Ohio State’s wide receiver room has long been a gold standard in college football, and even with Brian Hartline moving on, the Buckeyes aren’t showing any signs of letting that bar drop. The talent is still stacked, the expectations are still sky-high, and now it’s up to new position coach Cortez Hankton to keep that pipeline flowing-both in development and recruiting.
And if Wednesday’s recruiting buzz is any indication, Hankton’s already off to a strong start.
Let’s start with Monshun Sales, a name Buckeye fans have been hearing for a while-and one they’ll likely keep hearing until pen meets paper. At 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, the Indiana native is a matchup nightmare in the making. Ranked as the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 wide receiver in the 2027 class, Sales is the kind of prospect that gets every major program’s attention-and he’s got the offer list to prove it, with nearly 40 schools in pursuit.
On Wednesday, Sales trimmed his list to four finalists: Ohio State, Alabama, Indiana, and Miami. That’s a heavyweight group, but the Buckeyes are firmly in the mix. Hankton and the staff are keeping the communication lines open and continuing to sell what’s made Columbus such a wide receiver factory over the years-elite development, NFL production, and a system that lets playmakers shine.
Sales’ decision is still down the road, but Ohio State is clearly positioning itself well. The effort to land him is ongoing and aggressive, and the Buckeyes know exactly what’s at stake with a talent like this.
But Sales isn’t the only elite prospect eyeing Ohio State. The 2027 recruiting class is already shaping up to be another strong one in Columbus, and Wednesday brought more good news with another top-tier name: Taelyn Mayo.
The Texas native is one of the most coveted defensive backs in the country, and he just narrowed his list to five schools-Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Mayo brings size, athleticism, and versatility to the cornerback position. He’s the No. 135 player nationally and the No. 12 corner in the class according to the 247Sports Composite.
It’s no surprise to see the two in-state powerhouses in the mix, but Ohio State has a long history of pulling elite talent out of Texas. Mayo could be the next in that line, and the Buckeyes are clearly in the thick of it.
Then there’s Honor Fa’alave-Johnson-the top-ranked safety in the 2027 class and a five-star prospect who’s already drawing comparisons to some of the best to come through the position in recent years. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, with the frame to grow and the instincts to dominate, Fa’alave-Johnson is one of those rare defensive backs who can change the complexion of a game.
He released his top six schools this week-LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, and USC-and Ohio State wasn’t on the list. But here’s where things get interesting: despite being left off the finalist group, Fa’alave-Johnson still has a spring visit to Columbus scheduled for April 4. That’s not nothing.
Ohio State’s staff, including safeties coach Matt Guerrieri, has been actively recruiting him and even visited him in person within the last month. That tells you they’re not backing off, even if they’ve got ground to make up.
If that April visit happens, don’t count out the Buckeyes just yet. They’ve pulled off comebacks in recruiting before-and they’re clearly not done here.
Put it all together, and Wednesday was a snapshot of a program that’s not just holding the line-it’s pushing forward. Whether it’s Sales, Mayo, or even a long shot like Fa’alave-Johnson, Ohio State is staying aggressive, staying visible, and staying in the fight for the best talent in the country.
The 2027 class already has nine commitments and ranks among the nation’s best. And if the Buckeyes can land even a few of these top targets, they’ll be right where they’ve always been-at the front of the pack.