In-state cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon commits to Ohio State

COLUMBUS — Ohio State cornerbacks coach Tim Walton has added another talented defensive back to the Buckeyes secondary. Additionally, this comes from inside the state of Ohio.

Four-star Avon (Ohio) athlete Jakob Weatherspoon has committed to Ohio State. The 5-foot-11, 172-pound athlete committed to the Buckeyes over Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon and Wisconsin.

Weatherspoon, the No. 172 overall prospect in the On300, visited Ohio State for the season opener against Akron and returned to Columbus two weeks later for the Marshall game. The top target for Tim Walton was also in Columbus for Indiana and Michigan games this season.

Weatherspoon has built a tight bond with the aforementioned Tim Walton which contributed to him making an early commitment.

“It gets better every single time,” Weatherspoon told Lettermen Row in August. “It’s like every time we go down there, he feels more like a father figure to me is what it’s coming down to. I want to get to that point where I got a coach that feels like a second father to me so I can actually put my trust in them and have them take me through the journey.”

Weatherspoon is the fourth commitment for Ohio State in the 2026 class and first on the defensive side of the ball. He joins a Buckeye class that includes Five-Star Plus+ Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., four-star Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School tight end Corbyn Fordham and three-star Pataskala (Ohio) Watkins Memorial wide receiver Jaeden Ricketts.