Ryan Day’s run at Ohio State has been defined by more than just wins on Saturdays. The Buckeyes have stayed in the national title mix year after year because Day and his staff keep landing elite talent, and a few recruiting victories stand out above the rest.
The most recent class is already showing that pattern again. Ohio State has brought in multiple five-star recruits, including a pair of dominant defensive linemen, and the staff continues to pull top-end talent from all over the country. But when you look back over the decade, three commitments rise above the others for how much they changed the program’s ceiling.
No. 3 on that list is J.T. Tuimoloau.
The five-star defensive end in the 2021 class didn’t wait around long before making his decision, announcing for Ohio State on the Fourth of July. That was a major pull for Day, especially since Tuimoloau was a Pacific Northwest prospect who chose the Buckeyes over Oregon and Washington.
He didn’t just arrive with hype, either. His production kept climbing, and he became a key part of Ohio State’s national championship run in 2024.
That season, Tuimoloau posted 61 tackles and 12.5 sacks. His 2022 game against Penn State was the kind of performance people remember for years: six tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two interceptions, one of them a pick-six.
TreVeyon Henderson comes in at No. 2.
Also part of the 2021 class, Henderson was the highest-rated running back Ohio State has signed in the Ryan Day era. He was thrown into the fire as a true freshman and dealt with injuries along the way, but when the Buckeyes needed him most in the 2024 College Football Playoff, he delivered.
Henderson broke long touchdowns against Tennessee, Oregon and Texas, and his 75-yard screen pass right before halftime against the Longhorns proved to be the difference in that game. Ohio State beat out Alabama, Auburn and plenty of others to get him, and that decision paid off with a national championship.
At No. 1, there’s no debate: Jeremiah Smith. Landing him was the biggest recruiting win of Day’s career.
Smith had been committed to Ohio State for a while in 2024, but Miami made a late push. On Signing Day, Day didn’t even realize Smith’s letter had been submitted until a media member told him during a press conference.
Since arriving on campus, Smith has looked like the Buckeyes’ best player. Ohio State leaned on him heavily in the 2024 CFP, and he helped close out the national title with a huge third-down catch.
He’s now aiming to lead the Buckeyes to another championship this year.
In Other News...
Ohio State May Be Watching A Pivotal 2027 WR Battle Slip Away
Monshun Sales has become one of the more intriguing names in the 2027 wide receiver class, and his recruitment is starting to take shape in a way Ohio State fans will recognize all too well. The 5-star from Lawrence North in Indiana has drawn heavy attention, with the Hoosiers leaning on former player Omar Cooper Jr. as part of their push and Texas staying active in the chase as well.
For Ohio State, the broader concern is less about one missed target than the ripple effect that can follow when elite receivers start choosing sides this early. Texas pursuit of Sales could also matter for another top 2027 name, Easton Royal, while the Buckeyes may be forced to keep their long-range focus elsewhere as the board continues to shift around them. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Commit Jamier Brown Just Got A Recruiting Snub Fans Will Hate
Ohio States 2027 recruiting class already looks loaded, with five-star names such as Marcus Fakatou, D.J. Jacobs and Jamier Brown giving the Buckeyes plenty of early star power. Brown has been one of the headliners in that group, and even after a recent adjustment in one major services rankings, he remains viewed by the rest of the industry as one of the top prospects in the class.
The bigger picture for Ohio State is that the Buckeyes are not done stacking elite talent around him. They are still in the hunt for more five-star additions, including David Gabriel Georges and Monshun Sales, with commitments expected by December, so Browns status is only one piece of a class that could keep getting stronger in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]