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Ohio State beats out Oklahoma for four-star safety Eli Johnson

2iQTwToy.jpg-mediumby: Mick Walker10 hours agomickdwalker
Eli Johnson by Mick Walker -- Lettermen Row --
Eli Johnson (Mick Walker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has added another blue-chip prospect to its 2027 recruiting class.

Four-star Cibolo (Texas) Steele safety Eli Johnson has committed to Ohio State following his unofficial visit for the UCLA game. Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas were the other teams near the top of Johnson’s recruitment before he committed to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State safeties coach Matt Guerrieri has been recruiting Johnson for almost a year. He visited the for the first time in spring. Johnson then returned to Columbus in June to work out for Guerrieri which is when he earned an offer from the Buckeyes him earning an offer. Now the 6-foot-3, 186-pound Johnson will don the Scarlet and Gray.

Rivals ranks Johnson as the No. 82 overall prospect and No. 8 safety in the 2027 class. No other recruiting outlet has been ranked inside their top-100, which makes him a Rivals outlier. Johnson is the No. 108 overall prospect and No. 9 safety in the Rivals Industry Rankings.

Eli Johnson joins an Ohio State class that already includes three-star Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep athlete Angelo Smith on the defensive side of the ball. He is the younger brother of star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

The Buckeyes also have four-star Kellen Wymer from Liberty Center (Ohio) and three-star Mason Wilt from St. Clairsville (Ohio) committed along the offensive line. Five-star Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne wide receiver Jamier Brown and four-star Huntington Beach (Calif.) quarterback Brady Edmunds round out the class.

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