Ohio State made a clear, public push for four-star cornerback C.J. Bronaugh over the UCLA weekend, hosting the Windermere (Fla.) standout on an official visit as the Buckeyes tried to turn the Shoe into
a recruiting stage. Bronaugh, who remains at this time a Florida commit, is one of the highest-profile visitors of the weekend and now sits squarely among Ohio State’s top flip targets in the 2026 cycle.
There are a few concrete reasons the Buckeyes matter here. Ohio State extended an offer to Bronaugh on Oct. 25, and the timing, coming shortly after coaching changes at Florida, has opened the door for renewed attention from other programs.
Bringing him to Columbus on a high-energy night game shows the staff believes they have a real shot to pry him away. National outlets and recruiting analysts have already flagged Bronaugh as a name to watch.
What makes Bronaugh such an enticing target for Tim Walton and OSU’s defensive staff is a rare blend of size, speed and ball skills. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 166 pounds on 247Sports, he’s not just long, he’s legitimately fast.
Bronaugh has posted sub-10.4 times in the 100 meters in recent meet results (10.24 was reported as a personal-best in spring/early summer coverage), and scouts frequently point to his closing burst and recovery speed as game-changing traits in coverage.
Those testing marks and track resume help explain why he’s very high on boards.
Recruiting rankings back up the on-field tools, 247Sports lists Bronaugh as the 76th overall recruit in the 2026 class and the number six cornerback. If Ohio State can complete a flip, it would pair Bronaugh with other highly-ranked defensive backs already in OSU’s class and further accelerate the program’s secondary-first strategy for this class.
How realistic is the flip?
The Buckeyes have momentum, recent successful late pushes and high-profile visits have paid off before and OSU’s staff has shown it will spend November weekends trying to tilt commitments. That said, Bronaugh’s current public pledge to Florida and the depth of SEC interest mean this will be a drawn-out, high-stakes recruitment.
Expect Ohio State to continue the heavy contact, maybe more on-campus visits, positional coach touchpoints, and an attempt to show Bronaugh a clear path to early playing time in Columbus.
A successful flip would be a statement. Landing a long, elite-speed corner from Florida would underline Ohio State’s recruiting reach and would immediately upgrade the class’s cupboard in the secondary. For now, Bronaugh’s weekend visit is the latest signal that OSU sees him as the next top target to steal from an SEC footprint.
