Landry Brede came to Ohio State as the kind of in-state prospect the Buckeyes always want to keep home: a lifelong fan who knew exactly what the scarlet and gray meant, but still treated the offer like something he had to earn.
That moment arrived in early September 2025, when Brede was in Columbus for Ohio State’s game against Ohio. It was his third visit to OSU, and the Buckeyes finally extended the offer that had been building in the background. At the time, Brede was still committed to NC State, but the message from Ohio State was clear - he was a priority, even if the pursuit came late.
"I grew up watching them, so it was a big, big offer for me," he told Eleven Warriors after he received the offer from the Buckeyes. "I didn't want to get too starstruck by the name of the offer, but it's obviously a big thing - national championship.
"So, yeah, it's a big thing growing up in Ohio, obviously, the culture behind it," he continued. "But, you know, I just got to not think of the name and think of what's best actually there, so that's really what's been going through my head."
After one final visit to NC State, Brede made the move back home, flipping to Ohio State on Oct. 13, 2025. He became the first player in the Buckeyes’ 2026 class to flip from another school.
At Mentor, Brede was a fixture at left tackle, starting there for his final three seasons. He helped anchor an offense that rolled to 38.3 points per game and carried Mentor to a perfect regular season and a 12-1 finish in his senior year.
His athleticism showed up in more than just the usual line work, too. Mentor even got him involved in a trick play on a left tackle screen, and Brede turned it into a nine-yard gain.
Scouts looking at Brede see a big body with real movement skills. At 6-6 and 320 pounds, his lateral quickness stands out right away.
He can slide, mirror and stay balanced, but he also brings the power to drive defenders off the ball, latch on with his hands and finish blocks with bad intentions. When he gets a defender moving downfield, he looks like a lineman who enjoys every second of the rep.
The next step for Brede is development. He’s not expected to jump into the lineup early in his Ohio State career, and his path points inside after spending high school at tackle. He practiced at guard this offseason, and the Buckeyes have already made it clear they view him as a versatile piece up front.
"They've said I'd be like a swing guy, so wherever," he said of his conversations with OSU coaches during his recruitment. "That's what makes me, they said, that makes me valuable, just being able to play all those positions. So wherever they think fits and wherever I succeed at in the next level."
For now, Brede is battling for a spot on the third-team offensive line in 2026. The door could open later, though. Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman and Austin Siereveld are all seniors, which means Ohio State could be looking at a completely new starting interior line after this season.
That’s where Brede’s value really starts to show. His tackle background, his size and his athleticism give him a chance to grow into a guard who can move around and fill multiple roles. He’ll have competition, plenty of it, but if he keeps bringing the same toughness and finish he showed in high school, he has a real path to becoming useful in a hurry.
The comparison that fits best right now is Luke Montgomery. Montgomery arrived as a multi-sport standout from Findlay who played all over the field and brought that same athletic profile to Ohio State’s offensive line.
He logged 71 snaps as a freshman, then was pressed into major duty during the Buckeyes’ four-game CFP run in 2024, playing 180 snaps as Ohio State won the national championship. He later won the starting left guard job and remains there as he enters his fourth season.
That’s the type of arc Brede will be chasing. Maybe not instantly, and maybe not even by year two. But if he develops the way Ohio State believes he can, his blend of size, movement and positional flexibility could make him the kind of swing offensive lineman who ends up hard to keep off the field.
In Other News...
Former Michigan Star Just Fed Ohio State Fans A Matt Patricia Debate
Jake Butts stop at Ohio State practice offered Buckeyes fans a little extra perspective from an unlikely source. The former Michigan tight end, now a Big Ten Network analyst, came away impressed enough to say the 2026 Ohio State team still has the kind of talent to stay among the nations best, even with several key players gone to the draft and a defense that has to reload in a few spots.
The part that will get debated in Columbus is Butts read on Matt Patricia, because he tied the Buckeyes continued defensive success to the coordinators impact. For a program that measures everything against championship standards, that kind of praise from a former rival is one more sign that the expectation level remains high even as Ohio State turns the page to a new group. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States No. 2 Receiver Battle Has A New Name To Watch
The race to become Ohio States second receiving option behind Jeremiah Smith has a new face in the mix, and Devin McCuin is making enough noise in fall camp to force his way into the conversation. The UTSA transfer has brought experience and polished route-running to a group that is still sorting itself out, and those traits have helped him stand out as the Buckeyes look for a reliable complement to their primary target.
McCuins camp momentum has given him a leg up on some of the younger receivers trying to climb the depth chart, even if nothing is settled yet. With playing time still up for grabs, his fit in the offense is worth watching because Ohio State could use a steady presence opposite Smith, especially if McCuin keeps showing the kind of consistency that has gotten him noticed so far. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States New Offense Could Make Julian Sayin Even Tougher To Stop
Ohio State is heading into the new season with a different kind of edge on offense, as Arthur Smith reportedly leans into a more controlled approach that could change the way the Buckeyes operate. The core up front remains largely intact, and with much of the offensive line and tight end depth back in place, there is a sense that the unit is being built to be steadier, cleaner and harder to disrupt from snap to snap.
Julian Sayin has already been part of the conversation around that shift, with the quarterback noting the offenses maturity as it takes shape. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. has seen the adjustments from the other side of the ball, and the early signs suggest Ohio State is trying to pair that stability with more efficiency. If the structure holds, Sayin may be asked to do less to make the offense dangerous, which is often when a quarterback becomes the toughest to stop. [Read more 🡒]