Ohio State’s biggest task this weekend won’t be limited to what happens against Oregon on Saturday. The Buckeyes are also set for a major recruiting stretch, with more than 40 prospects expected on campus and several of the program’s top 2028 targets headlining the visitor list.
That gives the staff a real chance to make an impression on some of the country’s best young talent. A win would help on the field, but Ohio State will also be trying to make sure those priority recruits leave Columbus with a strong feel for where things stand with the Buckeyes.
One of the biggest names coming in is 2028 five-star safety Casey Barner. The Georgia native is listed at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds and ranks as the No. 2 player nationally and the top safety in the class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Barner already has more than 50 offers, and while Georgia, Miami, and Texas A&M remain heavily involved, Ohio State has stayed firmly in the mix. His return for the Oregon game is another strong sign for the Buckeyes, who have made him one of their top priorities in the class.
The pitch in Columbus is an easy one to understand. Ohio State’s recent track record developing safeties gives the staff a real selling point, and comparisons to former Buckeye standout Caleb Downs only sharpen that message. For a prospect like Barner, that kind of example carries weight, and it’s something the Buckeyes will lean on throughout the weekend.
There’s still a long road ahead in his recruitment, and plenty of competition remains. But getting Barner back on campus for another big game is exactly the sort of move Ohio State wants to keep making.
Another defensive back worth watching is 2028 four-star athlete Brandon Murphy, who is planning two trips to Columbus in November. That kind of repeated attention matters in recruiting, and the Buckeyes are clearly in a good spot here.
Murphy, a Pennsylvania native, is listed at 6 feet, 195 pounds and ranks as the No. 150 player nationally and ninth-ranked athlete in the 2028 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He is projected as a safety at the next level and already holds more than 20 offers, with Auburn, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, Penn State, and others involved.
This weekend’s visit matters, but the bigger note for Ohio State is that Murphy already intends to come back later this month. One visit can be encouraging. Two in a short span says a lot more about how the Buckeyes are landing with him.
Ohio State is trying to build another strong 2028 class, and Murphy is one of the defensive backs the staff has targeted. His decision is still far off, but the Buckeyes have reason to feel good about where things stand right now.
The weekend also brings in a notable receiver target in 2028 wideout Malachi Lee of Leesburg, Virginia, and Loudoun Sports Academy. Lee is ranked No. 88 nationally and as the 10th-ranked receiver in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He has already picked up more than 30 offers, making him another high-level prospect Ohio State wants to keep in the fold.
On the defensive side, 2028 cornerback Domonic Williams Jr. of Jacksonville, North Carolina, and Jacksonville is also expected in Columbus for the Oregon game. At 6 feet and 185 pounds, Williams is ranked No. 125 nationally and as the 10th-ranked cornerback in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
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Ohio State Faces One Oregon Threat Fans Can't Ignore
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Jeremiah Smith Enters A Weekend That Could Change Everything For Ohio State
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For Ohio State, Smith sits in the middle of that buzz, with every big performance carrying extra weight for both his trophy case and the sports card market that tracks these breakout moments so closely. The stakes are bigger than one Saturday, too, because wins and losses in these spotlight games can alter playoff paths and change how quickly a candidates profile rises, leaving this weekend with the potential to redraw the Heisman picture in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]