The No. 2 safety in the 2025 recruiting class is headed to Ohio State.
#gobucks pic.twitter.com/7fuWcmVcOd
— Faheem Delane (@faheemdelane) June 9, 2024
Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton continues to build a torrid hot streak on the recruiting trail after landing four-star prospect Faheem Delane on Sunday, giving OSU a truly elite safety recruit for its 2025 cycle.
The Delane File
- Class: 2025
- Size: 6-2/195
- Pos: Safety
- School: Our Lady Good Counsel (Olney, Maryland)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #34 (#2 Safety)
Delane was offered by Ohio State on May 16, 2022, and initially developed a strong rapport with former OSU safeties coach Perry Eliano. Walton and new safeties coach Matt Guerrieri picked up where Eliano left off, eventually resulting in his commitment to the Buckeyes.
“I was really excited, because Ohio State, that’s definitely one of the DBUs,” Delane told Eleven Warriors after getting his offer. “Jeff Okudah, Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker all came from there. So many more in the history of the program with DBs going to the NFL. To get that offer was just an honor.
“I wasn’t really surprised, just more amazed,” Delane said of being offered by OSU after his freshman year. “It’s just crazy how fast it happened at such an early age.”
The Maryland prospect visited Columbus frequently during his recruitment, including during the Buckeyes' win against Michigan State in November.
“Buckeyeland brings the juice," Delane told Eleven Warriors after his visit. "(OSU coaches) said that they need me and that I would be coming in to play.”
His final visit to Columbus as an uncommitted prospect came on Friday, where Guerrieri and Walton presented a detailed developmental plan for Delane's career in Columbus.
Oregon was the top competition for Ohio State in Delane's recruitment, but the Buckeyes eventually bested their soon-to-be conference opponent for the premier safety. With the commitment, Ohio State now has 14 commits in the 2025 class, with Delane being the third safety, joining DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. Walton and Guerrieri have their eyes set on one final target: Five-star 2025 safety Trey McNutt, the No. 1 safety prospect in the class.
Delane is far from the first highly touted defensive back to commit to Ohio State in the cycle. Ohio State already has commitments from 2025's top-rated cornerbacks, including the No. 1 (Devin Sanchez) and No. 2 (Na'eem Offord) cornerbacks in the class.
Ohio State could theoretically lose its entire starting secondary after the 2024 season save for Caleb Downs, so it’s a good time for Walton and Guerrieri to reload at the position. With Delane, Offord, Sanchez, Haddad and Stewart all already committed, the Buckeyes certainly are.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | DEVIN SANCHEZ | ★★★★★ | #5 NATL | #1 CB | 6-2 | 170 | North Shore (Houston, Texas) |
| CB | NA'EEM OFFORD | ★★★★★ | #6 NATL | #2 CB | 6-1 | 185 | Parker (Birmingham, Alabama) |
| QB | TAVIEN ST. CLAIR | ★★★★★ | #14 NATL | #3 QB | 6-4 | 210 | Bellefontaine (Bellefontaine, Ohio) |
| S | FAHEEM DELANE | ★★★★ | #34 NATL | #2 S | 6-2 | 195 | Good Counsel (Olney, Maryland) |
| LB | TARVOS ALFORD | ★★★★ | #47 NATL | #5 LB | 6-2 | 210 | Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Florida) |
| OT | CARTER LOWE | ★★★★ | #54 NATL | #7 OT | 6-5 | 290 | Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) |
| DE | ZAHIR MATHIS | ★★★★ | #60 NATL | #5 Edge | 6-6 | 225 | Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| RB | BO JACKSON | ★★★★ | #81 NATL | #5 RB | 6-0 | 205 | Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, OH) |
| DE | LONDON MERRITT | ★★★★ | #116 NATL | #13 DL | 6-2 | 250 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) |
| TE | NATE ROBERTS | ★★★★ | #132 NATL | #6 TE | 6-4 | 235 | Washington (Washington, Oklahoma) |
| S | DESHAWN STEWART | ★★★★ | #295 NATL | #26 S | 6-2 | 185 | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) |
| WR | DE'ZIE JONES | ★★★★ | #313 NATL | #42 WR | 6-0 | 180 | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) |
| S | CODY HADDAD | ★★★★ | #376 NATL | #18 ATH | 6-1 | 175 | St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| LB | ELI LEE | ★★★★ | #380 NATL | #41 LB | 6-3 | 230 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
Delane profiles as a lethal weapon in Ohio State's secondary
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Delane is considered the 34th overall prospect and the No. 2 safety in the 2025 class.
Delane plays strong safety for Our Lady Good Counsel High School (Olney, Maryland) and will bring a versatile, lockdown presence to the defensive backs room in Columbus.
“I like to blitz off the edge, play man-to-man and zone, I love to do it all, but mostly I love to blitz off the edge and play man because my best qualities are just sticking with receivers and covering them,” Delane said. “Either way, safety or cornerback, I definitely feel comfortable at both positions. I think I could play both at a high level.”
As Delane alluded to, he excels at multiple levels of the game, including pass coverage, stopping the run and blitzing. Delane could be an excellent box safety or nickelback at OSU, as he's never been afraid of using his physicality to overwhelm his opponent.
In his junior season, Delane recorded 69 tackles and 18 pass breakups. He had 41 tackles and two forced fumbles as a sophomore.
Delane profiles as an instant-impact player who could contribute in a meaningful way in his first or second year at OSU. He's long been the Buckeyes' top safety target in the 2025 class and now that he is committed to OSU, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles can start drawing up ideas for how to deploy his newest versatile weapon at the safety position.
