Football is back.
For the majority of the country and certainly in Ohio, the prep season gets underway this evening, with various Ohio State commits set to begin their senior seasons.
Focusing on just the seven in-state commits, we outline where each Ohio prospect will open their 2025 season below.
- Glenville linebacker Cincere Johnson and defensive tackle Jamir Perez: At Massillon
- Avon Lake offensive lineman Maxwell Riley: At Strongsville
- Olentangy linebacker CJ Sanna: At Olentangy Liberty
- Delaware running back Favour Akih: Vs. Buckeye Valley
- Pataskala wide receiver Jaeden Ricketts: At Worthington Kilbourne
- Archbishop Hoban offensive tackle Sam Greer: Vs. Harvest Prep
Also of note, if you’d prefer to stay at home this evening but want to watch one of Ohio State’s commits play, quarterback Luke Fahey and Mission Viejo High School (Mission Viejo, California) face off against Santa Margarita High School in the MaxPreps game of the week. The game will be streamed live here at 10 p.m. for those interested.
Ohio State commit Luke Fahey leads a STACKED squad into the MaxPreps Game of the Week
— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) August 22, 2025
Watch Santa Margarita vs Mission Viejo LIVE and FREE tonight at 7:00pm PT
MaxPreps:https://t.co/5Wob73J6oZ
YouTube: https://t.co/vxltmb0Qeh@LukeFahey03 pic.twitter.com/hGjILq9OP7
College Sports Commission releases early NIL numbers
There’s been no shortage of intrigue and, frankly, confusion about the new College Sports Commission NIL Go Clearinghouse formed following the approval of the House Settlement in June.
On Friday, the College Sports Commission released a few updates on the progress of NIL deals since its inception to try and provide a bit more transparency. As of Friday, more than 5,100 NIL deals have been cleared for athletes, ranging in compensation from $600 to $1.5 million and 23,200 athletes have been registered with NIL Go. The CSC also said it plans to release more data from NIL Go (such as deals that have been denied and are in arbitration) each month starting in early September. It’s also considering requiring high school athletes to submit deals they received when they were juniors and seniors once they enroll in college and the deals will be evaluated by the clearinghouse then.
In short, the new college sports enforcement arm is trying to create more transparency in the new modern era, but there still seems to be a ways to go.
Isala Aisa Wily-Ava will visit OSU Aug. 30
A four-star Ohio State safety target in the 2027 class has scheduled a gameday visit with the Buckeyes. Per 247Sports, California safety Isala Aisa Wily-Ava will be at the Buckeyes’ season opener against Texas on Aug. 30. He’ll also be at the Michigan vs. Ohio State game in Ann Arbor in November.
In his sophomore season, Wily-Ava recorded 72 total tackles and seven interceptions in 12 games for California powerhouse St. John Bosco. He’s considered the No. 203 prospect and No. 19 safety in the 2027 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Darius Gray commits to South Carolina
Another Ohio State recruiting target in the 2026 class has come off the board this week and much like the previous two, the end result didn’t go in the Buckeyes’ favor. Five-star interior offensive lineman Darius Gray committed to South Carolina on Friday, giving Shane Beamer and his staff a massive recruiting win.
BREAKING: Five-Star IOL Darius Gray has Committed to South Carolina, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 22, 2025
The No. 1 IOL in the 26 Class chose the Gamecocks over LSU, Tennessee, Clemson, & Ohio State
Gamecock nation Im home. https://t.co/IzBo6ymbmE pic.twitter.com/EO7N1ZinZ4
Given that Ohio State already has four offensive linemen committed to its 2026 with two legit tackles and two likely interior prospects, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Tyler Bowen be content with taking just four this fall.
