Larry Johnson is on the board for the 2026 recruiting class.
Go Buckeyes All Glory 2 God!! https://t.co/53oztpA9Xd
— Khary Wilder (@WilderKhary) June 11, 2025
Four-star California defensive lineman Khary Wilder committed to Ohio State on Tuesday evening, giving the Buckeyes their first defensive lineman for the 2026 cycle. He's the 15th OSU commit for the 2026 class in total and the second this week, as he joins running back Favour Akih.
The Wilder File
- Class: 2026
- Size: 6-4/260
- Pos: DL
- School: Junipero Serra (Gardena, California)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #248 (#23 EDGE)
Wilder took an official visit to OSU on May 30 and instantly connected with Johnson and the rest of the OSU staff.
He bought into the plan Johnson and the coaching staff had for him and committed to the Buckeyes less than two weeks later.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound prospect recently came on the Buckeyes' radar this spring, as both Johnson and Matt Patricia visited Wilder in late May ahead of his official visit.
While it was a fast recruitment, the Buckeyes did a terrific job of making Wilder feel like a priority in 2026.
OSU beat out Notre Dame, Alabama, UCLA and Washington for Wilder's commitment.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | CHRIS HENRY JR. | ★★★★★ | #13 NATL | #3 WR | 6-5 | 205 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| S | BLAINE BRADFORD | ★★★★★ | #23 NATL | #2 S | 6-1 | 207 | Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| S | SIMEON CALDWELL | ★★★★ | #105 NATL | #6 LB | 6-3 | 185 | The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| WR | KAYDEN DIXON-WYATT | ★★★★ | #108 NATL | #13 WR | 6-2 | 180 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| OT | SAM GREER | ★★★★ | #109 NATL | #7 OT | 6-6 | 310 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) |
| OT | MAXWELL RILEY | ★★★★ | #129 NATL | #8 OT | 6-5 | 280 | Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio) |
| RB | FAVOUR AKIH | ★★★★ | #166 NATL | #14 RB | 6-0 | 190 | Rutherford B Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) |
| CB | JAKOB WEATHERSPOON | ★★★★ | #172 NATL | #15 S | 5-10 | 172 | Avon (Avon, Ohio) |
| CB | JORDAN THOMAS | ★★★★ | #178 NATL | #16 CB | 6-1 | 185 | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) |
| DL | KHARY WILDER | ★★★★ | #242 NATL | #23 Edge | 6-4 | 260 | Junipero Serra (Gardena, California) |
| WR | JAEDEN RICKETTS | ★★★★ | #266 NATL | #44 WR | 6-0 | 187 | Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio) |
| LB | CJ SANNA | ★★★★ | #295 NATL| #19 LB | 6-3| 225 | Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio) |
| WR | BROCK BOYD | ★★★★ | #377 NATL | #57 WR | 6-2 | 183 | Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) |
| TE | CORBYN FORDHAM | ★★★ | #474 NATL | #23 TE | 6-3 | 215 | The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| OL | TUCKER SMITH | ★★★ | #643 NATL | #56 IOL | 6-5 | 280 | Sandra Day O'Connor (Phoenix, Arizona) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Wilder is considered the No. 248 prospect and the No. 23 edge player in the 2026 class. At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, Wilder could play either inside or outside at the next level, but he's more likely to start his career in Columbus at defensive end.
In his junior season, Wilder recorded 86 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 40 quarterback hurries and six pass deflections. He racked up 75 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and 29 quarterback hurries.
Wilder will be a four-year starter for his high school this fall and is a multi-sport athlete, as he's also a successful basketball player.
Ohio State also hopes to secure a commitment from Wilder's high school teammate, five-star cornerback Duvay Williams. Williams will be a priority target for Tim Walton in the 2027 recruiting class, and a priority target for quarterback commit Brady Edmunds to help peer recruit for the Buckeyes.
welcome home bro! keep the serra to columbus chain going @DuvayAllday #GoBucks https://t.co/1fpAppNopo
— Brady Edmunds 2027 (@bradyedmunds9) June 11, 2025
