The famous Glenville pipeline continues.
Less than two months after three-star 2026 defensive tackle Jamir Perez committed to Florida, Ohio State convinced the Tarblooders standout to flip his commitment to his home state team on Friday.
BREAKING: Class of 2026 DL Jamir JJ Perez has Flipped his Commitment from Florida to Ohio State, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 4, 2025
The 64 350 DL from Cleveland, OH had been Committed to the Gators since May
The best in Ohio stay in Ohiohttps://t.co/5iuVqMrYiJ pic.twitter.com/6nz1uQOmGB
The Perez File
- Class: 2026
- Size: 6-4/330
- Pos: DT
- School: Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★
- Composite Rank: #679 (#74 DL)
It was a slight shock initially when Perez committed to Florida in mid-May, considering the 6-foot-4, 330-pound prospect had the Buckeyes at the top of his list when he was offered by Larry Johnson in the spring. But Johnson and OSU never stopped pursuing the homegrown product and ultimately convinced him to become a Buckeye in the end.
Less than a month after committing to Florida, Perez returned to Ohio State twice for a camp and official visit, making it clear he was still interested in the Buckeyes. Less than a month after that, Perez officially decommitted from the Gators and became a Buckeye.
He's the 21st overall player to commit to Ohio State in the 2026 cycle and the third defensive tackle, joining Damari Simeon and Cameron Brickle, who committed last week. Ohio State now has four total defensive linemen in the 2026 class, also including Khary Wilder at defensive end.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | CHRIS HENRY JR. | ★★★★★ | #15 NATL | #3 WR | 6-5 | 205 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| S | BLAINE BRADFORD | ★★★★★ | #26 NATL | #3 S | 6-1 | 207 | Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| LB | CINCERE JOHNSON | ★★★★ | #71 NATL | #8 ED | 6-3 | 225 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| S | SIMEON CALDWELL | ★★★★ | #106 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 | ★★★★ | #127 NATL | #8 OT | 6-5 | 280 | Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio) |
| RB | FAVOUR AKIH | ★★★★ | #167 NATL | #14 RB | 6-0 | 190 | Rutherford B Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) |
| CB | JAKOB WEATHERSPOON | ★★★★ | #173 NATL | #15 S | 5-10 | 172 | Avon (Avon, Ohio) |
| CB | JORDAN THOMAS | ★★★★ | #176 NATL | #16 CB | 6-1 | 185 | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) |
| DT | DAMARI SIMEON | ★★★★ | #201 NATL | #26 DL | 6-3 | 275 | St. Augustine Prep (Richland, New Jersey) |
| DE | KHARY WILDER | ★★★★ | #241 NATL | #23 ED | 6-4 | 260 | Junipero Serra (Gardena, California) |
| WR | JAEDEN RICKETTS | ★★★★ | #269 NATL | #45 WR | 6-0 | 187 | Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio) |
| LB | CJ SANNA | ★★★★ | #296 NATL| #19 LB | 6-3| 225 | Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio) |
| QB | LUKE FAHEY | ★★★★ | #357 NATL | #24 QB | 6-1 | 185 | Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California) |
| WR | BROCK BOYD | ★★★★ | #381 NATL | #58 WR | 6-2 | 183 | Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) |
| OT | AARON THOMAS | ★★★ | #440 NATL | #36 OT | 6-7 | 300 | Mountain Pointe (Phoenix, Arizona) |
| TE | CORBYN FORDHAM | ★★★ | #482 NATL | #24 TE | 6-3 | 215 | The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| DT | CAMERON BRICKLE | ★★★ | #538 NATL | #62 DT | 6-2 | 305 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) |
| OL | TUCKER SMITH | ★★★ | #665 NATL | #57 IOL | 6-5 | 280 | Sandra Day O'Connor (Phoenix, Arizona) |
| DT | JAMIR PEREZ | ★★★ | #679 NATL | #74 DL | 6-4 | 330 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
Perez is the second Glenville player in OSU's 2026 class, joining linebacker Cincere Johnson, who committed to the Buckeyes on June 19. It's safe to say the famous Glenville-to-OSU pipeline that has bolstered the Buckeyes for decades is thriving once again, with Perez and Johnson joining Damarion Witten, Bryce West and Arvell Reese as Tarblooders who have committed to the Buckeyes within the last four recruiting cycles.
Ohio State still hopes to add a fourth defensive tackle to the 2026 class as it continues to pursue four-star Georgia defensive tackle Deuce Geralds, who would likely complete the Buckeyes’ interior defensive line class if they are able to land him. With three defensive tackles now committed, however, Johnson’s most pressing recruiting priority is landing another defensive end or two to pair with Wilder. Four-star Texas defensive end KJ Ford, who is set to pick between Florida, Texas A&M and Ohio State next Friday, is the Buckeyes’ top remaining target on the edge.
Perez gives Buckeyes a true nose tackle to develop
During his tenure as the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia built his defensive front around a massive 325-pound All-Pro nose tackle in Vince Wilfork. In Perez, Patricia and the Buckeyes get a player with similar physical attributes to potentially play a similar role in their future defense.
At 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, Perez is a true nose tackle who excels at stuffing the run up the middle. At the high school level, Perez has been a dominant force at Glenville with his ability to overpower opposing offensive linemen and blow plays up.
In order to become a star at Ohio State, Perez will need to hone his technique to consistently beat blockers rather than relying on his size and power alone. But he has good athleticism for his size, giving him high upside as a developmental prospect to man the middle of the Buckeyes’ defensive line with the versatility to play in both three- and four-man fronts.
Perez is ranked as the No. 679 overall prospect and the No. 74 defensive lineman in the 2026 class, per 247Sports’ composite rankings.
