Ohio State’s season-opening blowout of Ball State did more than put the Buckeyes at 1-0. It also helped them get a fresh jolt on the recruiting trail.
The 56-3 win on Saturday played out in front of more than 100,000 fans at Ohio Stadium, and Ohio State also had several recruits on hand to watch. By Monday, Ryan Day and his staff were showing up on multiple top schools lists for some of the country’s best prospects.
One of the biggest names was 2028 five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark out of Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clark trimmed his list to 12 schools, and Ohio State made the cut. LSU, Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, Miami, Clemson, Texas A&M, Indiana, Texas, South Carolina and USC were the others.
Clark is far more than just a big receiver target. In the 247Sports Composite, he ranks as the No. 4 wide receiver in the class, the No. 12 overall recruit and the No. 2 player from North Carolina.
Ohio State has been in on Clark for a while, and he’s made several unofficial visits to Columbus. That steady relationship appears to matter. In a recent conversation with Anna Adams of 247Sports, Clark said Ohio State “has the best relationship” among his finalists.
The Buckeyes are already stacking pieces in their 2028 offensive class. Their commitments include elite wide receiver Jett Harrison, quarterback Christopher Vargas and running back Elijah Newman-Hall. Adding Clark would make that group even more dangerous.
Ohio State also landed on the list for one of its key defensive targets. Four-star safety Jalen Flowers of Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, included the Buckeyes in his top 10 along with Texas, USC, UCLA, Notre Dame, Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, Miami and Washington.
Flowers brings serious national stock of his own. He’s the No. 8 safety in the 247Sports Composite, the No. 84 overall player and the No. 3 recruit in California.
Early on, Oregon and Texas look like the main competition for Ohio State. Oregon was one of his more recent offers, and Flowers was reportedly very excited to get it. He has also already taken an unofficial visit to Texas.
More visits are expected as Flowers works through his process, and game day trips will likely matter a lot. Ohio State will try to get him back to campus this season, and he could get an early look at the Buckeyes when they head to Texas for their marquee game this Saturday.
In Other News...
Ohio State Looks Strong But Michigan Already Has A Big Ten Problem
After Week 1, the Big Ten mostly stayed in line with expectations, and Ohio State was right where it wanted to be near the top after a decisive opening win. Indiana joined the Buckeyes in holding onto the conferences upper tier, a sign that the leagues early order is already taking shape even if most teams still have plenty to prove.
Michigan, meanwhile, created the first real headache in the standings, squeezing out a narrow and controversial win that left more questions than answers. Rutgers also took a hit with an upset loss, and with early-season results already nudging the rankings around, the next few weeks should tell us far more about which teams are actually built to stay there. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Already Has A Problem Ohio State Fans Will Love
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Michigans immediate task is straightforward, even if the pressure around it is not: stack together convincing performances and avoid leaving any doubt for the poll voters. After the opening-week escape against Western Michigan, the Wolverines do not have much margin for error, and they will need a much cleaner run in the weeks ahead to climb back into the Top 25. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Still Has One Protection Concern With Texas Up Next
Ohio State rolled past Ball State by 53 points, but the offensive line did not escape the kind of scrutiny that usually follows a sloppy pass-protection day. The Buckeyes had issues that looked awfully familiar to last season, from handling simulated pressures and stunts to sorting out blitz pickups and keeping the communication clean enough to keep the pocket stable.
Phillip Daniels drew particular attention at right tackle, where the protection problems seemed to keep showing up on the edge. With Texas next on the schedule, the concern is less about what the Buckeyes did to Ball State and more about whether they can get that side of the line settled in time for a far bigger test. [Read more 🡒]