Ohio State has put the finishing touch on its 2024 class.
After signing 20 players in the Early Signing Period on Dec. 20, Larry Johnson and Ryan Day added what will likely be the final commitment for the current cycle on Saturday with the commitment of four-star Ohio defensive end Dominic Kirks.
BREAKING: Four-Star DL Dom Kirks (2024) tells me he has Committed to Ohio State!
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 20, 2024
The 65 255 DL was previously committed to Washington
Kirks chose the Buckeyes over Alabama & USC
Buckeye Nation, we locked in 4L https://t.co/GbPa8Jf25Y pic.twitter.com/x6p7IofPp6
The Kirks File
- Class: 2024
- Size: 6-4/255
- Pos: DE
- School: Riverside (Painesville, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #251 (#33 DL)
Kirks had been committed to Washington since June but decommitted on Friday before starting his official visit to Ohio State following Kalen DeBoer's departure to Alabama. It worked out for both parties that he didn't pen his National Letter of Intent to Washington in the Early Signing Period, as he’ll now be eligible to sign with the Buckeyes on Feb. 7 and will be a summer enrollee.
While Kirks will be the final signee of the Buckeyes' 2024 class, they still theoretically could add another player from that cycle. Five-star quarterback Julian Sayin, the No. 1 ranked quarterback in the 2024 cycle, entered the transfer portal on Friday and could be headed to Columbus if OSU decides to heavily pursue the California prospect. Should Ohio State also land Sayin as a transfer, that would give the Buckeyes 22 players from the 2024 recruiting class.
The OSU official visit was crucial in the Painesville resident's recruitment, as Kirks needed to feel wanted by the Buckeyes considering the school's interest had flickered on and off over the past six months. Johnson and the rest of the OSU staff convinced the 6-foot-4, 255-pound product he was an essential part of their 2024 class and finally extended Kirks a scholarship offer over the weekend, which he accepted.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | JEREMIAH SMITH | ★★★★★ | #1 NATL | #1 WR | 6-3 | 198 | Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Opa Locka, Florida) |
| WR | MYLAN GRAHAM | ★★★★★ | #23 NATL | #7 WR | 6-1 | 170 | New Haven (New Haven, Indiana) |
| DL | EDDRICK HOUSTON | ★★★★★ | #26 NATL | #5 DL | 6-3 | 265 | Buford (Buford, Georgia) |
| CB | AARON SCOTT | ★★★★★ | #34 NATL | #2 CB | 6-0| 170 | Springfield (Springfield, Ohio) |
| QB | AIR NOLAND | ★★★★★ | #36 NATL | #4 QB | 6-3 | 195 | Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia) |
| CB | BRYCE WEST | ★★★★ | #58 NATL | #4 CB | 5-11 | 177 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| RB | JAMES PEOPLES | ★★★★ | #95 NATL | #7 RB | 5-10 | 192 | Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) |
| LB | GARRETT STOVER | ★★★★ | #105 NATL | #9 LB | 6-0 | 195 | Big Walnut (Sunbury, OH) |
| OT | IAN MOORE | ★★★★ | #137 NATL | #6 IOL | 6-5 | 295 | New Palestine (New Palestine, Indiana) |
| LB | PAYTON PIERCE | ★★★★ | #204 NATL | #16 LB | 6-1 | 225 | Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas) |
| DE | DOMINIC KIRKS | ★★★★ | #251 NATL | #33 DL | 6-4 | 255 | Riverside (Painesville, Ohio) |
| S | JAYLEN McCLAIN | ★★★★ | #269 NATL | #28 S | 6-0 | 185 | Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, New Jersey) |
| TE | MAX LEBLANC | ★★★★ | #273 NATL | #17 TE | 6-4 | 222 | Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tennessee) |
| OL | GABE VANSICKLE | ★★★★ | #369 NATL | #23 IOL | 6-5 | 283 | Coopersville (Coopersville, MI) |
| CB | MILES LOCKHART | ★★★★ | #388 NATL | #32 CB | 5-10 | 185 | Basha (Chandler, AZ) |
| OT | DEONTAE ARMSTRONG | ★★★★ | #428 NATL | #34 OT | 6-6 | 280 | St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) |
| TE | DAMARION WITTEN | ★★★★ | #456 NATL | #29 TE | 6-4 | 215 | Glenville (Cleveland, OH) |
| OL | DEVONTAE ARMSTRONG | ★★★ | #465 NATL | #30 IOL | 6-5 | 297 | St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) |
| DT | ERIC MENSAH | ★★★ | #779 NATL | #89 DL | 6-3 | 290 | Mountain View (Stafford, VA) |
| RB | SAM WILLIAMS-DIXON | ★★★ | #780 NATL | #61 ATH | 5-11 | 203 | Pickerington North (Columbus, OH) |
| S | LEROY ROKER | ★★★ | #972 NATL | #106 S | 6-1 | 170 | Bishop Verot (Fort Myers, FL) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
Kirks took one visit to Columbus earlier this season, visiting for the Buckeyes' Oct. 7 contest against Maryland.
USC was another team expressing heavy interest in Kirks over the past few weeks, but Ohio State won out for the in-state prospect in the end.
With Kirks’ commitment, Ohio State also jumps from No. 5 to No. 3 in 247Sports' national recruiting class rankings, slightly edging out Texas for the No. 3 spot. He's the third defensive lineman to join OSU's 2024 class, alongside signees Eddrick Houston and Eric Mensah, and is the 21st commit in total.
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Kirks is considered the 251st-ranked prospect and the 33rd-best defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle. He'll begin his career at Ohio State at defensive end, but has the frame to move inside if necessary.
Kirks had a magnificent senior season, racking up 86 tackles (17 for loss), 11 sacks, an interception and four pass deflections for Riverside High School.
