Not even a month ago, Ohio State’s defensive commitment list seemed alarmingly light in the 2024 class.
Entering June, the Buckeyes had only received commitments from a pair of defenders: Ohio’s own Garrett Stover, the 10th-ranked linebacker in the country, and four-star Texas linebacker Payton Pierce. And while both are rock-solid recruits ranking within the top 200 overall players in the country in the 247Sports composite rankings, neither boast quite the top-end credentials that would leave the Buckeye fan base truly floored upon committing – at least not at this stage of their high school careers. Not to mention, Ohio State already had 11 commits on offense by the start of May, with three of them holding a five-star pedigree.
Couple that with Ohio State’s haul in 2023, which didn’t feature any of the top 50 defenders in the nation, and some began to feel the Buckeyes’ defensive coaching staff was lagging on the recruiting trail. Of course, recruits from the 2023 cycle have yet to even make it to preseason camp yet, which means it shouldn’t be judged on ranking alone. On paper, though, the lack of a true superstar prospect left a segment of the fan base wanting more. Even Larry Johnson, who has routinely pulled in some of the country’s most defensive line recruits over the course of his Ohio State tenure, infamously missed on several of his top defensive end targets.
The Buckeyes experienced another high-profile misfire Monday, as four-star Chicago defensive end Marquise Lightfoot – who was widely considered a likely Buckeye at the start of the day – wound up choosing Miami. But that shouldn’t overshadow the work Ohio State has done to dispel any of the aforementioned narratives about its defensive recruiting over the past several weeks, as well as the caliber of talent it could continue to bring in moving forward.
On June 12, Ohio State added its first defensive back in the cycle when four-star New Jersey safety Jaylen McClain committed to the Buckeyes. McClain had already been rapidly rising up the recruiting ranks before announcing his decision, and the 239rd-nationally ranked prospect and No. 20 safety in the country appears poised to continue doing exactly that in the forthcoming months.
Committed#Gobucks @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/NKokfXQUBY
— (@Jaylenmcclain08) June 12, 2023
But that wasn't enough to satisfy anxious fans. After all, McClain was still just the third defensive commitment in the class. The Buckeyes made an even bigger splash two weeks later, though, as they kept Cleveland native and No. 4-rated cornerback Bryce West within state borders. The top-rated prospect in Ohio, West was a high priority for the Buckeyes, especially with Michigan making a push to earn his services – even earning a spot on his final top schools list.
With a major recruiting win under its belt on defense, Ohio State only picked up more steam over the weekend as five-star Chicago defensive tackle Justin Scott added to the scarlet and gray hot streak. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound recruit is the No. 14 overall prospect in the country and third-ranked DT in the 2024 cycle, and immediately became the second-most-highly-rated player in Ohio State’s class. To make things sweeter for the Buckeyes, Scott committed not long after he was reportedly nearing a commitment to Ohio State’s archrival following an official visit to Ann Arbor.
Scott’s commitment also proved an important one for Johnson, who may have needed another big-time #Boom to settle any doubts following the aforementioned missed opportunities in the previous cycle. And perhaps the addition of a five-star DL will make Lightfoot’s decision easier to swallow for Ohio State fans. After all, Scott’s recruiting status makes him the top-rated OSU defensive tackle in the modern recruiting era and the sixth-best defensive lineman since 2000.
But the Buckeyes aren’t done yet. There’s still plenty of optimism for more top-flight defensive talent to land in Columbus, with several priority targets close to making decisions about their collegiate future in the near future.
In Johnson’s unit alone, Ohio State is viewed as the favorite in the recruiting battle for five-star defensive linemen Eddrick Houston and Dylan Stewart. Houston, a 6-foot-3, 255-pound pass rusher out of Buford, Georgia, has already received two Crystal Ball predictions to land at Ohio State on 247Sports.com and ranks as the 23rd overall recruit in the class. Stewart has three such projections to the Buckeyes and boasts even more impressive recruiting credentials as the ninth-best overall player and second-best edge rusher in America. Ohio State is also in contention to land IMG Academy DT Jayden Jackson, a four-star lineman who could pair with Scott on the interior.
The Buckeyes are also on top schools lists for several defensive targets who recently set commitment dates. Ohio State could bolster its secondary as soon as Thursday when four-star cornerback Miles Lockhart, who is trending toward the Buckeyes, announces his commitment decision. Orlando product and four-star safety Brandon Jacob is down to Ohio State, Texas A&M, Miami, UCF and Maryland, with a decision set for July 20. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, a four-star linebacker and the first player Ohio State offered in the 2024 class, will choose between Ohio State, USC and Notre Dame on July 23.
Man its been a journey. Ill be Announcing my Commitment July 23rd pic.twitter.com/0VT7C0drlH
— Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (@AsaViliamu) July 3, 2023
Houston’s high school teammate, five-star prospect and top Ohio State safety target K.J. Bolden, has narrowed his sights down to Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Florida State, Auburn and Clemson with an Aug. 5 commitment date approaching. Fellow defensive backs Aaron Scott, the second-best prospect in Ohio, and Kobe Black, the No. 25 prospect in the country, both remain firmly in the Buckeyes’ crosshairs as well.
If the Monday social media posts by Ohio State commits Damarion Witten and Ian Moore are any indication, the Buckeyes have big things in store for the rest of the month.
this month crazy ! pic.twitter.com/JAMHplh3XT
— Damarion Witten (@DamarionW1_) July 3, 2023
July gonna be a huge month for the bucks
— Ian Moore (@IanMoore2024) July 3, 2023
