Four-star IMG Academy standout Preston Carey will commit on June 30 and choose from a final group of schools, including OSU, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Rutgers, Alabama and USC.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Carey has visited Columbus multiple times throughout his recruitment and has an official visit set up for May 30. He’ll also take official visits to all of his other finalists. 

Extremely grateful and humbled to have these opportunities. Back to work! #Grindneverstops #KeepWorking @GeorgiaFootball @OhioStateFB @AuburnFootball @GatorsFB @RFootball @AlabamaFTBL @uscfb https://t.co/JlXi9rySWE

— . (@PrestonJCareyPJ) April 28, 2025

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Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Carey is considered the No. 278 prospect and No. 31 defensive lineman in the 2026 class. 

Ohio State and Larry Johnson have been recruiting Carey for a long time, with the Buckeyes offering him in March of 2023.

“It felt amazing sitting down with coach Day and coach Johnson, two of the best, if not the best coaches in the country,” Carey said following his offer. “Being able to learn from them from such a short time was really an honor. Ohio State is one of the best places for defensive linemen in the country, if not the best.”

Oluwasemilore Olubobola offered by OSU

Tyler Bowen has offered a promising offensive lineman in the 2027 class. Four-star New Jersey prospect Oluwasemilore Olubobola picked up an offer from the Buckeyes on Monday, as Bowen continues to identify intriguing players up front to target in next year’s recruiting cycle. 

All go to God!! Bless to have received an offer from Ohio State University!! @CoachRichHansen@KinslerLatish @CoachBearfield @SeanBarowski @CoachOFlaherty @SPPFootball @joeRteacher @tyler_calvaruso @Myles_Harts @BobbyDeren@RyanSnyderOn3 @TylerBowen pic.twitter.com/77lpVBrLYs

— oluwasemilore olubobola (@52_olubobola) April 28, 2025

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Olubobola is considered the No. 105 prospect and No. 11 ranked tackle in the 2027 class. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound prospect is from New Jersey and is the seventh tackle to earn an offer from the Buckeyes in his class.

Sidney Rouleau gets an offer from the Buckeyes

Olubobola wasn’t Bowen’s only offer he gave out on Monday. Four-star New Jersey offensive tackle Sidney Rouleau picked up an offer from OSU, as Bowen continues to expand his board.

After an Amazing talk with @TylerBowen I am excited and blessed to have Earned an offer from The University of Ohio State #Gobuckeyes @ryandaytime @MikeWakins @CoachJohnReagan @TonyGrecoTG @RivalsFriedman @RivalsRichie @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/fPwFb5jtWg

— BigSid 4 OT/DE (@RouleauSidney) April 28, 2025

Rouleau is considered the No. 212 prospect and No. 22 offensive tackle in the 2027 class. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound lineman has earned 16 Division I offers, including Boston College, Duke, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Jae Lamar puts the Buckeyes in his top six

A top Ohio State running back target has narrowed down his recruitment. 

Four-star Georgia standout Jae Lamar released a top six of Ohio State, Auburn, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia and Miami on Sunday as he continues to narrow things down in search of his collegiate home.

NEWS: Four-Star RB Jae Lamar is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 60 205 RB from Moultrie, GA is ranked as a Top 10 RB in the 26 Class (per On3 Industry)https://t.co/B9OtavCdTG pic.twitter.com/YRGC3n3W05

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 27, 2025

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Lamar is expected to take an official visit to Columbus later this summer and also plans to visit Florida State, Miami, Clemson and Auburn. He’s previously set a commitment date for July 4, as Carlos Locklyn hopes to take two running backs in the 2026 cycle.

Cam Brooks commits to Cal

One defensive line target for Larry Johnson in the 2026 class is off the board. Four-star Georgia prospect Cam Brooks committed to Cal on Sunday in a somewhat unexpected move, leaving the Buckeyes to head back to the drawing board with still plenty of options on the table for defensive line this cycle.

Respect the decision. pic.twitter.com/ZEVm6l2zjU

— Camron Brooks (@CamronBrooks32) April 27, 2025

Brooks had been heavily connected to OSU early in his recruitment and the Buckeyes were hoping to set up an official visit with him for sometime this summer, but contact had been minimal between the two sides over the spring. 

With Brooks headed to Cal, the Buckeyes will turn their attention elsewhere this summer.

Jaden Ball signs with Minnesota

Ohio State hosted three transfer portal prospects on Friday, including defensive tackle Troy Pikes, offensive tackle Orion Irving and offensive tackle Jaden Ball. One day later, Ball opted to sign with Minnesota instead, which had also been courting him since he left Purdue. 

OSU added West Virginia offensive tackle transfer Justin Terry on Sunday and will likely hear an answer from Irving and Pikes this week.

MIAMISBURG, Ohio — An Applebee’s location in southwest Ohio was closed Saturday after it was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti, reports say.

The Dayton Daily News reports that police say the restaurant was “tagged” with the graffiti just before 8 a.m. Saturday. No arrests have been reported.

Ken Jarosik, communications manager for the city of Miamisburg, tells the Daily News that swastikas and hate messages targeting Jewish people were painted on various parts of the building.

The restaurant was closed Saturday as the graffiti was power-washed from the building, WHIO Channel 7 reports.

“We have no tolerance for discrimination of any kind at Applebee’s and are deeply saddened by the vandalism that occurred at our Miamisburg restaurant,” Rodney Conant of RMH, the Applebee’s franchisee that owns the location, tells WDTN Channel 2.

The Anti-Defamation League reports there has been a nearly 900% increase in antisemitic incidents during the past decade in the U.S. In 2015 there were 942 reported incidents, while there were more than 9,300 in 2024, an all-time high, according to the ADL.

Woody Hayes famously believed, “You win with people.” The Old Man was not wrong, but to win at the highest level of college football, you win with people drafted into the NFL.

Ohio State led all schools with seven players selected in the first two rounds of the April 24-26 NFL Draft, including four in the first round, the most for the program since 2016. Not coincidentally, the Buckeyes won the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship. As much as OSU preaches about The Brotherhood, it takes more than strong team chemistry to hoist the CFP trophy. It takes elite talent. And lots of it.

Proof? Check out which schools had the most first-round draft picks. Ohio State (4), Georgia, Texas, Michigan (3), Alabama, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State (2), Arizona, Boise State, Colorado, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Missouri, North Dakota State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, North Carolina. 

Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Penn State and Boise either had first-round byes or advanced to the second round of the playoff. Tennessee made the field; Alabama, Miami and Ole Miss nearly did.

What happened to Michigan, which had three first-round picks? 1. Well, the Wolverines did defeat the eventual national champions, which fans of the Maize and Blue are only too happy to remind everyone; and 2. UM had to play without Connor Stalions. A year earlier, the Wolverines won the natty with seven players drafted in the first three rounds, which led all schools. They also led with 13 total picks. And the three first-rounders this year played starring roles on the championship team.

Notre Dame is an exception. The Fighting Irish had no player selected in the first round and only two selected in the first three rounds, which cover the first two days of the draft. Credit ND coach Marcus Freeman with doing more with less, at least compared to Ohio State, Georgia and Texas. 

Another way to analyze it: Ohio State has the most first-round picks (95) and third most wins (732) since the draft was instituted in 1936, according to Statmuse.com. Southern California is second with 85 first-rounders and ninth in wins (660), while Alabama is third (85) and leads FBS with 749 wins. Rounding out the top five is Notre Dame (71, fourth most wins with 690) and Miami (68 and 15th most wins with 609).

Majority of OSU early picks were five-star recruits

Not for nothing, four of Ohio State’s seven picks in the first two rounds were rated as five stars coming out of high school by 247sports.com. Maybe OSU recruiting coordinator Mark Pantoni is the real brains behind the Buckeyes’ draft-day success? Or maybe it is offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, who, in the spring of 2021, had the following wide receivers in his room: Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams, Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. Four years removed and all six were first-round draft picks. Take away Williams, who transferred to Alabama, and you still have five OSU receivers drafted in the top 20 since 2022. Wowza.

Not to be outdone, Ryan Day’s draft day resume is impressive in its consistency. This is the third time since Day took over from Urban Meyer in 2019 that the Buckeyes have seen at least three players go in the first round. In 2020, it was Chase Young, Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette; in 2023, C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson and Smith-Njigba; and in 2025, Egbuka (19th to Tampa Bay), Donovan Jackson (24th to Minnesota), Tyleik Williams (28th to Detroit) and Josh Simmons (32nd to Kansas City).

Buy Ohio State posters, books, gear from CFP title win

Ohio State finished the three-day draft with 14 players selected, tying the school record set in 2004. After the four first-rounders, Quinshon Judkins (Cleveland), TreVeyon Henderson (New England) and J.T. Tuimoloau (Indianapolis) went in the second, followed by fourth-round picks Cody Simon (Arizona), Lathan Ransom (Carolina) and Jack Sawyer (Pittsburgh). Ty Hamilton (L.A. Rams), Jordan Hancock (Buffalo) and Denzel Burke went in the fifth, while Will Howard (Pittsburgh) got picked in the sixth.

Buckeye Nation can now drool over what is coming next. Safety Caleb Downs almost certainly will be a first-round pick next April. Linebacker Sonny Styles also could jump into the first round, and possibly wide receiver Brandon Inniss if he has a big 2025 season. After that, sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has another year in Columbus before becoming a first-round pick in 2027.

Buckeyes still talented enough to compete for national title

Sprinkle in a handful of second- and third-round picks over the next two seasons, and there is no reason to think Ohio State won’t compete for another national championship next year. The talent is there, as long as the starting quarterback, most likely Julian Sayin, is good enough to eventually get drafted.

The biggest concern? Defensive line, where OSU needs to replace four top-150 picks. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has developed his guys into strong run stoppers and, at times, dangerous edge rushers. He’ll need to keep it going for the Buckeyes to be a top-10 defense in 2025. 

Woody was right. You win with people … who can make a living playing football.

Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@dispatch.com and on X.com at@rollerCD.

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