but there is a lot to like about McKinley as a future stud on the interior DL. We saw what a massive DT from the south can do in the 1-tech role in McDonald and McKinley could fit the bill. He needs refinement on his technique and time in the S&C program to redistribute his weight better, but once that happens we could have a star everyone is talking about in 2-3 years imo. Boyd is honorable mention, he has incredible athleticism and massive production against the very best competition in Texas...how he was not talked about more is beyond me.

Biggest Surprise Commitment

Jay Timmons - There is no way I thought he would end up anywhere but FSU or PSU. Kudos for the staff on this one, it was nothing short of a miracle that we landed and kept this commitment. Timmons may end up being the biggest star in this class, his game reminds me a lot of what we got in Mike Doss back in the day but he is so athletic he could play anywhere in the secondary. Could have also put him in the earliest impact category, I think he sees the field and plays more than whoever we make starter in Downs' stead. Honorable mention is Blaine Bradford, incredible player that the entire SEC wanted and we managed to keep in this class after he committed...throw in the fact that he comes from Baton Rogue and it is a pretty rare feat.

The Ones Who Got Away

Luke Wafle - @pnuts34 is right, the list is seemingly endless in this category unfortunately. But gun to my head, I say Kevin Brown. The PSU commitment was ripe for the taking, we got the visit to flip him, and despite word of the imminent flip it never came to fruition. Throw in the sheer need for a stalwart future LT, this one really hurt, as I see Brown as a future All American and early pick in the Draft. KDW is also an obvious one, really great 5* talent that flipped to USC late in the game and left us with no scraps to replace him so late in the game.

What This Class Lacks

Overall numbers and/or high end talent at OL. It would take awhile to list all the whiffs on top names we had again at this position. I believe there are several issues there...a coach that only recruits fairly well in a sliver of the national recruiting stage, recent overall development history at the position/draft picks, and not ponying up the NIL money that the top NIL schools are devoting to the position. The misses are compounded with recent whiffs in the portal and the guys we do get not panning out. To make our underperformance of OL recruiting work, we have to hit in the portal and it hasn't happened. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, mark OL as the biggest position of need in the next class.

Honorable mention is QB. I'm not sold on Fahey, but we've got Julian back and I think TSC is our next star who just needs another year to develop behind Sayin, so I don't see the position being of dire need absent injuries or transfers. I see the ceiling being a Guiton type guy, who we all remember stepping in so admirably when called upon. However, I don't see Fahey as a starter here in Columbus and likely gets passed by Edmonds/portal QBs.

Portal Supplement

The BRPT bandied about adding this category since the Portal is so prevalent right now and has a direct impact on how we view the true incoming FROSH class. Even us old timers can adapt, but the reality is this category is constantly changing by the minute until when or if the rules on the Portal are tightened up. So with that major caveat, I will look at the Portal status to date and how it inevitably dovetails into the '26 class.

My grade on the staff's portal approach is a B+ currently. We grabbed some great players that will contribute right away. My most likely to succeed is Earl Little Jr. and it seems like an easy pick. At FSU, Little played extremely well against top competition and is the exact impact player with a proven track record that we needed to ease the blow of Downs departure. James Smith and Qua Russell from Bama is an absolute coup, and major shot in the arm to having a high-level DL again with the absence of McDonald and Curry looming ominously. The Portal so far has been a huge success in addressing positions of need with high-end talent. Terry Moore is another big one at safety and Kelly at CB makes me feel good about the secondary next year.

If there is a runner up here to the names above, Christian Allegro is mine. We do need to plug a gap at LB and Allegro stood out as the star of Wisconsin's defense every time I watched them. An athletic and hard-nose kid, he can cover the field and plug the gaps with bad intentions. I can't wait to see him in the S&G. There are a lot of other guys like Welcing, Walker, Jackson, Calhoun and Hawkins (who is a good kicker we desperately need, so he could be the biggest pickup). Overall I am happy with the Portal except the work at OL.

Summary

I am very pleased with this class and everyone should be overall. The OL recruiting has to be addressed next cycle in a big way, but there are some guys I think will be great here. Through in Hartline's departure (which likely resulted in KWD flipping) and we recovered pretty well. No class is perfect but there are plenty of reasons to be very excited with this class. On top of talent, I see a lot of guys that seem like Buckeyes at heart that will stick around for the long haul and contribute along the way (in addition to the star power). Very happy with this class, especially when accounting for the Portal pickups.

2027 Outlook

The '27 class is off to a piping hot start with the likes of Jacobs, J. Brown, Eli Johnson, Edmunds and Cypher. Currently we sit at #1 in the Rivals rankings. However, the top guys are already being discussed as possible flips with NIL negotiations to continue for some time, so don't hold your breath and expect plenty of surprises.

We need to make OL an absolute point of emphasis and we are off to a good start with Wymer, McNeel and Wilt. Now we need to actually land some of the top names on the board and we need to commit considerable NIL to the position. There are a lot of realistic targets at the OL position that are highly ranked and Bowen needs to capitalize on it and see commitments come to fruition on NLOID. Other areas of need in my eyes are DT, Edge, WR, TE and DBs. DT to me is our biggest area of need, with OT a very close second.

We are off to a really hot start and Edmunds is a great leader for us, so I see another top class in the makes and Day & Co. will continue to bring in the best and develop them. Go Bucks and lets get excited for the 2027 ride!