Ohio State keeps rolling on the recruiting trail.
Four-star Florida 2026 safety Simeon Caldwell, the nephew of Tim Walton, committed to Ohio State Thursday, giving the Buckeyes their ninth commitment of the 2026 class and the second safety in the cycle. Caldwell is the high school teammate of OSU tight end commit Corbyn Fordham, as the pair will continue to play together at the next level.
The Caldwell File
- Class: 2026
- Size: 6-3/185
- Pos: Safety
- School: The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #95 (#7 LB)
Matt Guerrieri and Walton continue their torrid stretch of recruiting this week, considering they landed the No. 1 safety in America, Blaine Bradford, on Monday.
Similar to Chris Henry Jr. earlier this week, Caldwell is all in with the Buckeyes and has shut his recruitment down to other schools. He's canceled his scheduled official visits to Miami, USC and Notre Dame, all of whom were in hot pursuit of the Florida standout.
Caldwell was offered by OSU in January of 2024, and visited Columbus multiple times before eventually committing Thursday. Though Caldwell is the second safety commit in the 2026 class along with Bradford, it won't stop OSU from pursuing another high-end safety, such as five-star talent Bralan Womack.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | CHRIS HENRY JR. | ★★★★★ | #9 NATL | #2 WR | 6-5 | 205 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| S | BLAINE BRADFORD | ★★★★★ | #23 NATL | #1 S | 6-1 | 207 | Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| S | SIMEON CALDWELL | ★★★★ | #95 NATL | #7 LB | 6-3 | 185 | The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| 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) |
| OT | SAM GREER | ★★★★ | #188 NATL | #17 OT | 6-6 | 310 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, 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) |
| OL | TUCKER SMITH | ★★★ | #844 NATL | #72 IOL | 6-5 | 280 | Sandra Day O'Connor (Phoenix, Arizona) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
"It means a lot," Caldwell said of his offer in June. "Ohio State is one of the top tier schools, so getting an offer from them just means a lot that they see my potential and know I can compete at that level with the best athletes in the country."
When Caldwell camped at Ohio State last summer, he smirked at the thought of potentially playing for his uncle. He'll get to live out that dream next fall.
“Me and him have a great bond,” Caldwell said in June. “And he's a great coach, one of the best coaches in the country. He coached in the league. So it's just a great opportunity. I'll know that he'll be able to coach me to the best of my ability. I know he has my best interests at heart, so it would be a great opportunity to play for him.”
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Caldwell is considered the No. 95 prospect and No. 7 linebacker (though he'll likely play safety at OSU) in the 2026 class.
Considering he's listed at different positions by different recruiting services, it's not out of the question Caldwell eventually plays linebacker in his Ohio State career, but he'll probably start out at safety with his 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame. He profiles as a strong safety and one that can excel in both stopping the run and pass coverage.
"I'll do whatever it takes to get on the field," Caldwell said. "I just love the game."
In his junior season, Caldwell recorded 80 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass deflections, a fumble recovery and two blocked field goals.
