Ohio State’s work on the 2028 class is already picking up, and the Buckeyes are starting to bring more of those prospects to campus as the calendar inches toward October.
There are still about eight weeks left for Ohio State to put the finishing touches on its 2027 class, and that group still has a few notable needs to address. Even so, the Buckeyes have begun shifting more attention to the next cycle, with gameday visits for 2028 recruits set to become a bigger part of the picture.
The 2028 group already has some serious headliners. Five-star quarterback Christopher Vargas is at the front of the class, with five-star receiver Jett Harrison right alongside him. Top 30 defensive lineman Jameer Whyce is committed, too, along with No. 110 overall running back Elijah Newman-Hall and three-star tight end Luke Sohyda.
That early shape says a lot about where Ohio State appears to be aiming. After a massive 2027 haul along the offensive and defensive lines, the Buckeyes seem locked in on premium skill talent for 2028.
Saturday brought another wave of that effort, with several major prospects on campus.
Among them was Brandon Nash, a four-star safety from St. John Bosco in California. He’s the kind of versatile, smooth defender who can fit in a lot of different ways, and the visit looked to go extremely well.
Ohio State also hosted Langston Pridgeon, the No. 112 overall prospect and No. 8 cornerback. The DeMatha standout from the Washington D.C. area already brings the kind of frame college coaches want at corner, checking in at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds.
The Buckeyes weren’t done there. They also welcomed five-star interior lineman Joey Fleming, defensive end Asa Burch and linebacker Brydon Feister. Burch ranks as a top 100 prospect in the class, while Feister, who attends Massillon Washington, is a three-star.
The message from Ohio State is pretty clear: the program is making its commitment in both time and money known, and on defense that push may be centered on skill-position talent just as much as it is on offense.
In Other News...
Ohio State Defense Faces A Road Test Iowa Can Expose
Ohio State heads into a ranked road matchup at Iowa with the kind of test that can sharpen a defense or expose a flaw. The Buckeyes will have to deal with a difficult environment and an Iowa offense that leans on quarterback Hank Brown, a productive backfield and a defense led by linebacker Cam Buffington and safety Zach Lutmer, while the bigger worry for Ohio State is whether it can hold up against the run and stay sound in coverage against tight ends.
The Hawkeyes have enough moving parts to make this more than a routine Big Ten trip, especially at home where the crowd can turn every series into a grind. Ohio States defensive front will be under pressure to set the tone early, because if Iowa can keep the Buckeyes guessing and force them to chase the game, this matchup could become a lot more uncomfortable than the rankings suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Defense Isnt In Trouble But One Concern Isnt Going Away
Ohio States defense has spent enough time under the microscope already this fall, and a former Buckeye who has been watching the unit closely sees a group with real room to grow rather than a unit in panic mode. He pointed to the kind of issues that can show up early in a season, including miscommunications and the absence of veteran star power, while still saying defensive coordinator Matt Patricia remains effective in his job. He also gave credit to Illinois quarterback Katin Houser for making the defense work for it.
The bigger takeaway, though, is that the concerns do not appear to be structural in his view. He expects the Buckeyes defense to keep improving and believes it will be good by the end of the season, even if the ceiling may not be quite elite. For a program used to treating every defensive hiccup as a minor crisis, that is a useful reminder that some early-season problems can be real without being fatal. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Sounds Different As Ohio State Heads Into Kinnick
Ryan Day spent part of the week laying out where Ohio State stands as it heads to Kinnick Stadium, and the conversation touched just about every corner of the roster. He gave updates on player availability, pointed to Julian Sayins continued growth, and said the running backs have made progress as the Buckeyes keep sorting out roles for Jeremiah Smith, Khary Wilder and Kyle Parker. It was the kind of check-in that comes with a road game like this, where the details matter and the margin for error tends to shrink.
Kinnick has a way of making even experienced teams feel uneasy, and Day acknowledged the challenge while framing Ohio States current state as a product of steady development since the season began. He also left open a few questions about how the lineup will look once the Buckeyes get through the week, including one involving Legend Bey and how much he can get done in practice before a decision has to be made. [Read more 🡒]