The Hurry-Up: Former Georgia Defensive End Damon Wilson Could Be a Fit for Ohio State, Buckeyes Offer 16 New Players and Five-star 2026 Safety Bralan Womack Puts OSU in Top Four

By Garrick Hodge on January 7, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Damon Wilson making a tackle
Petre Thomas – Imagn Images
46 Comments

A talented edge rusher who Ohio State pursued heavily as a recruit is officially on the transfer portal market.

Former Georgia defensive end Damon Wilson, a five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, announced he’ll enter the portal Monday and opt for a new home. The move came as a shock to those around the Georgia program, considering Wilson was expected to play a big role for the Bulldogs’ defense in 2025.

Wilson saw 417 snaps of game action in the 2024 campaign. He recorded 22 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. 

Ohio State was a big player in Wilson’s recruitment, and the Buckeyes are expected to be a top option again for Wilson now that he’s back on the market. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound pass rusher could be a key piece at defensive end next season or be utilized at Jack if Jim Knowles decides to incorporate that position back into his defense next year. Other schools worth monitoring for Wilson are Missouri, Florida and Florida State, among others.

Buckeyes offer 16 new players

The dead period is gone and lifted, so the Ohio State football staff was able to get back on the road on Monday. Of course, OSU’s football assistant coaches are tied up with preparing to beat Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, so in lieu of sending assistants on the road per usual, player personnel staff members such as general manager Mark Pantoni and assistant director of recruiting strategy Nick Murphy hit the recruiting trail to see various prospects in the 2026, 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes.

In all, OSU has offered 16 new prospects since hitting the road. A short list of the players who have earned an offer since Monday: 

  • Four-star 2026 wide receiver Denairius Gray: Gray is the former high school teammate of Jeremiah Smith. He committed to Auburn on Jan. 1. Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Gray is ranked the No. 210 prospect and No. 35 wideout in the 2026 class. In his junior season, the 6-foot-2, 178-pound prospect caught 48 passes for 709 yards and 11 touchdowns. 
  • Four-star 2026 offensive lineman Ekene Ogboko: The 6-foot-6, 280-pound Ogboko is considered the No. 40 prospect in the 2026 class and ranked the No. 4 interior offensive lineman. He holds 22 Division I offers currently. 
  • Three-star 2026 wide receiver Jasen Lopez: Lopez is the teammate of Gray and is considered the No. 462 prospect and No. 70 wide receiver in 2026. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound wideout caught 87 passes for 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. He has 20 Division I offers.
  • Three-star 2026 defensive end Ebenezer Ewetade: Ohio State became the North Carolina product’s sixth Division I offer on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound prospect recorded 82 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles and a pass deflection last season.
  • 2026 linebacker Bryant Junius: Chaminade-Madonna Prep was a popular destination for OSU. OSU offered the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Junius on Monday, giving him 10 Division I offers. He made 72 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass deflections last season.
  • 2026 linebacker Jaiden Roper
  • 2026 wide receiver Landon Dowden
  • Five-star 2027 wide receiver Julius Jones Jr.: Ohio State offered one of the top prospects in the 2027 cycle Monday following a visit to the Florida product’s school. He’s considered the No. 18 player and No. 4 wide receiver in the 2027 cycle. He’s the son of former Dallas Cowboys running back Julius Jones, and the nephew of former Chicago Bears running back Thomas Jones. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect caught 51 passes for 750 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore. He’s accumulated almost 20 Division I offers so far.

Bralan Womack includes Ohio State in top four

One of the top safeties in the 2026 recruiting class has narrowed his recruitment down to four schools. Five-star Mississippi safety Bralan Womack released a top four on Monday consisting of Ohio State, Alabama, Texas A&M and Tennessee.

Womack earned an offer from OSU in June following an impressive performance at a recruiting camp, then visited Columbus again for the Michigan game in November. He expects to take his official visits then make a final decision sometime in August.

46 Comments

Cotton Bowl Still Set to Kick Off On Time, Officials “Routinely Monitoring Weather Reports” with Snow Expected to Hit Dallas This Week

AT&T Stadium

ESPN’s College GameDay Headed to the Cotton Bowl For Ohio State’s CFP Semifinal Matchup With Texas

College GameDay
View 46 Comments