Ohio
Ohio State recruiting primer: Positions of need, prospects to watch in Class of 2025
Ohio State is off to a blazing start in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Buckeyes’ class ranks second nationally in the 247Sports Composite and leads the country with a 94.53 average player rating.
The class is headlined by three five-star prospects, including in-state quarterback Tavien St. Clair and the top two corners in the class, Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord.
It’s clear Ohio State isn’t going to land every blue-chip prospect it wants, but the Buckeyes have a chance to build an elite secondary, fix some glaring weaknesses and address depth concerns in the trenches.
All of that starts Friday when on-campus visits commence.
Here’s a preview of what’s to come.
Ohio State’s Class of 2025 commitments
| Player | Pos | National Ranking | Pos Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Devin Sanchez |
CB |
5 |
1 |
|
Na’eem Offord |
CB |
6 |
2 |
|
Tavien St. Clair |
QB |
14 |
3 |
|
Tarvos Alford |
LB |
47 |
5 |
|
Carter Lowe |
OT |
54 |
7 |
|
Zahir Mathis |
LB |
60 |
5 |
|
London Merritt |
DL |
116 |
13 |
|
Nate Roberts |
TE |
132 |
6 |
|
DeShawn Stewart |
S |
294 |
26 |
|
De’zie Jones |
WR |
313 |
42 |
|
Cody Haddad |
S |
373 |
18 |
|
Eli Lee |
LB |
377 |
41 |
How should Ohio State fans feel about the class?
Very good.
Notre Dame currently has the No. 1 ranking, but the Fighting Irish’s class consists of 22 players compared to Ohio State’s 12.
As June inches closer, the Buckeyes’ focus will be to add to the class, but they also need to hold onto the commits. Corner Blake Woodby decommitted a few weeks ago. That wasn’t a major loss, but losing either Sanchez or Offord would be an issue. It sounds unlikely that either will flip, but you can never be certain in recruiting.
It helps that a few of Ohio State’s biggest recruits are in-state. St. Clair is about as locked in as a recruit can be, so it would be a significant surprise if the program had to deal with another quarterback flip this cycle. The same goes for Carter Lowe, who plays for Whitmer High in Toledo.
Ohio State will have to stay on Tarvos Alford, though. The Florida native is going to be pursued by Miami and Florida State up until signing day.
What are the positions of need in this class?
This is an important class for Ohio State because it has a few positions it absolutely must hit on. The offensive line and defensive line are at the top of that list.
The Buckeyes have missed on O-linemen in recent years but are off to a good start with Lowe, who is ranked in the top 60 nationally. Ohio State has made five-star tackle David Sanders Jr., the No. 2 player in the country, a priority. The North Carolina native has a visit to Ohio State planned for June 21 and is also being pursued by Clemson, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, among others. Another tackle to watch is Josh Petty, a top-50 prospect from Georgia who will visit Ohio State on June 14.
The defensive line is crucial, especially after Ohio State signed only two at the position in the 2024 cycle. The Buckeyes are off to a good start but are looking to add more.
Two other spots to watch are running back and safety. Both positions have new coaches, with Carlos Locklyn leading the running back recruiting and Matt Guerrieri at safety. Both have elite prospects they need to land.
Ohio is home to two of the best running backs in the country, Bo Jackson and Jordan Davison. They are ranked fifth and sixth at the position, respectively, and are being recruited by Ohio State heavily. The Buckeyes likely need at least two running backs in this class. Hitting on both Jackson and Davison would be the dream but will be difficult. Both are planning visits to Ohio State this summer, so the Buckeyes will get their chance to keep the talent in state.
As for safety, Ohio State is once again looking at two of the best players in the country — Trey McNutt, from Shaker Heights, and Maryland native Faheem Delane.
Prospects to watch
We touched on a few key targets above, but here are a few more players on the Buckeyes’ board.
Ohio State is no stranger to locking down elite wide receiver talent, and it’s going after the best once again. Brian Hartline is pushing for five-star Dakorien Moore, the top receiver in the class and a former LSU commitment. Texas will be very hard to beat for Moore, who plays at power Duncanville (Texas) High. Vernell Brown III, a top-40 prospect, and five-star Jaime Ffrench are high on Ohio State’s list, as well. Brown will reportedly visit Ohio State this weekend. Ffrench doesn’t have a visit to Columbus scheduled but could get one on the books for the fall.
Edge rusher Justin Hill, a four-star prospect from Cincinnati, will visit Ohio State this summer and is expected to announce his decision July 3.
One more big name is five-star corner Dorian Brew, who has strong Ohio State ties. His mother, Donica Merriman, is a former Ohio State sprinter and is in the program’s hall of fame. If Ohio State locks down Brew, it will have three of the top five corners in the class on board.
(Photo of Tavien St. Clair: Steve Helwagen / The Advocate / USA Today Network)
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These real estate transactions were recorded in Marion County between June 12 and June 17.
City of Marion
336 Silver St., Marion; Jeffery A. Hallie to Cassidy Manley and Jamal Tyre Manley; $100,000.
597 E. George St., Marion; Robert E. Edens Jr. and Kristin Edens to Clifford D. Hall and Judith K. Hall; $100,000.
395 Park St., Marion; Robin Hirsch to Christian Jaimes Mejia; $165,500.
1007 Fariwood Avenue, Marion; Sherry D. Smith, Jerry L. Winget and Vickie L. Pinyerd to Tami S. McCarty; $149,900.
302 Silver St., Marion; Heaven M. Daniel to US Bank National Association; $44,100.
358 Nye St., Marion; Trever Rinehart to Daniel Murfield and Athena Murfield; $199,000.
538 Cherry St., Marion; Marry On LLC to Tylere Shuster; $150,000.
618 Irey Avenue, Marion; Keith A. Radebaugh to Brittany Marie Crampton; $125,000.
1138 Independence Avenue, Marion; Marion County General Surgery LLC to Independence Avenue Medical LLC; $215,000.
1950 Linda St., Marion; Ralph W. Smith Jr. and Betty J. Smith to Dawn Comer; $116,000.
555 Avondale Avenue, Marion; Angela R. Rivers to Prospect Endeavors LLC; $75,000.
523 Mary St., Marion; Frank Hoffman and Robin Hoffman to Crystal A. Bonsel and John H. Thacker; $175,000.
436 Thompson St., Marion; Shovel City Investment LLC to Duel Patrick Davidson; $47,500.
661 Adams St., Marion; Hideaway Properties 4 LLC to Crystal Lynn Hall; $85,200.
288 Chicago Avenue, Marion; Jeffrey L. Young and Kimberly M. Young to OpenDoor Property Trust; $179,900.
691 Bennett St., Marion; Steven Higgins, Larry Higgins Jr. and Shawn Patrick Higgins to Kyle R. White; $200,000.
Richland Township
5544 Tittlebaugh Road, Marion; John E. Morgan, Rebecca Sue Morgan, Bridget Corcoran and Patrick Corcoran to John E. Morgan and Rebecca Sue Morgan; $87,340.
Pleasant Township
2.345 acres on Gooding Road, Marion; 533 Farm Holdings LLC to Thomas Savage and Lissa Savage; $250,000.
4714 Larue Prospect Road S., Prospect; Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance to Allyson Fitch and Brandon Fitch; $260,000.
1552 Marion County Club Drive, Marion; WY Corp II to ABI Development LLC; $40,000.
Prospect Township
8323 Hughes Road, Prospect; Cole A. Hess and Cheyenne Hess to Kamryn Miah Jean Sutherland and John Daniel Yersavich; $415,000.
608 Water St., Prospect; EyE Homes Inc. to Mary Elizabeth Machingo and Jeffrey Paul Machingo; $305,000.
Tully Township
2946 Martel Road, Caledonia; Vincent L. Cleveland and Jo D. Cleveland to Carly Rene Bailey-Stultz and Dennis Stultz; $375,000.
Ohio
Ohio lawsuit alleges new NCAA rule unfairly denies high school Class of ’22 athletes a 5th season
Why artists are dropping out of the Great American State Fair
Musicians cancel appearances at the Great American State Fair after questions over Freedom 250 and claims the July Fourth event is nonpartisan.
As several states pull out of the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., questions are coming up closer to home — Is Ohio still participating?
Massachusetts and North Carolina won’t participate in the fair, according to USA TODAY. Reports also indicate that Connecticut, Illinois, Maine and Oregon are also expected to skip the event, with some states citing a combination of financial and political concerns as reasons for opting out.
Here’s what we know about Ohio’s role in the event so far.
Is Ohio skipping the 2026 Great American State Fair?
Ohio has confirmed its participation with a booth titled “Ohio: The Heart of it All,” which showcases state parks and childhood development. The governor’s office began the planning process for the booth in February, shortly after the Great American State Fair was announced, said Lisa Peterson director of communications in the governor’s office.
The Great American State Fair, organized by Freedom 250, is a 16-day exposition that will be displayed on the National Mall from June 25 to July 10.
Additionally, Ohio will host a stop from the “Freedom Truck,” a traveling exhibit tied to Freedom 250. The exhibit will appear at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Organizers describe the Freedom Truck as a mobile museum that visits existing fairs and community events, not a version of the Great American State Fair itself.
When does the ‘Freedom Truck’ stop in Ohio?
The Freedom Truck is scheduled to be at the Ohio State Fair from July 27 through Aug. 10, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
The exhibit includes interactive and historical exhibits about the founding of the United States, according to organizers.
The mobile museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, with the final day closing at 6 p.m.
What is the Great American State Fair?
The Great American State Fair is a 16-day event planned for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Organized by Freedom 250, the fair is part of a broader effort to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary with state exhibits, food, entertainment and cultural programming, according to USA TODAY.
President Donald Trump announced he will headline the Freedom 250‑organized Great American State Fair and hold an “America Is Back” rally, the publication reports.
America250 vs. Freedom 250: What’s the difference?
The Great American State Fair is part of Freedom 250, a Trump-backed initiative to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
That effort is different from America250, the official, congressionally-authorized program coordinating nationwide commemorations. Meanwhile, America 250‑Ohio, the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, is the official state-level partner to the national America250 effort.
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