Ohio
Taking Stock of Ohio State's 2026 Recruiting Class Two Weeks Ahead of Official Visit Season
We’re officially less than two weeks away from official visit season.
With 13 commits, Ohio State sits at No. 3 in 247Sports’ national recruiting rankings, but the Buckeyes still hope to add at many positions before National Signing Day in December.
Dozens of recruits will soon flock to Columbus for their official visits, but before that happens, we take a look at where Ohio State has made additions so far in 2026 and what areas the Buckeyes can still add to.
Quarterback
Commits: None
Potential targets: This summer should be interesting
Breakdown: It’s uncertain if even Ohio State knows what signal caller it wants to pursue yet for the 2026 class. But we’d bet that plenty of quarterbacks in the 2026 class will be at OSU’s recruiting camps this June, where Ryan Day and Billy Fessler will have ample opportunity to watch potential gunslingers in action. One name I’d keep an eye on if he ends up camping is Michigan State commit Kayd Coffman, who was the MVP of the Under Armour Next camp in Ohio this spring and has had brief dialogue with OSU.
Running back
Commits: None
Potential targets: Favour Akih, Savion Hiter, Jae Lamar, Derrek Cooper, Carsyn Baker
Breakdown: Of all the running back targets listed above, Akih might be the most likely to end up a Buckeye. The in-state product made four visits to Columbus in the spring and will be at OSU for an official visit with a June decision likely approaching. Beyond that, Hiter, Baker and Cooper have officials scheduled with the Buckeyes, so the second running back might come from that trio if indeed Akih ends up at OSU.
Wide receiver
Commits: Chris Henry Jr., Jaeden Ricketts, Brock Boyd, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt
Potential targets: Jalen Lott
Breakdown: With four wide receivers committed to Ohio State already, Brian Hartline can call this class a wrap if he so chooses. Still, if a top-tier talent like Lott or someone similar wanted in to the Buckeyes’ 2026 class, you’d have to think they’d find some room.
Tight end
Commits: Corbyn Fordham
Potential targets: Mack Sutter, Mark Bowman
Breakdown: Keenan Bailey already has a highly touted tight end committed for 2026 with Fordham in the fold. But the Buckeyes will take another tight end if it’s a player the caliber of Sutter or Bowman, both of whom could be game-changers at the collegiate level. Sutter has an official visit scheduled with OSU and Bowman recently put the Buckeyes in his top seven schools, so we’ll see what developments occur over the next few weeks.
Offensive line
Commits: Maxwell Riley, Sam Greer, Tucker Smith
Potential targets: Micah Champ Smith, Felix Ojo, Aaron Thomas, Darius Gray, Drew Evers, Chancellor Campbell, J.B. Shabazz, Samuel Roseborough, Da’Ron Parks, Ekene Ogboko
Breakdown: Tyler Bowen got off on the right foot with Ohio State fans by landing two key Ohio offensive linemen and adding a third intriguing developmental piece. Now, he’ll try to pull off what OSU has struggled to accomplish in past recruiting cycles: Land a big out-of-state fish. Smith, Ojo, Gray, Evers and Roseborough would all apply to that category, and each could take an official visit to Columbus this summer. Landing Ojo would be a major win for the Buckeyes, but they’ll have staunch competition from Texas for the No. 2 offensive tackle in the country.
Defensive line
Commits: None
Potential targets: Jake Kreul, Luke Wafle, Landon Barnes, Aiden Harris, Andrew Harris, Deuce Geralds, Carter Luckie, Preston Carey, Kevin Ford Jr., Jamir Perez, Keysaun Eleazer, Carter Meadows, Lamar Brown, PJ Dean, Tyson Bacon, Jackson Ford, Damari Simeon
Breakdown: Defensive line is arguably one of the biggest needs for Ohio State this class, but the good news is Larry Johnson should have no shortage of options to choose from. Wafle, Geralds, Perez and Dean all seem to have some momentum with OSU at the moment, and the Buckeyes are still firmly in the running for others mentioned above. Like Bowen, Johnson should be busy this summer as he’ll have quite a bit of official visitors on campus. Of note, OSu offered Lamar Brown on Friday, the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2026 class. He has a commitment date set for July 4, so things would have to move pretty quickly there, but the Buckeyes are still trying to go big game hunting at this position.
Linebacker
Commits: CJ Sanna
Potential targets: Cincere Johnson, Tyler Atkinson, Xavier Griffin
Breakdown: Between Atkinson and Griffin, James Laurinaitis is taking a swing at landing the No. 1 and No. 2 linebackers in the 2026 class this summer. Atkinson has been on the Buckeyes’ radar since he was an eighth grader, while Griffin just came back on the market following his decommitment from USC. Of course, Johnson is a huge priority to keep in state as well and is one of the best linebackers in the class.
Cornerback
Commits: Jakob Weatherspoon, Jordan Thomas
Potential targets: Justice Fitzpatrick, Nascar McCoy, Danny Odem
Breakdown: Tim Walton added another premier cornerback to his 2026 class with the commitment of Thomas, but the Buckeyes could still add one more player here. Fitzpatrick seems to be the preferred corner of choice. McCoy could play either safety or corner at OSU. Odem was just offered by Walton this week, so we’ll see where the relationship goes from here.
Safety
Commits: Blaine Bradford, Simeon Caldwell
Potential Targets: Bralan Womack, Donovan Webb
Breakdown: By far and away the biggest remaining priority at safety is landing Womack, the top-rated safety in the 2026 class. If OSU can land Bradford, Caldwell and Womack, Walton and Matt Guerrieri should take a bow. There’s still some crucial visits coming up in his recruitment, but the Buckeyes appear to be in the driver’s seat for him at the moment. If they can’t land Womack, someone like Webb makes a lot of sense as a third piece for the class.
Ohio
Why Ohio State is built to ‘wake up and move on’ from a loss before the College Football Playoff
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Breathe in. Breathe out.
The dust has settled on Ohio State football’s last contest: a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game. Nearly 10 days have passed since the offensive line struggled to hold up, since the offense struggled to convert in the red zone and since the Buckeyes failed to accomplish one of their three major goals.
As is often the case at OSU, a loss is accompanied by anger, questions, concerns and aches.
“Sick to my stomach that we lost,” quarterback Julian Sayin said last week.
Now, after a week centered around College Football Playoff bracket debates and Heisman Trophy celebrations, Ohio State is looking to move on from the defeat in Indianapolis.
It should have little issue doing so.
The Buckeyes were in a similar, albeit more emotional and pressure-packed, situation last year. They entered the CFP off a loss, falling in shocking fashion to rival Michigan.
The final score of that contest: 13-10.
Ohio State went through some rigorous soul-searching, with coach Ryan Day and players having an emotional team meeting in which many on the roster expressed their frustrations with how the regular season ended.
The loss to Indiana isn’t as complicated. It’s simply a loss. However, the Buckeyes have experience flushing defeats before a postseason run.
“You’ve got to wake up and move on,” Day said.
As was the case last season, losing doesn’t diminish something apparent: Ohio State is a good team loaded with talent on its roster.
The Buckeyes are still betting favorites to go back-to-back this season, and statistics show why. They lead the nation in scoring defense and total defense while ranking in the top 25 of both categories on offense.
Ohio State has a slow and methodical approach on offense, but Day has expressed belief in his team’s ability to step on the pedal when appropriate. With Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith at receiver and Sayin under center, that belief shouldn’t falter.
“There’s still a bunch of guys in this room that know we can play with anybody in the country and beat anybody in the country when we’re on our game,” Day said.
The most pressing question left for Ohio State to answer before the CFP relates to offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. The Buckeyes’ play-caller was hired ahead of the Big Ten title game as South Florida’s next head coach.
Hartline called plays against Indiana, according to Day, and the plan is for him to do the same in the CFP. If there are concerns about his ability to balance two jobs, Day has a solution: time
USF announced Hartline’s hiring three days before Ohio State took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. While also balancing the opening of the early signing period, Day had little opportunity to sit back and determine what was best for his offense.
The Cotton Bowl won’t present those challenges. Two-seeded Ohio State returns to action on Dec. 31 where it’ll meet the winner of No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami in Dallas.
By then, Day will have had time to take a breath, assess the situation and determine who will run his offense.
Ohio
Columbus schools closed Monday, Dec. 15 after snowfall, cold
Snow hits downtown Columbus
Snow falls outside the Ohio Theatre as downtown Columbus turns into a winter wonderland.
Columbus City Schools is closing Monday, Dec. 15, after a weekend winter storm dumped more than 5.4 inches of snow on the region and cold temperatures descended.
Following the weekend snowfall, a cold weather advisory was issued for the area, to remain in affect across central Ohio through 11 a.m. Dec. 15.
It was 4 degrees at John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14, with a wind chill of 16 degrees below zero.
Late on Dec. 14, CCS posted it would close Dec. 15 “due to inclement weather.” See more school closings at NBC 4 or check back with the Dispatch throughout the morning.
This list will be updated as additional information becomes available. School districts are encouraged to send an email with any delays or closures to newsroom@dispatch.com.
Ohio
Single-digit temps, below-zero wind chills hit central Ohio after snow
Snow hits downtown Columbus
Snow falls outside the Ohio Theatre as downtown Columbus turns into a winter wonderland.
Now comes the cold.
After nearly 5½ inches of snow fell Dec. 13 in some parts of central Ohio, the National Weather Service says bitterly cold temperatures moving into the region will mean highs in just the single digits.
A cold weather advisory is in affect across central Ohio through 11 a.m. Dec. 15. It was 4 degrees at John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14, with a wind chill of 16 degrees below zero.
Temperatures to the west and south are even colder: 1 degree in Springfield, minus-1 in Dayton and minus-3 in Indianapolis. Those temperatures are not expected in the Columbus area, though. The forecast calls for slightly warmer temperatures by evening and highs in the low 20s Dec. 15.
The record cold expected for Dec. 14 — until now, the coldest high temperature in Columbus for this date was 16 degrees in 1917 — follows a day of record snow. The weather service recorded 5.4 inches of snowfall on Dec. 13 at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, topping the prior Dec. 13 record, which was 3.6 inches in 1945.
Level 2 snow emergencies, which means roads are hazardous and people should drive only if they think it’s necessary, remained in effect in Fairfield and Licking counties.
Level 1 snow emergencies are in effect in Delaware, Franklin, Madison, Union and Pickaway counties.
Bob Vitale can be reached at rvitale@dispatch.com.
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