Ohio State opens July with a fifth-ranked recruiting class in 2026
COLUMBUS – Ohio State missed on a few top targets at the end of June but they are still one of the best programs in the country on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes hosted over 40 official visitors in June and some of them committed to Ohio State following their visits.
Head coach Ryan Day and his coaching staff currently have 19 commitments in the 2026 class. The class ranks fifth in the country, according to the On3 Team Industry Rankings. USC, Georgia, Texas A&M and Notre Dame are the four teams ahead of the Buckeyes in the rankings. The Trojans lead the way with 30 commitments while the Bulldogs, Aggies and Irish all have over 20.
The group is led by its offensive firepower. Five-star Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. is the headliner for offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline. The Buckeyes also have Four-star Inglewood (Calif) Mater Dei wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, four-star Pataskala (Ohio) Watkins Memorial wide receiver Jaeden Ricketts and four-star Southlake Carroll (Texas) wide receiver Brock Boyd in the class.
Additionally, tight ends coach Keenan Bailey has three-star Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School tight end Corbyn Fordham committed. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Fordham was a top target for Bailey despite his lower ranking.
Four-star Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban offensive lineman Sam Greer, four-star Avon Lake (Ohio) interior offensive lineman Max Riley, three-star Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe offensive tackle Aaron Thomas and three-star Phoenix (Ariz.) Sandra Day O’Conner offensive lineman Tucker Smith make up the class for first-year offensive line coach Tyler Bowen.
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Greer and Thomas project as tackle at the next level. Riley and Smith, on the other hand, will likely play interior offensive at Ohio State. The Buckeyes are not done along the offensive line, however, and hosted a few other targets for official visits.
Flipping over to the defensive side of the ball, Ohio State received three defensive line commitments in June. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson now has four-star Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra defensive lineman Khary Wilder, four-star Egg Harbor Township (N.J.) St. Augustine Prep defensive lineman Damari Simeon and three-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy defensive lineman Cameron Brickle
Four-star Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville linebacker Cincere Johnson and four-star Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy linebacker CJ Sanna are the commitment for linebackers coach James Laurinaitis this cycle.
Ohio State has four-star Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic safety Blaine Bradford, four-star Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School safety Simeon Caldwell, four-star Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic athlete Jordan Thomas and four-star Avon (Ohio) cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon committed in the secondary. Bradford and Caldwell give the Buckeyes two top-ten safeties this cycle. Thomas, on the other hand, was the top target for cornerbacks coach Tim Walton in the 2026 class. Weatherspoon is a versatile chess piece in the secondary but he’ll start his career at corner.
