A top defensive end target for Ohio State in the 2026 class is eagerly anticipating his upcoming official visit with the Buckeyes.
Four-star Pennsylvania prospect Jackson Ford told Eleven Warriors he’ll be at Ohio State on June 13-15 and he’s stoked to see what the Buckeyes have in store for him on the trip.
“I’m really excited to spend more time with coach Larry Johnson and also having the opportunity to spend time with the players and other recruits,” Ford said. “I feel like that’s a big part of the process, seeing who you’re going to be with for the next couple of years. That’s definitely the thing I’m most excited for.”
Had an amazing time at the shoe! Thank you to all the staff, coaches, and players who made us feel welcome on our visit! #gobucks @R2X_Rushmen1 @MalvernPrepFB @CoachGueriera @adamgorney @BrianDohn247@RyanSnyderOn3 @PRZPAvic @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/mxBCH47QJ6
— Jackson Samuels Ford (@Jackson_S_Ford) April 5, 2025
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Ford also has official visits planned to Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Kentucky. He made an official visit to Stanford last month. In the final stages of his recruitment, Ford said the Buckeyes are near the top of his recruitment.
“Definitely very high, top of the board, easily,” Ford said of where Ohio State sits with him in his recruitment heading into official visit season. “They’re one of the schools I’m looking forward to going to, it’s why I have them the weekend that I have them. So they’re definitely a high school for me and one I’ll give a lot of consideration towards.”
This late in the recruiting process, Ford said he and Johnson communicate almost daily and that he feels like the Buckeyes have prioritized him.
“Coach Johnson and I talk it seems like every day,” Ford said. “I was actually talking to him earlier on (Monday) because he sent me a Bible quote in the morning. I love that he’ll send me Bible quotes and we’ll catch up about the state of the program.”
Johnson visited Ford in Pennsylvania last week and offered tips on how to improve his initial reaction at the line of scrimmage.
“The one thing I really want to perfect this season is my get-off, and he was giving me some tips and tricks to increase my get-off to make sure I’m applying every ounce of my strength into my explosion,” Ford said. “He was telling me to get my butt up higher and flip my feet.”
Johnson offered Ford on Feb. 13, a few weeks after the Buckeyes won their first national title since the 2014 season.
“The offer was huge,” Ford recalled. “Getting the offer from coach Johnson himself and the fact that he took the time to call me and offer me, it was very big. I freaked out, it was insane. It was one of those offers you dream about and you’re not sure if you’ll end up getting it. Getting an Ohio State offer, especially coming off a national championship year, it was surreal.
“The easiest thing to say (about the best thing about playing for Ohio State) is the legacy the school and the coaches have. Some say coach Johnson is the best defensive line coach in history, not even just college, in history. So just to be able to learn from him and get a piece of his wisdom, it’s hard to pass that up. You’d also be surrounded by a bunch of dogs and a bunch of go-getters and competitors who want to work at it every day. It’s a really intriguing place to me.”
Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is also somewhat involved in Ford’s recruitment, as Ford said he and his family had a productive conversation with Patricia when they visited Columbus in the spring and he also spoke with him again two weeks ago and centered on how he’d fit into Ohio State’s defense.
“How they’ve explained it to me is I’d be a hybrid, I’d play the field or play the boundary,” Ford said. “Hand in the dirt and hand up in a two-point stance. Really just using all my athleticism and go get the quarterback or drop back into coverage.”
According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Ford is considered the No. 307 prospect in the country.
“I feel like one thing I really pride myself high on compared to most athletes is I feel like I’m fast and explosive, I feel like I have a high motor and I don’t really give up on plays,” Ford said of his best on-field attributes.
Ford said he envisions he’ll commit sometime in the first or second week of July once his official visits are complete.
“I think it’s definitely going to come down to fit,” Ford said. “All the schools that I have in my top list, they’re all great with academics, football and the coaching staff, so it’s really going to come down to how I feel when I’m there. Some of the places we’ve been to, some we haven’t. So, how do I feel when I’m talking to the recruits or the players. I think it’s all going to come down to fit.”
