Gene Ross
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Ohio State picks up big Crystal Ball, makes top schools for pair of top-100 linebackers
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star 2025 RB Bo Jackson | via @nolimitbo__ (Bo Jackson) on Instagram
The Buckeyes are coming off a massive recruiting weekend that saw them pick up momentum with some big names.
Ohio State kicked off the month of June with its biggest recruiting weekend since the spring game, with double-digit players on campus between Saturday and Sunday on official visits. Among those in attendance were some of the biggest names on the Buckeyes’ recruiting board on both sides of the football.
Before we jump into all that, Ohio State also got some positive news on Sunday from a prospect who was not in town for the all the festivities, as four-star 2025 linebacker Gavin Nix listed the program among his final six schools.
Nix isn’t a player we’ve heard a ton in regards to the Buckeyes, having been offered by position coach James Laurinaitis just this January. The No. 11 LB and No. 88 overall prospect nationally per 247Sports’ rankings, Nix is another big name out of IMG Academy in Florida, but is a native of the Sunshine State as well. While the in-state schools in Florida State and Miami seem to be atop his list, the 6-foot, 225-pound defender is prioritizing opportunity over location.
“Location isn’t a big deal for me,” Nix told On3’s Chad Simmons. “The main things for me are, what a school can do for me as a person outside of football and where I can be best developed. It is about the fit, not about the location. I just want to excel as a man on and off the field.”
If Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes really want to have a chance in this one, they will need to get Nix on campus for an official visit. The linebacker currently has OV’s scheduled for Miami (June 7), Oregon (June 14) and Florida State (June 21), but does not yet have plans to make the trip up to Columbus.
Moving onto the guys that were on campus these past few days — but sticking with the theme of top-100 linebackers putting Ohio State among their top schools — one of the biggest names in town this weekend was high four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn. On Saturday, during his three-day official visit with Ohio State, Pettijohn trimmed his top schools list down to four, with the Buckeyes making the cut alongside Texas, Texas A&M and USC.
While it feels like an uphill climb to lure Pettijohn away from the in-state Longhorns, Ohio State, led by Laurinaitis, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, rolled out the red carpet for the No. 4 LB and No. 31 overall player in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite. Having already visited Columbus a few months ago, the Buckeyes getting an official visit a few months later — one that seeming went as well as possible — seems to have them in real contention.
“The atmosphere in Columbus was pretty exciting and we enjoyed spending time getting to know the coaches and getting a feel for the program as a whole,” Pettijohn’s father Duke told On3 after their visit in March. “I think what excited Riley most about Ohio State is the competitive business-like approach the players have and the tradition of excellence there.”
Ohio State currently has a pair of linebackers committed in its 2025 class in Tarvos Alford and Eli Lee. Alford, also a top-100 prospect the No. 8 LB in the cycle, was on hand for his official visit this weekend as well, and appeared to be locked in on Pettijohn and putting on his best peer recruiting cap to try and add another big time talent to the room.
Ohio State is looking to add at least one more linebacker in this cycle, and while Nix remains an intriguing option, Pettijohn is without a doubt at the top of the big board at the position.
Moving to the other side of the football, perhaps one of the biggest headlines to come out of this big recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes was a pair of new Crystal Balls being cast in their favor. Courtesy of On3’s Vice President of Recruiting, Steve Wiltfong, and OSU insider Alex Gleitman, two predictions were logged for 2025 running back Bo Jackson to Ohio State.
If you follow Ohio State recruiting even a little bit, then you’ve likely heard Jackson’s name a bunch. The Cleveland native checks in as the No. 5 RB as well as the No. 81 overall player and No. 5 prospect in Ohio in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite. Hailing from within state lines, Jackson is one of — if not the — most important players for the Buckeyes at running back in this cycle.
Here is some of what 247Sports national analyst Hudson Standish has to say of Jackson’s abilities:
Ohio State now owns all three predictions for Jackson, with a 247Sports Crystal Ball cast in favor of the Buckeyes by OSU insider Bill Kurelic back in January as well. If they are able to land Jackson, it would give them commitments from three of the top five players in Ohio in 2025, with the other two also strong possibilities to end up in Columbus — one of which was also on campus this weekend...
That would be linebacker/edge rusher Justin Hill, another massive priority target for the Buckeyes, who made his official visit with Ohio State beginning on Friday.
Listed as the No. 7 EDGE and No. 72 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Laurinaitis and Ohio State are recruiting Hill as a Jack — a position we are still waiting to see fully unveiled by Knowles and the Buckeyes’ defense. The Winton Woods product is a superb athlete with a track background, and would be able to play either as a 3-4 outside linebacker or a hybrid 4-3 edge (AKA, the Jack) at the next level. His speed, versatility and him being an in-state prospect put him right near the top of the program’s big board.
Ohio State appears to be in the driver’s seat for Hill at this current juncture, but he does have three more official visits coming up with USC (June 7), Alabama (June 14) and Oregon (June 21). It sounds like a big part of the Buckeyes’ plans with Hill this weekend included them selling the idea of him as their priority target to play at the Jack, and all reports indicate that the visit went incredibly well. Laurinaitis and the rest of the staff will find out how well it actually went when Hill announces his commitment on July 3.
These weren’t the only big names on campus this weekend, as a handful of other four and five-star prospects were also involved in this flurry of visitors. All players are in the 2025 class and all were on official visits unless otherwise indicated:
“Ohio State is an incredible program but especially for quarterbacks.” Bell told On3. “I’ve always been a Buckeye fan and looked up to some of their quarterbacks. Coach Day and the program are always competing for a National Championship and I think that Coach Kelly is going to be a great addition to their offense!”
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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
Four-star 2025 RB Bo Jackson | via @nolimitbo__ (Bo Jackson) on Instagram
The Buckeyes are coming off a massive recruiting weekend that saw them pick up momentum with some big names.
Ohio State kicked off the month of June with its biggest recruiting weekend since the spring game, with double-digit players on campus between Saturday and Sunday on official visits. Among those in attendance were some of the biggest names on the Buckeyes’ recruiting board on both sides of the football.
Before we jump into all that, Ohio State also got some positive news on Sunday from a prospect who was not in town for the all the festivities, as four-star 2025 linebacker Gavin Nix listed the program among his final six schools.
NEWS: Four-Star LB Gavin Nix is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’0 225 LB from Bradenton, FL is ranked as a Top 160 Recruit in the ‘25 Class (per On3 Industry)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/eJzjpOXLkJ pic.twitter.com/r7UmZ2eMJn
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 2, 2024
Nix isn’t a player we’ve heard a ton in regards to the Buckeyes, having been offered by position coach James Laurinaitis just this January. The No. 11 LB and No. 88 overall prospect nationally per 247Sports’ rankings, Nix is another big name out of IMG Academy in Florida, but is a native of the Sunshine State as well. While the in-state schools in Florida State and Miami seem to be atop his list, the 6-foot, 225-pound defender is prioritizing opportunity over location.
“Location isn’t a big deal for me,” Nix told On3’s Chad Simmons. “The main things for me are, what a school can do for me as a person outside of football and where I can be best developed. It is about the fit, not about the location. I just want to excel as a man on and off the field.”
If Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes really want to have a chance in this one, they will need to get Nix on campus for an official visit. The linebacker currently has OV’s scheduled for Miami (June 7), Oregon (June 14) and Florida State (June 21), but does not yet have plans to make the trip up to Columbus.
Moving onto the guys that were on campus these past few days — but sticking with the theme of top-100 linebackers putting Ohio State among their top schools — one of the biggest names in town this weekend was high four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn. On Saturday, during his three-day official visit with Ohio State, Pettijohn trimmed his top schools list down to four, with the Buckeyes making the cut alongside Texas, Texas A&M and USC.
NEWS: Elite 2025 LB Riley Pettijohn is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’3 215 LB from McKinney, TX is ranked as the No. 2 LB in the ‘25 Class (per On3)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/EdtV50nx72 pic.twitter.com/NCul9gF1wv
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 1, 2024
While it feels like an uphill climb to lure Pettijohn away from the in-state Longhorns, Ohio State, led by Laurinaitis, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, rolled out the red carpet for the No. 4 LB and No. 31 overall player in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite. Having already visited Columbus a few months ago, the Buckeyes getting an official visit a few months later — one that seeming went as well as possible — seems to have them in real contention.
“The atmosphere in Columbus was pretty exciting and we enjoyed spending time getting to know the coaches and getting a feel for the program as a whole,” Pettijohn’s father Duke told On3 after their visit in March. “I think what excited Riley most about Ohio State is the competitive business-like approach the players have and the tradition of excellence there.”
Ohio State currently has a pair of linebackers committed in its 2025 class in Tarvos Alford and Eli Lee. Alford, also a top-100 prospect the No. 8 LB in the cycle, was on hand for his official visit this weekend as well, and appeared to be locked in on Pettijohn and putting on his best peer recruiting cap to try and add another big time talent to the room.
Ohio State is looking to add at least one more linebacker in this cycle, and while Nix remains an intriguing option, Pettijohn is without a doubt at the top of the big board at the position.
Moving to the other side of the football, perhaps one of the biggest headlines to come out of this big recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes was a pair of new Crystal Balls being cast in their favor. Courtesy of On3’s Vice President of Recruiting, Steve Wiltfong, and OSU insider Alex Gleitman, two predictions were logged for 2025 running back Bo Jackson to Ohio State.
If you follow Ohio State recruiting even a little bit, then you’ve likely heard Jackson’s name a bunch. The Cleveland native checks in as the No. 5 RB as well as the No. 81 overall player and No. 5 prospect in Ohio in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite. Hailing from within state lines, Jackson is one of — if not the — most important players for the Buckeyes at running back in this cycle.
Here is some of what 247Sports national analyst Hudson Standish has to say of Jackson’s abilities:
Ohio State now owns all three predictions for Jackson, with a 247Sports Crystal Ball cast in favor of the Buckeyes by OSU insider Bill Kurelic back in January as well. If they are able to land Jackson, it would give them commitments from three of the top five players in Ohio in 2025, with the other two also strong possibilities to end up in Columbus — one of which was also on campus this weekend...
That would be linebacker/edge rusher Justin Hill, another massive priority target for the Buckeyes, who made his official visit with Ohio State beginning on Friday.
Listed as the No. 7 EDGE and No. 72 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Laurinaitis and Ohio State are recruiting Hill as a Jack — a position we are still waiting to see fully unveiled by Knowles and the Buckeyes’ defense. The Winton Woods product is a superb athlete with a track background, and would be able to play either as a 3-4 outside linebacker or a hybrid 4-3 edge (AKA, the Jack) at the next level. His speed, versatility and him being an in-state prospect put him right near the top of the program’s big board.
Ohio State appears to be in the driver’s seat for Hill at this current juncture, but he does have three more official visits coming up with USC (June 7), Alabama (June 14) and Oregon (June 21). It sounds like a big part of the Buckeyes’ plans with Hill this weekend included them selling the idea of him as their priority target to play at the Jack, and all reports indicate that the visit went incredibly well. Laurinaitis and the rest of the staff will find out how well it actually went when Hill announces his commitment on July 3.
These weren’t the only big names on campus this weekend, as a handful of other four and five-star prospects were also involved in this flurry of visitors. All players are in the 2025 class and all were on official visits unless otherwise indicated:
- Five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore (No. 1 WR, No. 3 Natl. | Duncanville, TX).
Five-Star Plus+ WR Dakorien Moore on his official visit to Ohio State this weekend
OSU, LSU, Texas and Oregon make up his top 4 schoolshttps://t.co/QIAIQ9kLe7 pic.twitter.com/OZErFZlXJ1
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 2, 2024
- Four-star wide receiver Daylan McCutcheon (No. 12 WR, 94 Natl. | Lucas, TX).
- Four-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III (No. 6 WR, No. 39 Natl. | Orlando, FL).
(@VB3_9) - Four-star safety DeShawn Stewart (No. 26 S, No. 295 Natl. | Wayne, NJ) — OSU commit.
- Four-star running back Anthony Rogers (No. 7 RB, No. 104 Natl. | Montgomery, AL) — Unofficial visit, Alabama commit.
- Three-star OL Kaden Strayhorn (No. 27 IOL, No. 432 Natl. | Bradenton, FL).
- Three-star OL Henry Fenuku (No. 26 IOL, No. 427 Natl. | Fort Worth, TX).
Quick Hits
- Ohio State will receive one of three June visits for elite 2026 quarterback Dia Bell. The No. 3 QB and No. 10 prospect nationally in the next cycle, the Florida native will be visiting Florida State (June 9), Ohio State (June 11) and LSU (June 13) in the next few weeks.
“Ohio State is an incredible program but especially for quarterbacks.” Bell told On3. “I’ve always been a Buckeye fan and looked up to some of their quarterbacks. Coach Day and the program are always competing for a National Championship and I think that Coach Kelly is going to be a great addition to their offense!”
Elite 2026 4-star QB Dia Bell will take visits to Florida State, Ohio State and LSU this month, he tells @SWiltfong_
Bell is the No. 12 overall prospect in the 2026 class️
Read: https://t.co/B6p8WWRU8R pic.twitter.com/pwuuHBgDQ2
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 2, 2024
- Ohio State will also be getting a visit in June from one of the nation’s top edge rushers in the 2026 class. Zion Elee, the No. 4 EDGE and No. 35 player overall in the cycle per the 247Sports Composite, will make the trip to Columbus on June 17. It will be Elee’s first trip to campus since picking up his offer from the Buckeyes on May 8.
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