The Hurry-Up: Ohio State Hosting Three Official Visitors This Weekend and Two Five-star Prospects from the 2027 Class

By Garrick Hodge on June 6, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Favour Akih
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Ohio State’s first official visit weekend had nearly a dozen visitors on campus.

There are far fewer recruits expected to be in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ second official visit weekend, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be an important couple of days on the recruiting trail. Ohio State is expected to host three visitors in total for the 2026 cycle this weekend, including running back Favour Akih, offensive lineman Drew Evers and defensive lineman Emanuel Ruffin.

Akih is no stranger to Columbus, as the Ohio product visited Ohio State four separate times during the spring. The Delaware standout will spend plenty of time with running backs coach Carlos Locklyn, who will present his developmental plan for Akih over the next four years. Akih is still being recruited heavily by USC and Miami, but it’s fair to call the Buckeyes the clear leader in this recruitment right now. Anything can happen over the visit, but if you were to pick a prospect who’s on the highest level of commitment watch right now, Akih would be it.

Tyler Bowen also has a crucial weekend ahead of him, as he hopes to seal the deal with Evers, a four-star interior lineman from Texas. Evers has already visited SMU and LSU this summer, and OSU will be his third official visit with trips to Penn State and Texas A&M still on the docket. There’s been some strong momentum with Ohio State and Evers over the past few months, but this recruitment is far from a done deal. Still, the Buckeyes have been recruiting the Texas prospect for a long time, as the 6-foot-4, 285-pound product earned an offer at a recruiting camp last summer. 

“It was a surreal moment,” Evers said of the experience. “I was in Coach Day's office, and then he kind of just like dropped the bomb on me. I wasn't really expecting it at all. I was expecting to just go in there and meet Coach Day for the first time, but whenever he said we think highly of you and we're gonna offer you right here, I was kind of like taken aback, because that doesn't happen every day. You don't get offered by Ohio State, and you don't get offered by Ryan Day. So it was an awesome moment for me and my family.”

Finally, Ohio State is somewhat of a late entry to Ruffin’s recruitment, but the Buckeyes still have a shot at landing the Alabama resident. Larry Johnson will focus his energy this weekend on pitching Ohio State to Ruffin and how the 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive tackle could fit into the Buckeyes’ defensive scheme. Ruffin still has official visits scheduled to Tennessee and Alabama this summer, but OSU is getting the first crack at him here.

Buckeyes also welcoming some priority 2027 visitors 

Considering the limited amount of official visitors, Ohio State felt it would be time well spent to also host a few key prospects from the 2027 class on Saturday. 

Five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales, five-star tight end Brock Williams, four-star offensive lineman Kalel Johnson and four-star safety Kaleb Elkins are all expected to be in Columbus this weekend. 

Sales will be at Ohio State for the first time since receiving his offer, while his fellow Indiana product Elkins joins him.

Johnson already camped at Ohio State on Thursday and now will get more time to develop a relationship with Bowen and the Ohio State staff. Williams is a priority target for Keenan Bailey and also a priority target for OSU quarterback commit Brady Edmunds, who said Thursday he plans to help peer recruit Williams into the Buckeyes’ 2027 cycle.

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