Ohio State has added another playmaker to its 2025 class.
The Buckeyes landed a commitment from three-star Ohio linebacker Eli Lee on Wednesday, giving them four commitments total and two on the defensive side in that cycle. Lee is the second in-state prospect to join the Buckeyes, joining four-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair.
The Lee File
- Class: 2025
- Size: 6-3/215
- Pos: Linebacker
- School: Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★
- Composite Rank: NA
It didn't take long for the 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect to join the Buckeyes' 2025 class, as he was offered on Oct. 4 after impressing Jim Knowles and James Laurinaitis with his junior film so far.
Lee had grown up an Ohio State fan, so it took some restraint for him not to commit on the spot after being offered, but he eventually was in the class a few weeks later. The newest OSU commit had made countless trips to OSU over the past year, including a visit for the Penn State game on Saturday.
I have decided to commit to THE Ohio State University! #AGTG #GoBucks@OhioStateFB @markpantoni @JLaurinaitis55 @CoachJimKnowles @HobanFootball @Hoban_Strength @CoachMcGrath22 @614EditzDSGN @showcaseneohsfb pic.twitter.com/EwMCwCEXBl
— Eli Lee (@EliLee12) October 25, 2023
The Buckeyes were Lee's third Division I offer, with the other two being Iowa State and UMass. While Lee doesn't hold a 247Sports composite ranking as of yet, that will likely change in the coming months as Lee appears on more scouts' radar.
Lee plays for Ohio powerhouse Archbishop Hoban, who holds a pair of 2026 prospects the Buckeyes are very high on in offensive lineman Sam Greer and cornerback Elbert Hill.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | BLAKE WOODBY | ★★★★ | #79 NATL | #9 CB | 5-11 | 180 | St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| QB | TAVIEN ST. CLAIR | ★★★★ | #128 NATL | #8 QB | 6-4 | 210 | Bellefontaine (Bellefontaine, Ohio) |
| WR | JAYVAN BOGGS | ★★★ | #347 NATL | #48 WR | 6-0 | 188 | Cocoa (Cocoa, Florida) |
| LB | ELI LEE | ★★★ | NA | NA | 6-3 | 215 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
With Lee now committed to the Buckeyes, it's the fifth straight class Ohio State has taken an in-state linebacker commit, with Garrett Stover (2024), Arvell Reese (2023), C.J. Hicks (2022) and Reid Carrico (2021) being the others.
At the collegiate level, Lee profiles as an inside linebacker. The 2025 class could be a massive linebacker class for the Buckeyes, as OSU could take as many as four in the cycle. Other notable targets of interest include Madden Faraimo, Noah Mikhail, Tarvos Alford, Elijah Melendez, Riley Pettijohn, Elijah Barnes and Kelvion Riggins, among others.
