Buckeyes Board: Still 'Brock and Roll' for Ohio State at tight end in 2027

Keenan Bailey and the Ohio State tight end recruiting approach is the top of today’s Buckeyes Board installment.

COLUMBUS—No matter how much Ohio State wants to change its recruiting philosophy, in some respects it just doesn’t make a lot of sense.

And one of those areas is the tight end position.

That, unfortunately, is the reality for Keenan Bailey and the Buckeyes. Ohio State loves to use the tight end. It uses more of them, more frequently, than nearly any school in the country. That usage is certainly not expected to dip with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

But that doesn’t mean the Buckeyes use the tight end in the way that highly-ranked, highly-productive tight ends want to be used. Those players, oftentimes glorified receivers in high school, have a goal that they’ll come into Ohio State and revolutionize the way that Ryan Day and his coaches deploy the tight end.

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That rarely ends up being the case. Tight end is still a developmental position and there is little room for experimentation at a spot that requires so many refined skillsets to be used properly. It’s cliché but it’s true: the tight end has to block defensive ends, he has to run routes like a receiver, he has to be big, physical and versatile. Want to be a vertical threat in the passing game? Well you better be able to outrun Big Ten safeties.

So it’s knowing all that which makes recruiting the position so interesting. Recruits know Ohio State wants to use the tight end. Ohio State knows what it wants from its tight end prospects.

But in most cases? It’s going to be two to three years before all the facets needed to really contribute are implemented. Because of that? It’s hard for the Buckeyes to really justify spending major NIL dollars at tight end. In a lot of cases, and this is something we’ve seen in recent years with Will Kacmarek, Max Klare and now with Hunter Welcing and Mason Williams, it just makes more sense to use the dollars and cents on an older, physically developed and experienced tight end. The plug-and-play type in a grind-it-out-position.

And that brings us to the 2027 Ohio State recruiting big board. The Buckeyes Board, as we’re calling here at Lettermen Row. That brings us to Brock Williams.

Williams has been the unquestioned top target on the 2027 recruiting board for Bailey and the Buckeyes for more than a year now. He’s developed an almost brother-like relationship with not just Bailey, but also with Ohio State quarterback commitment Brady Edmunds. Williams, from Libertyville (Ill.) High School, has been to campus a half-dozen times and Bailey et al have been to see him every opportunity they’ve been permitted to.

In the old days of recruiting, Williams likely would have been committed to Ohio State by now. That’s the case even though the other schools recruiting him, Texas and Georgia, are big boys, too. But those big boys, especially Texas, play the NIL game differently than the Buckeyes do. The rumored offer from the Longhorns is something that, simply put, Ohio State is not likely to match. There’s also not likely to be a package-deal offered by the Buckeyes that include Reid Williams, Brock’s twin brother. That’s something LR has heard could be on the table in Austin.

That doesn’t mean the Buckeyes are being frugal or cheap or anything, either. It just means the way they see the tight end position—even for a top target like Brock Williams—informs how they operate when recruiting it.

And with a decision coming from Williams, likely in the near future, Ohio State will need to be content with its offer. There are options after the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Midwest tight end that are worth exploring. That’s especially the case knowing that whichever prospects becomes the guy in the 2027 cycle, he’s probably not going to be counted on for real reps until 2028 or beyond.

So when Williams decides, that’s when we’re likely to see things really expand at tight end. Of course, there’s at least some chance the Buckeyes—because of all the other things in their favor—find a way to win the fight.

That’d be the cleanest option, after all, right? Of course, but nothing is that simple these days.

Who else is Ohio State recruiting at tight end in 2027?

The Buckeyes have been engaging in other recruitments at tight end, even with Williams as the top target. Here are some of the key names to know if he picks Texas or Georgia over Ohio State.

• Jaxon Dollar • East Lincoln High School • North Carolina •

Ohio State has been spending a lot of time in North Carolina this cycle and Jaxon Dollar gives them more reason to do so. He’s probably the most similar of all prospective tight ends in the class to Brock Williams. Of course, that also means he doesn’t block much in high school so the development curve here is longer than Nate Roberts was when he was nabbed by Bailey in the 2025 cycle. Dollar has visited once but the relationship is growing.

• Zac Fares • Arbor View • Las Vegas •

A Toledo, Ohio native, Zac Fares visited Ohio State last spring and earned an offer from the Buckeyes. There has not been much buzz about Ohio State since, however. That doesn’t mean there’s not contact but it’s under-the-radar and there’s been no return visit. Oklahoma has been rumored as a potential favorite.

• Jordan Karhoff • St. Francis De Sales • Ohio •

Ohio State has a unique tie-in with Jordan Karhoff: his high school quarterback is Ryan Day’s son, RJ Day. That connection certainly opened the door for Karhoff when he was offered last year. It’s been his play on the field that has kept it open. Karhoff is a really good pass catching tight end but again, someone who has limited experience in the more physical side of the position.

• Grant Haviland • Milton High School • Georgia •

If Georgia was to land Brock Williams it wouldn’t hurt the Buckeyes in their pursuit of Grant Haviland. He’s a bigger framed player than guys like Karhoff and he’s closer to be a complete tight end right now than any other player on this list. That’s appealing to Ohio State. The Buckeyes would rather develop someone’s pass catching ability than being tasked with developing their physical frames or mental approach to the position.

• D’Angelo White • Villa-Angela St. Joseph • Ohio •

Though he recently committed to Louisville and there’s been little contact with Ohio State since the summer, D’Angelo White has to remain on this list based on his proximity to Columbus, his long-term upside and the relationship that the Buckeyes have at his school. It’s the same place that produced Bo Jackson and White’s unique frame is worth waiting out.

• Sean Currie • The Lawrenceville School • New Jersey •

Another unique physical prospect is Sean Currie from New Jersey. He’s committed to Virginia but the 6-foot-7, 235-pound soon-to-be-senior is intriguing. The Buckeyes are fond of him and it seems to be reciprocated. A summer visit in 2025 is almost certainly going to lead to a spring visit in March and that’s where things will get interesting.

• JT Geraci • Don Bosco Prep • New Jersey •

The Buckeyes have really appreciated versatility and the value they found in a player like former Ohio State athlete Mitch Rossi. JT Geraci is that kind of player. He’s also, currently, committed to Texas. If Williams picked Texas would that help? Maybe. Would it guarantee that the Buckeyes pushed more for Geraci? Of course not. But it wouldn’t hurt. He’s visited a couple of times and he’s a great kid that comes from a winning program. He understands the assignment.