Caleb Houser
Guest
Ohio State offers Texas edge rusher, top-100 RB keeps Buckeyes among top schools
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2026 defensive lineman out of the Lone Star State is the latest OSU offeree.
Ohio State takes pride in the fact that they’re always in evaluation mode. Constantly looking all over the country for top talent, the Buckeyes rarely leave a stone unturned. This far into the 2026 cycle offers aren’t going out left and right, but they still pop here and there as the staff keeps their eyes open for new names. On Thursday, the latest offer came about with a Texas native edge rusher.
Taking to his social media to share the latest update in his recruitment, Kevin Ford Jr. (Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville) now has Ohio State in the mix with his nearly 40 other offers to his name. A 6-foot-3, 245 pound edge rusher, Ford is currently the No. 105 player nationally and 13th best at his position per the 247Sports Composite.
Schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, USC, and a host of others are among his top offers, but now the Buckeyes can join that list as well. As they have many times before in Texas, pulling elite players away has worked pretty well, and Ford is now another name that very well could one worth watching moving forward.
With all of the spring visits coming and early summer recruiting opportunities as well, getting Ford to Columbus will be the goal for the staff is they wish to have a real shot, but with the offer now extended, that’s not out of the question.
The goal is at least two for the running back position in Ohio State’s 2026 class, and position coach Carlos Locklyn shouldn’t have a real hard time reaching that goal. A dynamic recruiter with a ton of energy, Locklyn knows how to build strong relationships and also has a national championship now under his belt to further boost his already impressive resume while on the trail.
With offers out to plenty of the top running backs in the country, Ohio State sits in solid position for multiple, and really just needs to stay in the mix for a few to increase their chances of landing the guys they want. Plenty of time for twists and turns, the Buckeyes will continue their efforts and eventually they’ll pay off.
For now, the good news is that the program is impressing top talent, and yesterday another high profile 2026 running back kept Ohio State in the mix when he trimmed his list down from 30 offers to a final 10 schools he is still considering before making his final choice.
Georgia native Jae Lamar is the No. 94 player nationally and seventh best at his position per the 247Sports Composite, and is now down to Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, North Carolina, and Tennessee in addition to Ohio State.
As it stands right now, the lone prediction favors Lamar to stay home and choose Georgia, but an impressive top-10 with those national programs is obviously giving him plenty to think about. Again, Ohio State is in the mix, and if they continue to remain in these top schools list for top players at the position then it will work out for the Buckeyes in this current recruiting cycle.
The No. 188 player nationally and the 17th best offensive tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Greer is in communication with Bowen often, and now he can make up for lost time to ensure Ohio State has the best chance at keeping another major talent at home for their college career.
Yet to land an Ohio State offer, that very well could change in the near future as Hart shared yesterday that he will in town to see the Buckeyes on April 3 for an unofficial visit.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2026 defensive lineman out of the Lone Star State is the latest OSU offeree.
Ohio State takes pride in the fact that they’re always in evaluation mode. Constantly looking all over the country for top talent, the Buckeyes rarely leave a stone unturned. This far into the 2026 cycle offers aren’t going out left and right, but they still pop here and there as the staff keeps their eyes open for new names. On Thursday, the latest offer came about with a Texas native edge rusher.
Taking to his social media to share the latest update in his recruitment, Kevin Ford Jr. (Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville) now has Ohio State in the mix with his nearly 40 other offers to his name. A 6-foot-3, 245 pound edge rusher, Ford is currently the No. 105 player nationally and 13th best at his position per the 247Sports Composite.
Schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, USC, and a host of others are among his top offers, but now the Buckeyes can join that list as well. As they have many times before in Texas, pulling elite players away has worked pretty well, and Ford is now another name that very well could one worth watching moving forward.
With all of the spring visits coming and early summer recruiting opportunities as well, getting Ford to Columbus will be the goal for the staff is they wish to have a real shot, but with the offer now extended, that’s not out of the question.
2026 running back narrows down his top schools list to ten
The goal is at least two for the running back position in Ohio State’s 2026 class, and position coach Carlos Locklyn shouldn’t have a real hard time reaching that goal. A dynamic recruiter with a ton of energy, Locklyn knows how to build strong relationships and also has a national championship now under his belt to further boost his already impressive resume while on the trail.
With offers out to plenty of the top running backs in the country, Ohio State sits in solid position for multiple, and really just needs to stay in the mix for a few to increase their chances of landing the guys they want. Plenty of time for twists and turns, the Buckeyes will continue their efforts and eventually they’ll pay off.
For now, the good news is that the program is impressing top talent, and yesterday another high profile 2026 running back kept Ohio State in the mix when he trimmed his list down from 30 offers to a final 10 schools he is still considering before making his final choice.
Georgia native Jae Lamar is the No. 94 player nationally and seventh best at his position per the 247Sports Composite, and is now down to Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, North Carolina, and Tennessee in addition to Ohio State.
As it stands right now, the lone prediction favors Lamar to stay home and choose Georgia, but an impressive top-10 with those national programs is obviously giving him plenty to think about. Again, Ohio State is in the mix, and if they continue to remain in these top schools list for top players at the position then it will work out for the Buckeyes in this current recruiting cycle.
NEWS 4-star RB Jae Lamar is down to schools and has locked in a commitment date, he tells @ChadSimmons_
Read: https://t.co/1mW9jdBhLd pic.twitter.com/D6IJOa4xkb
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) March 12, 2025
Quick Hits
- Landing Maxwell Riley earlier this week, Ohio State offensive line coach Tyler Bowen is now off and running when it comes to leading his position group from a recruiting standpoint. Having plenty of in-state talent to prioritize, Riley may be the first domino, but Bowen is clearly looking for more Ohio natives and has zeroed in on Akron Hoban product, Sam Greer.
The No. 188 player nationally and the 17th best offensive tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Greer is in communication with Bowen often, and now he can make up for lost time to ensure Ohio State has the best chance at keeping another major talent at home for their college career.
- Maybe an under the radar name due to no current ranking on his 247Sports profile, Virginia native cornerback Jaziel Hart still holds 25 offers to his name and from the likes of Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, and several more worth noting.
Yet to land an Ohio State offer, that very well could change in the near future as Hart shared yesterday that he will in town to see the Buckeyes on April 3 for an unofficial visit.
Some Spring visits coming up! #Blessed! @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @MikeTSinger @_CoachCod @mickdwalker @tylerwaltonc4 @Bryan_Ault @CoachOjong @Fast7v7 @MaxPrepsVA @mattfreeman05_ @Birm @TJamesND @ByKyleKelly @CalebSisk_ @RoSimonJr @CoachD178 more to be scheduled! THANKFULpic.twitter.com/VATuNM8W36
— Jaziel Hart 2026 (@ZielHart) March 13, 2025
Continue reading...