I'd sound like a broken record if I said that Ohio State now has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. The Buckeyes leap-frogged Note Dame for the top spot on June 27, but since then, the Fighting Irish landed 4-star cornerbacks Christian Gray and Michael Bell, and 4-star wide receiver Rico Flores, recapturing the top spot.  

In the meantime, Ohio State landed a pledge from 4-star athlete Jermaine Mathews, 3-star offensive tackle Miles Walker, and high four-star defensive lineman Jason Moore. With the commitment of Moore on July 10th, the Buckeyes took the top spot right back.

With today's commitment from four-star tight end Jelani Thurman, Ohio State jumped even further ahead of the Fighting Irish, as well as every other team in the country at this juncture. 

While I don't think that either school will end up having the No. 1 recruiting class, due to the wizardry of Nick Saban and Kirby Smart in the SEC, I do think that Ohio State's class could be very special. The question is, just how special? 

Let's take a look at the Buckeyes' most realistic best-case finish for the 2023 class. 

As of now, Ohio State's top-two uncommitted targets are five-star safety Caleb Downs and five-star defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei. Downs, who visited Columbus last June, was impressed with the coaches' attention to detail. The Hoschton, GA standout had this to say of the visit, per Letterman Row:

They pay attention to every detail. Every detail that helps you play faster, to help you play smarter. It’s all about making players the best that they can be on the field and to think fast on the field. They pay attention to every inch of the field, where you’re supposed to be — and they know if you’re not.

It’s a culture of wanting to be the best at everything. A lot of places say they want to be the best. But here, I can feel it. They’re not just saying they want to be, they want to live it. They want to be the best. The best players, the best people, the best campus. It’s everywhere.

According to Recruiting Desk Writer Drew Schott at on3.com, director of recruiting Chad Simmons believes that it is a close race between Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State to land Downs who reportedly loves the aggressive, safety-driven scheme that Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles runs. 

If Ohio State can steal him from the heart of SEC territory, he would be the best safety prospect that the Bucks have landed from the Peach State since the likes of Vonn Bell way back in the 2013 recruiting cycle.

When it comes to Matayo Uiagalelei, Simmons believes that Ohio State is the favorite to land the Bellflower, CA, five-star DL playmaker as well. 

If I had to pick a favorite right now to land Matayo, I would pick Ohio State because of (defensive line coach) Larry Johnson, the resume and just how they’ve connected with not just Matayo, but the people around him as well.

According to 247sports, USC, Oregon, Alabama, and Ohio State are the front-runners to land Uiagalelei. Hopefully, for the Buckeyes' sake, Simmons' prediction will come to fruition. 

So, here's where things stand at this point. With 19 commitments, Ohio State is just two commits shy of matching the total number of commits it had in the 2022 class. 

While pledges from Caleb Downs and Matayo Uiagalelei would certainly be ideal, the scarlet and gray staff won't stop there, as more top-tier prospects are interested in joining the bunch. 

Tackett Curtis, the country's seventh-best linebacker prospect and the fourth-best prospect out of Louisiana, four-star defensive lineman John Walker from Kissimmee, FL, Upper Marlboro, MD four-star defensive lineman Desmond Umeozul, and four-star linebacker Arvell Reese out of Cleveland, Glendale high school are also crystal ball favorites to pick Ohio State, according to 247sports.com.

As long as there are no de-commits, I see the Buckeyes realistically landing around 24 or 25 players in the 2023 class, looking somewhat like this:

5* S Caleb Downs

5* WR Brandon Inniss

5* Edge Matayo Uiagalelei

5* WR Carnell Tate

4* OT Luke Montgomery

4* WR Noah Rogers

4* DL Jason Moore

4* LB Tackett Curtis

4* CB Dijon Johnson

4* DL John Walker

4* TE Ty Lockwood

4* TE Jelani Thurman

4* Edge Desmond Umeozulu

4* CB Kayin Lee

4* S Malik Hartford

4* CB Calvin Simpson-Hunt

4* IOL Joshua Padilla

4* S Cedrick Hawkins

4* RB Mark Fletcher

4* IOL Austin Siereveld

4* WR Bryson Rodgers

4* LB Arvell Reese

4* ATH Jermaine Mathews

3* DL Will Smith 

3* OT Miles Walker

And with this, that concludes my realistic, best-case scenario for the 2023 class, excluding what recruits that I think Ohio State could flip from other schools. What are your thoughts on how things will turn out with this class? Am I missing anyone or is there anyone that you would strongly feel comfortable excluding from this list? What prospects are you most intrigued by? I'd love to hear your comments below!

So, as always, God bless and GO BUCKS!