One of the main goals for new Ohio State linebacker coach James Laurinaitis over the next few months is pretty straightforward: land an impact player for the third linebacker spot in the Buckeyes’ 2025 class.
OSU already has two talented linebackers in the class with Eli Lee and Tarvos Alford committed already, but the Buckeyes are hoping to find one more highly touted recruit to round out the position group. Ideally, one that can change a game with his speed. Four-star linebackers Riley Pettijohn and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng are both priority targets that would certainly fit that billing.
Owusu-Boateng was the headliner of several important recruiting visitors on campus for the Buckeyes this weekend, and it was a visit that moved the needle for the IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) standout.
On his trip, Owusu-Boateng met with Laurinaitis, Jim Knowles and Ryan Day and received a full seminar on how the coaches plan to develop him if he chooses to play for the Buckeyes. It was his second time on campus but the first time in a few years, as Owusu-Boateng visited Columbus when he was a sophomore and high school teammates with OSU defensive tackle Jason Moore in Maryland.
“Just going up there and talking to coach Laurinaitis, coach Knowles and coach Day, it was great to see that developmental piece of exactly how guys get developed,” Owusu-Boateng told Eleven Warriors of his visit on Sunday. “This was my second time up there, so seeing more than what I did the first time really made me want to see even more knowing that coach Laurinaitis is prioritizing me. He’s put in a lot of time and he hasn’t stopped yet.”
Laurinaitis told Owusu-Boateng he’d be utilized as a Will linebacker and showed him clips of Sonny Styles making the switch from safety to linebacker in the spring. OSU believes Owusu-Boateng has a similar versatile skill set to Styles and could deploy him in a variety of roles in Knowles’ defense.
In his junior year at IMG Academy, Owusu-Boateng recorded 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and a sack while playing in eight games on a national schedule. Nathaniel has strong football ties in his family as his brother, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, is currently a linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.
“Me coming in, you can watch my film and you’ll see how versatile I am,” Owusu-Boateng said. “I can be the best linebacker in my class knowing that I can rush the quarterback, play in space and also play in the box. In my sophomore tape, you’ll see me playing a little more of a nickel role, and in my junior tape, you’ll see me play inside the box.
“My senior tape will be a mix of both, so with me being in my last year, I really want to put both on display. But me coming in if I did go to Ohio State, I’d play the Will position. They’ve told me Sonny Styles has been doing it right now and he’s been doing a great job. They’ve told me it’ll be open for me to come in and work my butt off so I can get that spot.”
Laurinaitis has been prioritizing Owusu-Boateng as one of his top linebacker targets over the past few months, catching up with Owusu-Boateng about once a week. Conversations range from day-to-day life to football-centered talks. But it’s evident to Owusu-Boateng that he’s a priority to the Buckeyes.
“He’ll make sure everything’s good and I’m healthy and stuff like that,” Owusu-Boateng said. “They want to make sure I really know they want me to come to Ohio State.”
Day also spoke to Owusu-Boateng and pitched how special of a place Columbus is and the connections he can make in the business world since he plans to be a business major in college.
Following the weekend visit, Owusu-Boateng has immediately reciprocated interest back in OSU. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker scheduled an official visit to Columbus for June 14 and will also take officials to USC, Notre Dame and Michigan this summer.
— Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (@_nob11) May 12, 2024
“It’ll be a chance for me to go up and confirm that this is potentially the right place for me,” Owusu-Boateng said of what he’s expecting from his upcoming OSU official visit. “It’ll just confirm that everybody on that staff wants me and wants to be a part of that program. Just something that can confirm what I felt the first time.”
Owusu-Boateng has been in contact with Moore, his former high school teammate, about what to expect if he chooses to play his collegiate football in Columbus. Moore has given glowing reviews of his brief tenure at OSU so far.
“He told me that you’re going to come here, you’re going to get developed, you’re going to get the best coaching and that you’re going to get a great school as well, knowing education is very important to me,” Owusu-Boateng said.
With four official visits scheduled for this summer, Owusu-Boateng estimates he’ll make a decision sometime this fall during his senior season. He says his decision will come down to where he can be developed the most as a person and a player, the culture and a path to compete for a national championship. But OSU is firmly in the running to land Owusu-Boateng, who is ranked as the No. 69 overall prospect and No. 9 linebacker in the 2025 class, per 247Sports’ composite rankings.
“I would say they’re very high at the moment,” Owusu-Boateng said of OSU.
