The first time 2026 defensive lineman Deuce Geralds arrived on Ohio State’s campus last June, he was blown away.
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Georgia prospect had a strong workout with defensive line coach Larry Johnson and learned various techniques to apply to his game.
“I did pretty good and coach Johnson told me I was a great player and that I could be one of the top players in the country in my class,” Geralds told Eleven Warriors of his camp experience. “He said he wanted to see how my season went and the next time I’d come up there, I’d probably get an offer.”
Johnson’s words rang true nearly a year later on April 7. Geralds returned to Columbus for another visit and to watch the Buckeyes partake in a spring practice and said he was blown away by the experience.
WOW!! I am EXTREMELY BLESSED to receive an offer from The Ohio State University!!! @BarstoolOSU @R2X_Rushmen1 @CoachBeck56 @SwickONE8 @CollinsHillFB @OhioStateFB @CoachLCTrenches @JeremyO_Johnson @Bucknuts247 @BuckeyeRealm_ @Mhoward38 @OhioStateOnBTN @OhioSt_Rivals pic.twitter.com/JxigCYEi7Q
— Daverin Deuce Geralds II (@DeuceGeralds) April 7, 2023
“It was amazing. Being around coach Johnson, I can see why everyone calls him the GOAT,” Geralds told Eleven Warriors. “He’s a D-line guru. I was there before practice and he was going over stuff before and they immediately worked on that all day and perfecting it. Seeing how they applied what they learned into practice really stuck out to me.”
At the end of the visit, Geralds received an offer from Johnson, his 18th Division I offer in total.
“Getting that offer from coach Johnson was amazing. It was a blessing overall, I was excited and I couldn’t stop smiling. I know it’s a big offer.”
In his freshman season at Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Georgia), Geralds recorded 66 tackles (17.5 for loss), 10.5 sacks, 15 QB hurries, two pass deflections, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Geralds said he’s open to playing both inside and outside defensive line positions at the next level and prides himself on his versatility.
“I feel like I always need to work on all aspects of my game,” he said. “But I think I’m really explosive and have violent hands, I think that’s what intrigues so many coaches to recruit me.”
Geralds has already started planning his return visit to Ohio State and hopes to be in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ game against Penn State this fall.
Alai Kalaniuvalu picks up OSU offer
One day after offering one four-star 2025 offensive lineman from Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nevada), Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye offered another on Wednesday. Four-star prospect Alai Kalaniuvalu joined teammate Douglas Utu in picking up an OSU offer from Frye, his 22nd Division I offer in total.
I am grateful and blessed to say that I have received an offer to play football and continue my education at Ohio State University!! Thank you very much @CoachJFrye for the opportunityGO BUCKEYES!!@KalaniuvaluAlai @BishopGormanFB @OhioStateFB @BlairAngulo @BrandonHuffman pic.twitter.com/VJrbKxetCa
— Alai Kalaniuvalu (@AKalaniuvalu) April 26, 2023
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Kalaniuvalu is considered the 208th-ranked prospect and the 10th-rated interior offensive line prospect in the 2025 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings. Other teams that have offered include Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, BYU, Cal, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, San Diego State, Syracuse, Tennessee, UNLV, Utah, Washington and Washington State.
Re-visiting some of OSU’s future draftees' recruiting rankings
I’m sure you’ve noticed by now, but Thursday is the start of the NFL draft. Considering how often we talk about recruiting rankings when evaluating high school prospects, I thought it might be fun to go back and evaluate some Ohio State players’ recruiting rankings per 247Sports that will eventually hear their name called over the next three days.
I've organized the rankings by name, star rating, national ranking, positional ranking and the projected range they should be taken in the 2023 NFL draft.
- Paris Johnson: Five-star, No. 9, No. 1 OT, first round
- Zach Harrison: Five-star, No. 12, No. 2 DE, third-fifth round
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Five-star, No. 29, No. 5 WR, first round
- C.J. Stroud: Four-star, No. 42, No. 2 QB, first round
- Luke Wypler: Four-star, No. 108, No. 2 C, third-fourth round
- Ronnie Hickman: Four-star, No. 115, No. 10 S, fourth-sixth round
- Dawand Jones: Three-star, No. 1,127, No. 90 OT, first-third round
