After welcoming a handful of prospects on campus for official visits last weekend, Ohio State is upping the ante this time around, with double-digit visitors expected to make trips to Columbus this weekend for official visits.
Beginning with committed prospects, several will be on hand to make pitches to uncommitted prospects, with expected verbal pledges including four-star offensive linemen Deontae (6-6, 280) and Devontae (6-5, 297) of Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward; New Haven, Ind., five-star wide receiver Mylan Graham (6-1, 170); New Palestine, Ind., four-star offensive lineman Ian Moore (6-5, 295); Toledo Central Catholic three-star offensive lineman Marc Nave (6-5, 315); San Antonio Veterans Memorial four-star running back James Peoples (5-10, 192); Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (6-3, 198); Sunbury (Ohio) Big Walnut four-star linebacker Garrett Stover (6-0, 195); and Pickerington (Ohio) North three-star running back Sam Williams-Dixon (5-11, 203).
As for the uncommitted prospects, a pair of offensive players will be on campus, with the Buckeyes expected to host Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star offensive tackle Brandon Baker (6-5, 285) and Saint Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers College four-star wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan (6-0, 190).
McClellan is the N. 174 overall prospect and No. 25 wide receiver in the class. He was offered last fall by Ohio State and is returning to campus after taking an unofficial visit in the spring. With Graham and Smith already in the class, McClellan is one of the candidates to fill the remaining spots at receiver in the class along with Olney (Md.) Good Counsel three-star Elijah Moore (6-4, 190).
Baker is one of Ohio State’s top targets at offensive tackle, and would make an important addition to an already talented haul on the offensive line for the Buckeyes. Baker is the No. 32 overall prospect and top-ranked tackle in the class, and is also considering Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Michigan and Texas among his top schools.
Moving to the other side of the ball, Ohio State is expecting to host Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy three-star defensive lineman Jayden Jackson (6-2, 300); Chicago Kenwood Academy four-star defensive end Marquise Lightfoot (6-5, 220); Olney (Md.) Good Counsel four-star defensive end Darien Mayo (6-7, 250); West Orange (N.J.) Seton Hall Prep four-star safety Jaylen McClain (6-0, 185); and Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman (6-1, 216).
According to a report from 247Sports, Orlando (Fla.) Jones four-star defensive lineman D’Antre Robinson (6-4, 300) is also expected on an unofficial visit, though he will return this summer for an official visit. Understandable so, the visits are focusing heavily on the defensive line, where Ohio State and defensive line coach Larry Johnson do not have a prospect committed yet in the 2024 recruiting class.
Lightfoot is the highest-ranked prospect of the group, checking in as the No. 67 overall prospect and No. 6 defensive end in the class. He visited Ohio State in the spring after a junior season in which he totaled 122 tackles (15 for loss) with nine sacks and 18 quarterback hurries.
Jackson and Mayo are the other defensive line prospects on official visits, with Jackson checking in as the No. 676 overall prospect and No. 64 defensive lineman, and Mayo as the No. 172 overall prospect and No. 21 defensive lineman. Jackson was offered in January by Ohio State and has already made several visits to the school.
Mayo, meanwhile, is down to Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State and USC, and either has taken or will take official visits to each of the schools in June.
The two non-defensive line visitors are McClain and Spillman. McClain is the No. 243 overall prospect and No. 22 safety in the class, and he was only offered by Ohio State in March, with his other top schools including Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers and USC.
Spillman, meanwhile, has been a longtime target for Ohio State at linebacker, with the Buckeyes fighting Tennessee for the top-300 prospect’s services. He posted 101 tackles last season with 14.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and six pass breakups.
