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Ohio State makes top schools for trio of four-stars, sends out more new offers
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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2025 RB Shekai Mills-Knight | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel, USA Today
The Buckeyes also received a pair of predictions for two big 2025 prospects.
It was another super busy day for Ohio State on the recruiting trail on Wednesday. The Buckeyes, as they have done so often this offseason, seemed to dominate the headlines, with a trio of four-star prospects listing the program among their top schools, two new offers in both the 2025 and 2026 classes, and two more predictions in their favor for guys near the top of the staff’s big board.
Kicking things off with the top schools lists, the first prospect on Wednesday to include Ohio State among his final potential suitors was in-state running back Marquise Davis.
Davis, a four-star prospect as the No. 13 RB and No. 172 player overall in the 2025 class, has been an interesting recruitment to follow. Cutting his list down from over 30 offers to 10 final programs, Ohio State did make the cut. However, with Davis’ strong relationship with Tony Alford and not much to speak of with new running backs coach Carlos Locklyn (Davis does not have an offer from Oregon) the Buckeyes are likely not in the driver’s seat right now.
While the Wolverines seem to be the frontrunner for the Cleveland native now that Alford is in Ann Arbor, there is still a ton of time left before signing day for Locklyn to start building that relationship and sway things back in Ohio State’s favor. Elsewhere at the position, the Buckeyes remain heavily involved with both Jordan Davison and Bo Jackson, the No. 7 and No. 5 RB in the country, respectively — both of whom have a strong prior relationship with Locklyn.
On the defensive side of the ball, two 2025 talents including Ohio State among their top schools, starting with four-star linebacker Jaedon Harmon.
Ohio State was a late entrant in the recruitment for the No. 26 LB and No. 194 player overall in the cycle, having only offered Harmon in late February, but James Laurinaitis and the staff have clearly made enough of an impact to be included among his top 10 schools. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker was the first official offer for Laurinaitis since his promotion to a full-time position coach, and the Georgia native was in Columbus visiting the Buckeyes the weekend before last.
The other defensive player with Ohio State listed in his top group is four-star cornerback Dorian Barney.
Still just a high school sophomore, Barney ranks as the No. 3 CB and No. 32 overall player in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-1 defensive back out of Georgia has put together an impressive offer sheet of over 35 programs, and cutting his list down to only a dozen this early on shows he is getting serious about his recruitment. With four unofficial visits scheduled this month, coming off a trip to Florida State with a visit to South Carolina on the docket for Thursday, Barney will be at Ohio State on April 13.
Tim Walton is obviously on one hell of a run right now, with commitments from both the No. 1 and No. 2 corners in the country in the 2025 class in Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord, respectively. The Buckeyes’ position coach would love to get a head start on another big haul in 2026 by adding a borderline five-star and top-five player positionally in Barney, and the staff will look to continue building that relationship with the talented DB moving forward.
In addition to all the top schools lists, Ohio State also sent out a pair of new offers on Wednesday. One of the two went to 2025 running back Shekai Mills-Knight.
The first official offer for Locklyn as the Buckeyes’ position coach, Mills-Knight ranks as the No. 29 RB in the country and the No. 14 player out of Tennessee in the cycle. Hailing from the same high school as current Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Max LeBlanc, the 6-foot-2 ball-carrier already held a strong relationship with OSU’s new RB coach, and the duo appear to be keeping that going now that Locklyn is in Columbus.
The other official offer on Wednesday went out to 2026 athlete Jordan Thomas.
A top-100 player as just a high school sophomore, Thomas currently ranks as the No. 15 ATH and No. 99 player overall per the 247Sports Composite, as well as the No. 2 player out of New Jersey in the cycle. Playing both wide receiver and defensive back at Bergen Catholic, Ohio State is recruiting Thomas on the defensive side of the ball. The offer from the Buckeyes is his 16th early in the process, with schools like Florida, Miami, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and others also getting in the mix.
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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
2025 RB Shekai Mills-Knight | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel, USA Today
The Buckeyes also received a pair of predictions for two big 2025 prospects.
It was another super busy day for Ohio State on the recruiting trail on Wednesday. The Buckeyes, as they have done so often this offseason, seemed to dominate the headlines, with a trio of four-star prospects listing the program among their top schools, two new offers in both the 2025 and 2026 classes, and two more predictions in their favor for guys near the top of the staff’s big board.
Kicking things off with the top schools lists, the first prospect on Wednesday to include Ohio State among his final potential suitors was in-state running back Marquise Davis.
Davis, a four-star prospect as the No. 13 RB and No. 172 player overall in the 2025 class, has been an interesting recruitment to follow. Cutting his list down from over 30 offers to 10 final programs, Ohio State did make the cut. However, with Davis’ strong relationship with Tony Alford and not much to speak of with new running backs coach Carlos Locklyn (Davis does not have an offer from Oregon) the Buckeyes are likely not in the driver’s seat right now.
While the Wolverines seem to be the frontrunner for the Cleveland native now that Alford is in Ann Arbor, there is still a ton of time left before signing day for Locklyn to start building that relationship and sway things back in Ohio State’s favor. Elsewhere at the position, the Buckeyes remain heavily involved with both Jordan Davison and Bo Jackson, the No. 7 and No. 5 RB in the country, respectively — both of whom have a strong prior relationship with Locklyn.
On the defensive side of the ball, two 2025 talents including Ohio State among their top schools, starting with four-star linebacker Jaedon Harmon.
Ohio State was a late entrant in the recruitment for the No. 26 LB and No. 194 player overall in the cycle, having only offered Harmon in late February, but James Laurinaitis and the staff have clearly made enough of an impact to be included among his top 10 schools. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker was the first official offer for Laurinaitis since his promotion to a full-time position coach, and the Georgia native was in Columbus visiting the Buckeyes the weekend before last.
The other defensive player with Ohio State listed in his top group is four-star cornerback Dorian Barney.
NEWS: Four-Star CB Dorian Barney is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’1 170 CB from Suwanee, GA is ranked as the No. 3 CB in the 2026 Class (per On3)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/VLUMciAnYb pic.twitter.com/hzsoQu3BlG
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 3, 2024
Still just a high school sophomore, Barney ranks as the No. 3 CB and No. 32 overall player in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-1 defensive back out of Georgia has put together an impressive offer sheet of over 35 programs, and cutting his list down to only a dozen this early on shows he is getting serious about his recruitment. With four unofficial visits scheduled this month, coming off a trip to Florida State with a visit to South Carolina on the docket for Thursday, Barney will be at Ohio State on April 13.
Tim Walton is obviously on one hell of a run right now, with commitments from both the No. 1 and No. 2 corners in the country in the 2025 class in Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord, respectively. The Buckeyes’ position coach would love to get a head start on another big haul in 2026 by adding a borderline five-star and top-five player positionally in Barney, and the staff will look to continue building that relationship with the talented DB moving forward.
In addition to all the top schools lists, Ohio State also sent out a pair of new offers on Wednesday. One of the two went to 2025 running back Shekai Mills-Knight.
AGTG after a great conversation with @Locklyn33 I’m extremely blessed to have received an offer from THE Ohio State University#GoBucks @ryandaytime @OhioStateFB @ErikKimrey @cbrownrun11 @ECWagnac @adamgorney @SWiltfong_ @ChadSimmons_ @GregBiggins pic.twitter.com/K4c2omKb32
— Shekai Mills-Knight️ (@sk_begreat) April 3, 2024
The first official offer for Locklyn as the Buckeyes’ position coach, Mills-Knight ranks as the No. 29 RB in the country and the No. 14 player out of Tennessee in the cycle. Hailing from the same high school as current Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Max LeBlanc, the 6-foot-2 ball-carrier already held a strong relationship with OSU’s new RB coach, and the duo appear to be keeping that going now that Locklyn is in Columbus.
The other official offer on Wednesday went out to 2026 athlete Jordan Thomas.
all glory to God!!! blessed to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University! #BIA@ryandaytime @OGWalt_ @CoachDuHart @OhioStateFB @bccoachvito @RivalsFriedman @adamgorney @BrianDohn247 @SWiltfong_ @MohrRecruiting @Bucknuts247 @KinslerLatish pic.twitter.com/W3ineLBFGV
— Jordan Thomas ✞²¹ (@jordanthomas_21) April 3, 2024
A top-100 player as just a high school sophomore, Thomas currently ranks as the No. 15 ATH and No. 99 player overall per the 247Sports Composite, as well as the No. 2 player out of New Jersey in the cycle. Playing both wide receiver and defensive back at Bergen Catholic, Ohio State is recruiting Thomas on the defensive side of the ball. The offer from the Buckeyes is his 16th early in the process, with schools like Florida, Miami, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and others also getting in the mix.
Quick Hits
- Four-star 2025 DL Trent Wilson is set to announce his commitment next week on April 10. Choosing between Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas A&M and Ohio State, the Sooners look to have the inside track on landing the Maryland native. Wilson checks in as the No. 18 DL and No. 141 player overall per the 247Sports Composite.
- In addition to everything else on Wednesday, Ohio State also received a pair of predictions via On3 to land two of the very best prospects at their respective positions in the 2025 class. Steve Wiltfong logged a prediction for the Buckeyes to land Jaime Ffrench, the No. 3 WR and No. 16 overall on the 247Sports Composite, and Alex Gleitman cast his prediction in favor of Ohio State for the aforementioned Davison, the No. 7 RB and No. 83 player overall.
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