A top offensive lineman in the 2026 class has scheduled an official visit with Ohio State.
Four-star North Carolina prospect Ekene Ogboko will take official visits to Clemson on May 30, Georgia on June 6, OSU on June 13, Notre Dame on June 20 and LSU at a date to be determined.
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Ogboko is considered the No. 65 prospect and No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 cycle. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound prospect started at left tackle last season for his high school, but also played defensive line as well.
He’s one of the Buckeyes’ top remaining targets at interior offensive line in this class, alongside Darius Gray and Drew Evers. Ogboko last visited Columbus in March for a spring practice.
Tyson Bacon decommits from Tennessee, visiting OSU Friday
An Ohio State defensive line target in the 2026 recruiting class is back on the market. Four-star Alabama prospect Tyson Bacon decommitted from Tennessee earlier this week, reopening his recruitment and opting to take more visits to let his recruiting process play out.
Bacon, ranked the No. 296 prospect and No. 34 defensive lineman in 2026, was offered by Larry Johnson on April 9.
He hasn’t wasted any time attempting to build a relationship with the Buckeyes, as Bacon visited OSU on Friday for the first time as a recruit. Other visitors on campus Friday are offensive line transfer targets Jaden Ball and Orion Irving, and defensive line transfer target Troy Pikes.
Tyson Bacon at @OhioStateFB with @ryandaytime @CoachM_Patrick @R2X_Rushmen1 @Locklyn33 pic.twitter.com/TgAX4yxZFo
— Coach L (@CoachL__) April 25, 2025
Ohio State is certainly the newcomer to this recruitment and will have to play a bit of catch-up, as Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Washington are all in hot pursuit of the 6-foot-3, 263-pound prospect. He has an official visit scheduled with each of those schools, and the Buckeyes are working to see if they can get a visit set up with him this summer.
Last season, Bacon recorded 33 tackles, six tackles for loss, a sack, 11 QB hurries and two pass deflections.
In the meantime, Ohio State has offered two new promising defensive ends in the 2027 class and we’ll delve into each below.
Anthony Sweeney
Larry Johnson has entered the recruitment of one of the top defensive linemen in the 2027 cycle. Four-star Maryland prospect Anthony Sweeney picked up an offer on Thursday, a few weeks after his visit to Ohio State for the Buckeyes’ spring game on April 12.
Blessed to have EARNED an offer from The University of Ohio State!! #GoBuckeyes #AGTG @gcfootball @R2X_Rushmen1 @RivalsFriedman @adamgorney @Rivals @On3Recruits @247recruiting @BrianDohn247 @EdOBrienCFB @MohrRecruiting @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/oOKOtFEecR
— Anthony Sweeney (@TankManBeast) April 24, 2025
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Sweeney is considered the No. 54 player and No. 9 edge prospect in 2027. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound standout has earned 23 Division I offers, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Miami, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
In his sophomore year, Sweeney recorded 49 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Krew Jones
Johnson also offered Utah defensive end Krew Jones on Friday, giving the Buckeyes another talented option on the edge.
THE OHIO ST. OFFERED @R2X_Rushmen1 @ryandaytime @N_Murph @CoachKee @parkerwereb8 @11W @alexgleitman @OhioStateFB @mickdwalker @Buckeye_Nation @TheBuckeyeNut @LanternSports @OhioStFootball @Birm @LettermenRow @TomOrr4 @TonyGerdeman @AndrewMLind @Zack_Poff_MP @TylerGrahamSI pic.twitter.com/376sNXSr1l
— KREW JONES (@KrewJones1) April 25, 2025
The 6-foot-5, 218-pound Jones is considered the No. 179 player and No. 20 edge prospect in 2027. He’s earned 24 Division I offers, including Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, BYU, Florida State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington State and Wisconsin.
As a sophomore, Jones racked up 93 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, six forced fumbles and six pass deflections. Jones also plays wide receiver and caught 12 passes for 206 yards with three touchdowns in 2024.
