Ohio State is gearing up for a massive celebration Sunday in Ohio Stadium.
The event will be free and open to the public, but there will also be a handful of recruits in attendance as the Buckeyes try to use the momentum from winning the national championship to their advantage on the recruiting trail.
One of the more important recruits expected to be in attendance includes four-star Ohio offensive tackle Maxwell Riley, who recently narrowed his recruitment down to the Buckeyes and Clemson. Considering Riley could make his college decision within the next month, any face time Justin Frye, Ryan Day and the OSU staff can put in could go a long way with the Avon Lake product.
Riley won’t be the only promising in-state offensive tackle on campus, as four-star prospect Adam Guthrie will likely also be in Columbus for the ceremony, and it’s possible four-star offensive tackle Sam Greer could also be in attendance. Four-star cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon should be at The Shoe, the same goes for four-star Ohio safety target Kaden Gebhardt.
Another intriguing prospect who will be on campus is four-star 2026 running back Favour Akih, a Delaware, Ohio product. Akih had a breakout year as a junior, running for 1,600 yards and 19 touchdowns in just nine games.
I cant wait to be at Ohio State this weekend, GO BUCKS @Montgomery_DHHS pic.twitter.com/0VYhjXfnB0
— Favour Akih (@FavourAkih) January 24, 2025
Carlos Locklyn and OSU have shown plenty of interest in the standout ballcarrier, but have not extended a formal offer as of yet. Perhaps that changes on Sunday. Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Akih is rated the No. 138 prospect and the No. 14 running back in the 2026 class.
He’s picked up 16 Division I offers thus far, including Iowa State, Michigan State, Penn State, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, Miami, Pitt, NC State, Purdue, USC, and West Virginia.
Cincere Johnson puts Ohio State in his top 10
One of Ohio State’s top linebacker targets in the 2026 class has narrowed down his recruitment. Four-star Ohio prospect Cincere Johnson released his top 10 schools on Friday, which included Ohio State, Notre Dame, Alabama, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Penn State, Stanford, Oregon, Louisville and Oklahoma.
Blessed to Be in this position and get recognized and recruited by the schools that have offered me. This is a dream come true and Ill forever be grateful. But Wheres Home? #agtg https://t.co/0Y6PWfZooK
— Cincere Johnson 4 (@JCincere8) January 24, 2025
Johnson has taken many visits to Columbus over the past year and picked up his Buckeyes offer in September following a gameday visit for the Marshall contest. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound prospect is considered the No. 108 player and No. 7 linebacker in the 2026 cycle. He attends Glenville High School, which has traditionally been a huge pipeline school for Ohio State, including recently with alums such as Arvell Reese, Bryce West and Damarion Witten suiting up for the scarlet and gray.
Carlos Locklyn visits Jonathan Hatton Jr.
OSU may have just won a national title, but the grind on the recruiting trail never stops. Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn made a stop in Texas on Friday to check in on four-star tailback Jonathan Hatton Jr., who’s become a big priority for OSU in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect is ranked the No. 41 prospect and No. 3 running back in 2026.
Had an amazing home visit with @Locklyn33 #Lockboyz pic.twitter.com/en18QLU5pr
— Jonathan Hatton Jr (@JHattonJr28) January 24, 2025
Locklyn got a good head start on his recruiting priorities for the current cycle, while the rest of the OSU staff is expected to hit the recruiting trail after the team celebration on Sunday. Hatton is also considering visiting Columbus sometime within the next few weeks.
Last season, Hatton ran for 1,147 yards on 121 carries with 14 rushing touchdowns. He also added 55 receiving yards.
