One of Ohio State’s top linebacker targets in the 2025 class has narrowed down his recruitment.
Four-star Texas prospect Riley Pettijohn released a top six schools list earlier this week that consists of Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida State and USC.
— Riley Pettijohn (@r_pettijohn) February 15, 2024
OSU, Texas and Texas A&M are seen as more likely to land the 6-foot-2, 205-pound prospect than the other three suitors on his top schools list. Pettijohn, who was offered by OSU in September, has scheduled a spring visit to Columbus for March 30.
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Pettijohn is considered the 33rd overall prospect and the No. 3 linebacker in the 2025 cycle.
He had a massive junior season for McKinney High School (McKinney, Texas) with 120 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups and one interception.
“I like Ohio State because they are always top five in developing players and producing draft picks and I have a good relationship with the coach too,” Pettijohn told On3 of OSU.
Matty Augustine releases top five, sets commitment date for Tuesday
An offensive lineman with an OSU offer has also included the Buckeyes in a trimmed-down school list, but his decision is right around the corner.
Three-star New Jersey offensive tackle Matty Augustine put out a top five of OSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin earlier this week, and will choose a school out of his five finalists on Tuesday.
Augustine earned his OSU offer last summer after impressing Justin Frye at a recruiting camp and has visited the school several times since then. The 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive tackle was the former high school teammate of OSU offensive tackle Miles Walker.
“We built a relationship ever since he started recruiting Miles,” Augustine told Eleven Warriors of Justin Frye after he visited Columbus last summer. “It’s been like two years now, so we’ve built a pretty strong relationship. ... I think the biggest thing that keeps me coming back is the relationship I have with one of the guys on the team but also the relationship I’ve built with coach Frye over the years.”
When Augustine commits on Tuesday, the Buckeyes aren’t expected to be the pick, with Notre Dame the heavy favorite a few days ahead of his decision. If Augustine commits to Notre Dame as expected on Tuesday, he’ll join his high school teammate Ethan Long, a safety who also had an OSU offer, in South Bend.
OSU has one offensive tackle committed for 2025 in Carter Lowe and has its eyes set on adding more premier talent to its offensive trenches. David Sanders Jr., Micah DeBose and Michael Fasusi are among the top targets.
Darren Ikinnagbon includes OSU in top eight
Four-star 2025 New Jersey defensive end Darren Ikinnagbon continues to be high on the Buckeyes as he included OSU on a top schools list released Wednesday. Other schools Ikinnagbon is considering include Georgia, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Duke, Oklahoma, Rutgers and Penn State.
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— Darren Ikinnagbon (@AceSZNF) February 15, 2024
Ikinnagbon, who defensive line coach Larry Johnson visited in January, is eyeing a summer commitment date. He earned his offer from the Buckeyes while Johnson was in New Jersey last month.
Ikinnagbon could make a spring visit to OSU, but no dates have been set as of yet. Last season, Ikinnagbon recorded 25 tackles (five for loss) with two sacks in his junior year.
Tarvos Alford reacts to James Laurinaitis being promoted to linebacker coach
Ohio State now officially has 10 assistant coaches for the 2024 season after Ryan Day promoted James Laurinaitis from graduate assistant to linebackers coach on Thursday. One priority linebacker recruit in the 2025 class took notice on social media.
— Tarvos Tj Alford II (@TarvosAlford_II) February 15, 2024
Laurinaitis and four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford have developed a close bond on the recruiting trail, as Laurinaitis traveled into Florida twice to visit Alford during the active period last month. Alford has said previously that he and Laurinaitis talk almost every other day.
The promotion of Laurinaitis only helps OSU’s chances of landing the talented Florida prospect with a decision date of March 30 looming. Nearly six weeks from his decision, the Buckeyes are a slight favorite to land Alford.
