Larry Johnson has won a big recruiting battle against Ohio State's archrival.
Thank you to all the people whove been a part of my journey, a special thanks to my family and friends who have always been there for me through my highs and lows. Thank you to God for putting me on a path to find home. Buckeyes nation I cant wait to get to work!! #rushmen pic.twitter.com/0eZsNhZlEo
— Maxwell Roy (@MaxwellRoy8) July 1, 2024
Ohio State landed the commitment of four-star 2025 defensive tackle Maxwell Roy on Monday, converting on a priority defensive line target who was seen publicly as a Michigan lean until only recently.
The Roy File
- Class: 2025
- Size: 6-3/270
- Pos: DT
- School: St. Joseph's Prep School (Philadelphia, PA)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #229 (#26 DL)
Roy took his Michigan official visit on June 21, but OSU made a huge push for the 6-foot-3, 270-pound prospect within the last week and ultimately convinced him to begin his collegiate career in Columbus instead. He made an official visit to OSU on June 14 and he also visited Rutgers on May 31.
Johnson has been on a heater recruiting defensive linemen as of late, securing the commitment of four-star defensive end Zion Grady on June 24 and Trajen Odom on Friday while already having Zahir Mathis and London Merritt committed. With Roy in the fold, OSU now has 22 commits and five defensive linemen committed in the 2025 class.
It's not likely the Buckeyes stop there, though. OSU is still pursuing more defensive linemen, including Malik Autry and Jarquez Carter for the interior. Should five-star 2026 defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart reclassify to 2025 as expected, Ohio State will also be heavily in that recruitment this fall.
Roy attends St. Joseph's Prep School in Philadelphia, a school all too familiar with Ohio State fans by now. Roy's current teammate, three-star 2025 running back Isaiah West, committed to OSU in June. Former Buckeyes Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord and recent transfer safety addition Keenan Nelson Jr. also attended St. Joseph's Prep.
OSU offered Roy in May 2023 and has since made several visits to campus, including last fall for the Maryland game.
| 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 | ★★★★★ | #10 NATL | #3 QB | 6-4 | 210 | Bellefontaine (Bellefontaine, Ohio) |
| S | FAHEEM DELANE | ★★★★ | #35 NATL | #2 S | 6-2 | 195 | Good Counsel (Olney, Maryland) |
| WR | QUINCY PORTER | ★★★★ | #47 NATL | #7 WR | 6-3 | 190 | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) |
| LB | TARVOS ALFORD | ★★★★ | #48 NATL | #5 LB | 6-2 | 210 | Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Florida) |
| OT | CARTER LOWE | ★★★★ | #51 NATL | #6 OT | 6-5 | 290 | Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) |
| DE | ZAHIR MATHIS | ★★★★ | #62 NATL | #6 Edge | 6-6 | 225 | Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| DE | ZION GRADY | ★★★★ | #71 NATL | #7 Edge | 6-4 | 235 | Enterprise (Enterprise, Alabama) |
| RB | BO JACKSON | ★★★★ | #79 NATL | #4 RB | 6-0 | 205 | Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| DE | LONDON MERRITT | ★★★★ | #118 NATL | #14 DL | 6-2 | 250 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) |
| TE | NATE ROBERTS | ★★★★ | #138 NATL | #6 TE | 6-4 | 235 | Washington (Washington, Oklahoma) |
| DT | MAXWELL ROY | ★★★★ | #229 NATL | #26 DL | 6-3 | 270 | St. Joseph's Prep School (Philadelphia, PA) |
| S | DESHAWN STEWART | ★★★★ | #245 NATL | #22 S | 6-2 | 185 | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) |
| DT | TRAJEN ODOM | ★★★★ | #283 NATL | #31 DL | 6-4 | 285 | Weddington (Matthews, North Carolina) |
| WR | DE'ZIE JONES | ★★★★ | #291 NATL | #39 WR | 6-0 | 180 | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) |
| S | CODY HADDAD | ★★★★ | #380 NATL | #19 ATH | 6-1 | 175 | St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| LB | ELI LEE | ★★★★ | #382 NATL | #41 LB | 6-3 | 230 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) |
| RB | ISAIAH WEST | ★★★ | #534 NATL | #45 RB | 5-11 | 208 | St. Joseph's Prep School (Philadelphia, PA) |
| WR | BODPEGN MILLER | ★★★ | #584 NATL | #91 WR | 6-4 | 180 | Ontario (Mansfield, OH) |
| TE | BRODY LENNON | ★★★ | #611 NATL | #32 TE | 6-4 | 220 | Gates Mills (Gates Mills, OH) |
| OL | JAKE COOK | ★★★ | #627 NATL | #40 IOL | 6-5 | 295 | Westerville North (Westerville, OH) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
Roy provides sturdy inside presence for Ohio State
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Roy is considered the No. 229 overall prospect and No. 26 defensive line prospect in the 2025 class.
With his frame, he'll be an interior defensive lineman at OSU and could potentially be a three-technique in Jim Knowles' defensive scheme. Roy has primarily played in a 3-4 base defense in high school, but he's shown the ability to thrive in a 4-3 scheme as well.
Roy has proven to be an excellent run defender and plugs running lanes quickly, even when he has to take on double teams. He's got a proven display of power pass rush moves, which has likely been aided by his experience as a wrestler. Roy has plenty of quickness for someone of his build and can chase down ballcarriers in the backfield.
Current starting defensive tackles Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton are both seniors, so Roy could have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation as a freshman. Even if it’s more likely he'll likely need a year or two to develop, he has the tools to be a future key contributor in OSU's defense.
