BOOM
Ohio State flips three-star defensive lineman Darryus McKinley from LSU.
Ohio State has made another late addition to its 2026 defensive line recruiting class via a flip.
After flipping four-star defensive tackle Emanuel Ruffin from Colorado and adding four-star Clemson decommit Dre Quinn at defensive end earlier this month, the Buckeyes added another versatile defensive lineman to their class as three-star Louisiana prospect Darryus McKinley flipped his commitment from LSU to Ohio State.
McKinley has played primarily as a defensive end at Acadiana High School, where he recorded 72 total tackles for a whopping 27 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in his senior season, but has the size at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds to potentially grow into a defensive tackle at the next level.
Ranked as the No. 600 overall prospect and No. 73 defensive lineman in the 2026 class, McKinley committed to LSU in August. The Louisiana native planned to play for the Tigers alongside his older brother Dominick, who was also recruited by Ohio State as a five-star defensive tackle in the 2024 class.
The McKinley File
- Class: 2026
- Size: 6-3/265
- Pos: DL
- School: Acadiana (Lafayette, Louisiana)
- Composite Rating: ★★★
- Composite Rank: #600 (#73 DL)
Ohio State quickly became a candidate to flip McKinley, however, when it offered him on Oct. 30, just four days after LSU fired Brian Kelly. With LSU still searching for a new head coach, McKinley now plans to sign with Ohio State during next week’s early signing period.
McKinley becomes the sixth defensive lineman in Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, joining Ruffin, Quinn, four-star defensive end Khary Wilder, four-star defensive tackle Damari Simeon and three-star defensive tackle Jamir Perez. McKinley’s commitment to the Buckeyes comes after three-star defensive tackle Cameron Brickle flipped from Ohio State to Maryland on Sunday.
McKinley becomes Ohio State’s eighth commitment of November in the 2026 class, joining seven other prospects who were also previously committed to other schools: Quinn, Ruffin, cornerback Jay Timmons (Florida State), offensive weapon Legend Bey (Tennessee), offensive lineman Mason Wilhelm (North Carolina), tight end Nick Lautar (Louisville) and linebacker Braxton Rembert (Wake Forest).
Ohio State now has 28 commitments in the 2026 class.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | CHRIS HENRY JR. | ★★★★★ | #10 NATL | #1 WR | 6-5 | 205 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| DE | KHARY WILDER | ★★★★ | #42 NATL | #2 DL | 6-4 | 260 | Junipero Serra (Gardena, California) |
| LB | CINCERE JOHNSON | ★★★★ | #50 NATL | #3 LB | 6-3 | 225 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| OT | SAM GREER | ★★★★ | #51 NATL | #6 OT | 6-6 | 310 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) |
| CB | JAY TIMMONS | ★★★★ | #64 NATL | #7 CB | 5-11 | 185 | Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pennsylvania) |
| S | BLAINE BRADFORD | ★★★★ | #71 NATL | #7 S | 6-1 | 207 | Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| CB | JORDAN THOMAS | ★★★★ | #123 NATL | #15 CB | 6-1 | 185 | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) |
| WR | KAYDEN DIXON-WYATT | ★★★★ | #135 NATL | #21 WR | 6-2 | 180 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) |
| WR | JERQUADEN GUILFORD | ★★★★ | #137 NATL | #22 WR | 6-2 | 190 | Northrop (Fort Wayne, Indiana) |
| OL | MAXWELL RILEY | ★★★★ | #171 NATL | #7 IOL | 6-5 | 280 | Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio) |
| ATH | LEGEND BEY | ★★★★ | #175 NATL | #9 ATH | 5-11 | 175 | North Forney (Forney, Texas) |
| S | SIMEON CALDWELL | ★★★★ | #186 NATL | #10 LB | 6-3 | 185 | The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| DT | DAMARI SIMEON | ★★★★ | #194 NATL | #22 DL | 6-3 | 275 | St. Augustine Prep (Richland, New Jersey) |
| RB | FAVOUR AKIH | ★★★★ | #244 NATL | #17 RB | 6-0 | 190 | Rutherford B Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) |
| DT | EMANUEL RUFFIN | ★★★★ | #247 NATL | #29 DL | 6-4 | 290 | Bessemer City (Bessemer, Alabama) |
| LB | CJ SANNA | ★★★★ | #252 NATL| #15 LB | 6-3 | 225 | Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio) |
| LB | BRAXTON REMBERT | ★★★★ | #358 NATL | #22 ED | 6-6 | 200 | Mill Creek (Hoschton, Georgia) |
| DE | DRE QUINN | ★★★★ | #365 NATL | #36 EDGE | 6-4 | 228 | Buford (Buford, Georgia) |
| S | KHMARI BING | ★★★★ | #395 NATL | #35 CB | 6-0 | 190 | St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| WR | JAEDEN RICKETTS | ★★★★ | #424 NATL | #62 WR | 6-0 | 187 | Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio) |
| TE | NICK LAUTAR | ★★★ | #542 NATL | #29 TE | 6-5 | 230 | Lebanon (Lebanon, Ohio) |
| OL | TUCKER SMITH | ★★★ | #572 NATL | #45 IOL | 6-5 | 280 | Sandra Day O'Connor (Phoenix, Arizona) |
| DL | DARRYUS MCKINLEY | ★★★ | #600 NATL | #73 DL | 6-3 | 265 | Acadiana (Lafayette, Louisiana) |
| WR | BROCK BOYD | ★★★ | #601 NATL | #84 WR | 6-2 | 183 | Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) |
| QB | LUKE FAHEY | ★★★ | #629 NATL | #39 QB | 6-1 | 185 | Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California) |
| DT | JAMIR PEREZ | ★★★ | #766 NATL | #86 DL | 6-4 | 330 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| OT | LANDRY BREDE | ★★★ | #855 NATL | #77 OT | 6-5 | 280 | Mentor (Mentor, Ohio) |
| OL | MASON WILHELM | ★★★ | #998 NATL | #80 IOL | 6-4 | 285 | St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
