Just a 48 hours away from an Ohio State football game day, the Buckeyes are soon to be back in action, taking on Ball State to kick off the 2026 season. Recruiting taking a backseat to the games, the coaching staff may not be devoting all of their time to the rosters of the future, but that doesn’t mean the effort isn’t going on in the background.
With recruiting visits lined up for this weekend and many others already, Ohio State is sure to bring in some of the best prep players from around the country
this season, showing first hand what it’s like on Saturdays in Columbus.
Plenty of names to come, here’s some of the latest news on the recruiting trail ahead of Week 1.
Top LB target has Ohio State as his only planned visit for the fall
Since the start of his tenure at the helm of the linebacker position, James Laurinaitis has been all Ohio State could have wanted. A man that has played at the highest level, his on-field development and recruiting abilities are atop of the charts, and that’s attracting high level prep talent.
The 2026 and 2027 classes are perfect examples of his recruiting chops. Laurinaitis is bringing in his top priorities, and in 2028 he’ll look to do the same.
New Jersey native Tahj Gray being firmly right atop the big board, the Buckeyes are already doing what they can to stand out to the five-star. A 6-foot-4, 235 pound athlete, Gray is the No. 24 player nationally and the top linebacker in the 2028 class per the 247Sports Composite.
Keeping Ohio State and Laurinaitis heavily in the mix early on, Gray has said he only plans on visiting the Buckeyes this season.
Quite the quote from a top player, Ohio State being his only planned trip is a major nod the interest he has in the Buckeyes, but it’s not over for other suitors just yet. Programs such as Notre Dame and more are going to continue doing all they can to be the leader — and rightfully so.
Maybe more trips will be scheduled, but hearing the top player at a position planning to only visit Ohio State this season is exactly what you’d want to hear as a Buckeye fan, and it’s further testimony to how well Laurinaitis is running his unit.
Five-star plans two treks to Ohio State
No mistake about it, North Carolina native Braylon Clark is Ohio State’s top remaining target at wide receiver for the 2028 class. Already off to a stellar start thanks to Jett Harrison being locked in, Cortez Hankton has the Buckeyes in solid position for another five-star, and it’s been that way for months now.
The No. 12 player nationally and the fourth best receiver per the 247Sports Composite, at one time it looked like Clark was ready to commit to Ohio State earlier in the summer, but while that trigger hasn’t been pulled yet, Ohio State looks to still be in the lead with schools such as Oregon being the biggest threats.
A great sign for the Buckeyes, Clark’s fall visit plans include stops all over the country, but only one program will receive two game day visits, and that’s Ohio State. Set to see LSU, Texas A&M, Alabama, Miami, and Oregon as well, Ohio State being able to host him twice this season shows the mutual connection that is still brewing.
Likely to take three at the position in 2028, Clark is the top priority aside from Harrison, and having the top quarterback in the class thanks to Christopher Vargas certainly doesn’t hurt either.
