Even though Penn State is having a disappointing season, Saturday’s game will still be a major recruiting showcase for Ohio State.
Recruiting visitors should be treated to an electric environment at Ohio Stadium as the Buckeyes look to earn their ninth straight win over the Nittany Lions and make a statement against former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. And based on the list of prospects who are expected to be in attendance, it doesn’t seem as though Penn State’s struggles – or the game’s noon kickoff time – are dissuading top recruits from wanting to be in attendance.
With just two more home games left this season against UCLA and Rutgers, this weekend will be Ohio State’s biggest remaining recruiting weekend this fall. Three flip targets in the 2026 recruiting class will be in attendance, as will the top two overall prospects in the 2027 class. At least seven five-star recruits from the 2027 and 2028 classes are expected to be in attendance, along with a bevy of highly ranked four-star prospects.
Penn State OT commit among three 2026 visitors
Arguably the most important visitor at Ohio State this weekend will be one who’s currently committed to Saturday’s opponent. The Buckeyes would love to add another premier offensive line prospect to their current haul at the position, and the No. 4 OT in the 2026 class is expected to be in Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
Kevin Brown has been committed to Penn State since July 2024, but he’s exploring his options following James Franklin’s firing earlier this month. The No. 59 overall prospect in the 2026 class, Brown also made an official visit to West Virginia this week, though his visit to Ohio State is not expected to be an OV.
Brown won’t be the only flip target on campus this weekend. Ohio State will also host one of the top 20 cornerbacks in the 2026 class, Jay Timmons. The No. 164 overall prospect in the class, Timmons has been committed to Florida State since June and is the son of former Seminole star Lawrence Timmons, but he’s expressed interest in Ohio State since the Buckeyes offered him in September.
Florida State’s four-game losing streak only helps the Buckeyes’ chances of convincing Timmons this weekend that he should take his talent to Columbus. Ohio State is looking for at least one more cornerback, if not two, to join Jordan Thomas in the 2026 class, so Timmons will be one of the Buckeyes’ top recruiting priorities this weekend.
Additionally, Ohio State will host North Carolina defensive line commit Jimmy-Phrisco Phillips (who’s also known as Jimmy Alo-Suliafu) on an official visit this weekend. The three-star defensive lineman was just offered by Ohio State earlier this month, but the quick scheduling of an official visit suggests substantial interest on both sides. He’s been committed to UNC since April, but as with Brown and Timmons, Ohio State has a chance to capitalize on another program’s struggles, as the Tar Heels have also lost four straight games.
Phillips is ranked as the No. 462 overall prospect and No. 52 defensive lineman in the 2026 class. At 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, he plays both defensive end and defensive tackle for Jordan High School (Fulshear, Texas), and could end up at either position at the next level.
Ohio State welcomes four five-stars from 2027 class
The top two prospects in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2027 recruiting class are expected to be at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. No. 1 overall prospect John Meredith III (a cornerback from Texas) and No. 2 overall prospect Mark Matthews (an offensive tackle from Florida) are both set to make their way to the Shoe for Saturday’s game.
Two other five-star prospects from the 2027 class are expected to be in attendance, too.
Five-star running back and No. 7 overall prospect Kemon Spell, who decommitted from Penn State after Franklin’s firing, will watch Ohio State play his former team in Columbus on Saturday. Notre Dame is viewed as the frontrunner in Spell’s recruitment after his visit to South Bend for the Fighting Irish’s win over USC two weeks ago, so this will be a crucial opportunity for Ohio State to try to pull the momentum of his recruitment in its direction.
Five-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman, who decommitted from Oregon in September, is also expected to be in attendance.
(Note: Five-star offensive tackle Kennedy Brown and five-star safety JayQuan Snell were included on the original visitor list, but have been removed as Lettermen Row reported Friday that they’re no longer making the trip.)
Other top prospects in the 2027 class who are expected to visit this weekend include:
- North Carolina cornerback Xavier Hasan, the No. 3 CB and No. 36 overall prospect in the class
- Pennsylvania wide receiver Khalil Taylor, the No. 62 overall prospect and another Penn State decommit
- North Carolina defensive end Rashad Streets, No. 61 overall prospect
- North Carolina tight end Jaxon Dollar, No. 3 TE and No. 64 overall prospect
- Chicago linebacker Roman Igwebuike, No. 6 LB and No. 96 overall prospect
- Four-star Tennessee running back Asa Barnes
- Four-star California wide receiver Blake Wong
- Four-star Michigan tight end Anthony Cartwright
- Four-star offensive linemen Kalel Johnson and Reed Ramsier
- Four-star Alabama defensive tackle Karlos May
- Four-star linebackers Quinton Cypher, Noah Glover and Sean Fox
- Four-star Oregon cornerback Josiah Molden
- Four-star North Carolina safety Marquis Bryant
- Three-star in-state offensive linemen Mason Wilt and Davis Seaman
Three 2028 five-stars visiting, too
Ohio State will also welcome several top prospects from the 2028 class to Ohio Stadium on Saturday as it begins to ramp up its recruiting efforts with the top high school sophomores in the country.
A’mir Sears, the No. 1 cornerback and No. 4 overall prospect in the class, announced Thursday night that he’ll be making the trip to Columbus.
Buckeye FANS! Im going to be in the shoe this weekend. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Ae5BM2XvJA
— Amir Sears (@AmirSears21) October 31, 2025
Two of the top defensive ends in the 2028 class will also be at the Shoe this weekend. Michigan prospect Jayden Bell, the No. 3 edge defender and No. 17 overall prospect in the class, announced on social media that he’ll be visiting this weekend. So too did fellow five-star Darieon Prescott, the No. 4 edge defender and 26th-ranked overall prospect in the class.
Cant wait to check out the Shoe this weekend at Thee @OhioStateFB @AllenTrieu @ChadSimmons_ @GregSmithRivals @GregBiggins @TomLoy247 @LemmingReport @adamgorney @MichFBFrenzy @MIexposure @PrepRedzoneMI @BrandonHuffman @alex_pallone @Coach_AMarshall pic.twitter.com/3OFaGjf2T3
— Jayden Jbell Bell 65 DE/TE 28 (@jaydenbell08) October 29, 2025
Ill be at ohio state this weekend ! pic.twitter.com/l1tqO0pVyx
— Darieon Prescott (@Cfkprescott) October 29, 2025
Recruiting visitor lists are always subject to change, particularly for noon games. Many of Saturday’s expected visitors will play in high school football games on Friday night and some will need to catch early-morning flights on Saturday to make it to Columbus for the game. There could also be surprise visitors whose travel plans haven’t yet been reported.
That said, there’s no question that this weekend is a massive opportunity for Ohio State to build momentum with top targets across the next three recruiting classes. Beating Penn State on the field will be the Buckeyes’ top priority on Saturday, but an impressive win would only help their chances of landing some of the prospects who will be inside the Shoe to see the game up close.
