BOOM
Maxwell Riley, Ohio’s top offensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class, commits to Ohio State.
Tyler Bowen is on the board in a big way for the 2026 recruiting class.
Despite the momentum seemingly going towards Clemson in the past few months, four-star Ohio offensive tackle Maxwell Riley committed to the Buckeyes on Monday, giving OSU a major win in the 2026 cycle.
The Riley File
- Class: 2026
- Size: 6-5/280
- Pos: OT
- School: Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #114 (#9 OT)
Riley had been torn between Clemson and the Buckeyes for months, but the allure of playing for his hometown team and a national title contender eventually kept Riley in the Buckeye State.
Though it will ultimately go down as a recruiting win for Bowen, Riley was identified early in the recruiting process by former Ohio State offensive line Justin Frye, as OSU gave Riley an offer in March of 2023.
“That was a surreal experience," Riley told Eleven Warriors after receiving his OSU offer. "I grew up an Ohio State fan and always watched them on Saturdays with my dad and grandpa. Finally getting to meet Ryan Day in person and experience that was pretty cool. He wanted to offer me because of my potential.”
He was the first offensive lineman Frye offered in the cycle, so it's fitting he's also the first commit at that position. Riley is the fifth commit for OSU in 2026 in total, joining five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., wide receiver Jaeden Ricketts, cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon and tight end Corbyn Fordham.
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Riley is considered the No. 114 prospect nationally and the No. 9 tackle in the 2026 class.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | CHRIS HENRY JR. | ★★★★★ | #9 NATL | #2 WR | 6-5 | 205 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| OT | MAXWELL RILEY | ★★★★ | #114 NATL | #9 OT | 6-5 | 280 | Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio) |
| CB | JAKOB WEATHERSPOON | ★★★★ | #167 NATL | #13 S | 5-10 | 172 | Avon (Avon, Ohio) |
| WR | JAEDEN RICKETTS | ★★★★ | #253 NATL | #42 WR | 6-0 | 187 | Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio) |
| TE | CORBYN FORDHAM | ★★★★ | #378 NATL | #18 TE | 6-3 | 215 | The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
“He’s got some of the best footwork I’ve ever seen out of a kid his size,” Riley’s high school coach Matt Kostelnik told Eleven Warriors last year. “We knew there was a lot of potential there. He does O-line specific stuff a couple of times a week, whether it’s with us or a trainer. He’s a shot put thrower. When (OSU offensive lineman) coach (Justin) Frye came in and asked me what I thought, I told him I can run outside zone effectively and consistently for the first time as a head coach. I hadn’t been able to do it before. But we can run to Max’s side. That’s the kids ability to get his hips going downfield, get his hands on people and finishes. He’s the nicest kid off the field, he has five siblings, but he puts that helmet on and a lot of hate comes out of that heart that you didn’t think was there.”
Riley has played both tackle spots for his high school, but now primarily plays left tackle. His build should allow him to stay at tackle at the collegiate level, and he has the makeup to be a multi-year starter for the Buckeyes eventually.
Though Riley is the perfect start to Bowen's 2026 class, there's still much more work to be done on the recruiting trail, as OSU continues to pursue targets such as Sam Greer, Jackson Cantwell, Micah Champ Smith, Evan Goodwin, Felix Ojo, Darius Gray, Drew Evers and more.
