2026 National Signing Day Central: Ohio State Signs 27 Prospects in 2026 Recruiting Class

By Dan Hope, Andy Anders and Chase Brown on December 3, 2025 at 7:00 am
Simeon Caldwell, Cincere Johnson, Jamir Perez and Jordan Thomas
Simeon Caldwell, Cincere Johnson, Jamir Perez and Jordan Thomas
313 Comments

Ohio State signed 27 players in the 2026 recruiting class.

Ohio State entered National Signing Day with 28 commits in the 2026 recruiting class. It lost two of them, as wide receiver commit Kayden Dixon-Wyatt flipped to USC and running back/wide receiver Legend Bey flipped to Tennessee (despite reportedly wanting to sign with Ohio State) but added one as Clemson safety commit Kaden Gebhardt flipped to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State had to wait two days for a final decision from wide receiver commit Chris Henry Jr. – the lone composite five-star prospect in Ohio State’s 2026 class – but he officially signed with the Buckeyes on Friday.

Four-star wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford, who also delayed his signing following Hartline’s departure, officially signed with Ohio State on Thursday.

Below, you can read more about all 27 members of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class.

Class of 2026 Commits
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 | 222 Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
OT SAM GREER ★★★★ #51 NATL | #6 OT 6-8 | 315 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 JERQUADEN GUILFORD ★★★★ #137 NATL | #22 WR 6-3 | 190 Northrop (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
OL MAXWELL RILEY ★★★★ #171 NATL | #7 IOL 6-5 | 280 Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio)
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 | 295 Bessemer City (Bessemer, Alabama)
LB CJ SANNA ★★★★ #252 NATL| #15 LB 6-3 | 225 Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio)
LB BRAXTON REMBERT ★★★★ #358 NATL | #22 LB 6-5 | 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)
S KADEN GEBHARDT ★★★ #546 NATL | #44 S 6-2 | 200 Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio)
OL TUCKER SMITH ★★★ #572 NATL | #45 IOL 6-5 | 280 Sandra Day O'Connor (Phoenix, Arizona)
DL DARRYUS MCKINLEY ★★★ #601 NATL | #72 DL 6-3 | 270 Acadiana (Lafayette, Louisiana)
WR BROCK BOYD ★★★ #601 NATL | #84 WR 6-1 | 180 Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)
QB LUKE FAHEY ★★★ #629 NATL | #37 QB 6-0 | 185 Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California)
DT JAMIR PEREZ ★★★ #768 NATL | #86 DL 6-4 | 360 Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
OT LANDRY BREDE ★★★ #858 NATL | #77 OT 6-5 | 280 Mentor (Mentor, Ohio)
OL MASON WILHELM ★★★ #1002 NATL | #81 IOL 6-4 | 285 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)
Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite

QB Luke Fahey

One of the most accurate passers in the 2026 class, Fahey completed 68.9% of his passing attempts for 7,021 yards and 68 touchdowns with just nine interceptions in his career at Mission Viejo High School. A three-sport athlete who’s also played basketball and lacrosse, Fahey’s demonstrated the ability to throw the ball downfield with excellent precision and zip along with the athleticism to make plays with his feet when needed.

He’s on the small side for a Big Ten quarterback at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds and is rated as only a three-star prospect, but Ohio State has had good luck with pocket passers from Southern California (C.J. Stroud and Julian Sayin) in recent years. A lifelong Buckeye fan, Fahey will give Ohio State quality depth behind Sayin and Tavien St. Clair to start his Ohio State career before challenging St. Clair to be Ohio State’s next starter after Sayin.

RB Favour Akih

Adding some Ohio flavor to Ohio State’s future backfield, Akih has been clocked with a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and rushed for more than 1,600 yards as a junior in 2024. With a 6-foot, 190-pound frame, his tape shows a back that’s exceptionally tough to bring down running between the tackles, which could double with his speed to make him a dynamic runner to all gaps along the line of scrimmage.

Akih is the No. 244 overall prospect and No. 17 running back in the 2026 class, and Ohio State beat out Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Miami, Missouri, NC State, Penn State and USC, among others, for his services. He’s the lone true running back to sign with the Buckeyes this cycle, with four-star Legend Bey expected to be used both out of the slot and in the backfield to start his career.

WR Chris Henry Jr.

The No. 1 wide receiver and No. 10 overall prospect in the 2026 class, Henry is the fourth No. 1-ranked receiver to sign with the Buckeyes since 2020 (Julian Fleming, Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith). Identified by Ohio State as one of the elite prospects in his class before he even started high school, Henry became the first commit in Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class all the way back in July 2023.

The son of late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry, Henry Jr. has all the tools to be the next superstar receiver at Ohio State. Possessing elite athleticism and ball skills at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Henry is a contender to play a major role in Ohio State’s offense right away and projects as a strong candidate to continue the Buckeyes’ run of first-round NFL draft picks at his position.

WR Jerquaden Guilford

Guilford’s shot up the recruiting rankings since he committed to Ohio State in July, and with good reason. Going from the No. 507 prospect in May to now being the No. 137 player and No. 22 wide receiver in the 2026 class, he posted a massive senior season for Northrop High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He hauled in 54 receptions for 1,073 yards and 11 touchdowns. It was a big jump in production from his junior year, which featured 35 receptions for 556 yards and three touchdowns.

Northrop turned its program around in large part thanks to Guilford’s efforts, going from 1-9 in 2024 to 8-3 with a playoff appearance in 2025. He brings plus length to the receiver position, standing 6-foot-3, and was clocked at 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash at an Under Armor camp this summer. A former Penn State commit, he took official visits to Indiana, Purdue, Michigan and Ole Miss before visiting and pledging to the Buckeyes.

WR Jaeden Ricketts

Ohio State has put a continued focus on recruiting developmental players from Ohio who may not be the highest-rated at their positions, but bring a built-in love for the Buckeyes and physical attributes worth molding. Ricketts fits that mold.

Just barely making the cut to be a four-star prospect, Ricketts is the No. 424 overall recruit and No. 62 receiver in the 2026 recruiting class. West Virginia has made a late push to flip Ricketts after he visited Morgantown last weekend, but the expectation remains that Ricketts will be a Buckeye. The product of Pataskala, a Columbus suburb, brings 4.4-second 40-yard dash speed to the wide receiver position and great ball skills.

WR Brock Boyd

The three-star Boyd out of Southlake Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas, rounds out Brian Hartline’s receiver haul for the class of 2026. He’s the No. 599 overall prospect and No. 84 wide receiver in the class, but his production at a high classification of Texas high school football in undeniable.

Boyd hauled in 111 receptions for 1,875 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior in 2024. He pulled the Dragons to the Texas 6A D-II state championship game. Southlake Carroll stands at 13-0, three wins away from a state championship, thanks in part to Boyd’s efforts this season, which have included 1,145 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

TE Nick Lautar

Three-star Corbyn Fordham was the original pledge of Keenan Bailey’s one-man tight end haul in 2026, but he flipped to Florida State in early October. Ohio State landed a slightly higher-rated prospect in Lautar, the No. 541 prospect and No. 29 tight end in 2026, with less than a month to go until signing day.

Lautar is an Ohio product out of Lebanon, standing 6-foot-5 with fluid athleticism at that size. His tape shows a willing blocker who drives his feet through contact. There’s lots of room to pack on size to his 230-pound frame, and he’ll have time to develop at Ohio State with Max Klare, Bennett Christian, Jelani Thurman, Max LeBlanc, Nate Roberts and Brody Lennon all able to return for Ohio State in 2026. The latter three will be fellow underclassmen.

OT Sam Greer

An Ohio-bred blue-chip offensive tackle talent is the anchor of offensive line coach Tyler Bowen’s first recruiting class at Ohio State. A four-star, Greer is the No. 51 overall prospect and No. 6 offensive tackle in the 247Sports composite. A pile of schools extended him an offer, including Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee, among many others.

A towering figure at 6-foot-8 and 315 pounds, Greer has the talent to play a major role in Ohio State’s offensive line by his second season. With a basketball background, he has excellent feet in pass protection to go alongside a mauling physicality in the run game.

OL Maxwell Riley

Another highly-touted in-state offensive lineman, Riley committed to Ohio State in March but held an affinity for the school and a relationship with its coaches long before Bowen’s arrival. Riley is ranked as the No. 171 overall prospect and No. 7 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class, though he could play anywhere along the line for the Buckeyes.

Riley showed much of his enticing athleticism as a thrower in track and field. He finished fifth place in the OHSAA D-I state championships for shot put with a throw of 56 feet, 7.25 inches. He moves fantastically at the position and finishes blocks with authority, and is primed to be a future contributor in Columbus.

OL Landry Brede

Brede might be a three-star ranked as the No. 858 prospect and No. 77 offensive tackle in the country, but his offer sheet and tape far outclass those projections. He flipped from N.C. State to Ohio State in October, but also held scholarship opportunities from Arkansas, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Missouri, Michigan State, North Carolina, Pitt, Vanderbilt and Virginia, among many others.

On film, the 6-foot-5 offensive tackle shows excellent feet and a relentless motor to finish plays. He executes reach blocks in space, leads the way on screens and climbs to the second level. There will be some development to do, and his pad level could use some improvement, but Ohio State truly might have gotten a steal with Brede late in the cycle. Plus, he’s another Ohio product out of Mentor.

OL Tucker Smith

The three-star Smith is the lone offensive line commit in the Buckeyes’ recruiting class who doesn’t hail from the Buckeye State, a developmental pull from Bowen out of Glendale, Arizona. Then again, Ohio State does have a strong historical connection to that city thanks to the Fiesta Bowl, which is played there.

Smith is ranked as the No. 572 overall prospect and No. 45 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class. He played center, guard and tackle for his high school, Sandra Day O’Connor, but projects as an interior lineman at Ohio State.

OL Mason Wilhelm

The son of former Ohio State linebacker Matt Wilhelm, Mason Wilhelm flipped his commitment from North Carolina to Ohio State within hours of receiving an offer from the Buckeyes in November.

A two-way standout on the interior lines at St. Edward High School, Wilhelm projects to play guard and/or center for the Buckeyes. A three-star recruit, Wilhelm will be a developmental prospect for Ohio State but will continue his family’s legacy for the Buckeyes after his father earned All-American honors and helped lead Ohio State to a national championship in 2002.

DE Khary Wilder

One of the biggest senior-season risers in this year’s cycle, Wilder is the second-highest-rated member of Ohio State’s 2026 class, finishing just below five-star status as the No. 42 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite.

Already 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, Wilder has the frame to play anywhere on Ohio State’s defensive line but is expected to play on the edge for the Buckeyes. He isn’t a pure speed rusher, but does a great job of using his power and hands to beat blocks and disrupt plays in the backfield, giving him the potential to be a Kenyatta Jackson-esque player on Ohio State’s defensive line who’s impactful as both a pass-rusher and run stopper.

DE Dre Quinn

For the second time in three years, Ohio State signs a talented defensive lineman from the Georgia powerhouse Buford High School (Eddrick Houston). The Buckeyes plucked the four-star Quinn from Clemson’s clutches and, with it, added a super-athletic edge rusher to pair with Wilder and the rest of the defensive linemen in their class.

Quinn is the No. 365 overall prospect and No. 36 EDGE in the 2026 class. He committed to Clemson in June, but after breaking head coach Dabo Swinney’s famous no-visit rule for his commits by taking a trip to Tennessee on Sept. 13, he decommitted from the Tigers on Sept. 25. All to Ohio State’s gain. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson got to work, bringing him to campus for an official visit on Nov. 14 and landing his pledge on Nov. 16.

DT Damari Simeon

The No. 194 overall prospect in the 2026 class, Simeon played all over the defensive line at New Jersey’s St. Augustine Prep but projects to play 3-technique on Ohio State’s interior defensive line, where he brings the burst and quick hands to be a future difference-maker in the Buckeyes’ trenches.

At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, Simeon already has the physical makeup to push for early snaps but will likely need some time to develop his technical skill before he’s ready to play a major role. His long-term upside, though, is why Larry Johnson made him a top priority in the 2026 class and why a multitude of power programs – including Michigan, Penn State and Texas, among others – also made big pushes for Simeon before he chose the Buckeyes.

DT Emanuel Ruffin

Ruffin, a four-star defensive tackle and former Colorado commit, committed to the Buckeyes on Nov. 9, just five days after decommitting from the Buffaloes. Sometimes it pays to be among the runners-up for a prospect in the first round of recruiting.

The No. 247 overall prospect and No. 29 defensive lineman in the 2026 class, Ruffin possesses a 6-foot-4, 295-pound frame that will only get more refined in Mickey Marotti’s strength and conditioning program. He’s nimble, explosive and extremely athletic for his size. He's excellent at stacking and shedding blocks in the run game. With a year or two of development, he’ll be ready to contribute on the defensive interior for Ohio State.

DT Jamir Perez

Ohio State is signing Perez out of Glenville with hopes that he becomes a future Vince Wilfork in the middle of Matt Patricia’s defense.

Originally committed to Florida before he flipped to Ohio State in July, Perez is ranked as only the No. 767 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite but has potential that far outweighs his ranking – literally and figuratively – at 6-foot-4 and 360 pounds with impressive athleticism for his size. Ohio State will likely want him to play a little lighter than that to improve his conditioning, and he’ll need to hone his technique as he’s been able to win many of his matchups on size and power alone in high school, but he’ll be a developmental prospect to watch on Ohio State’s interior defensive line over the next few years.

DL Darryus McKinley

Previously committed to LSU, McKinley flipped to Ohio State just one week before signing day. The Louisiana native – whose brother, Dominick, was also recruited by Ohio State as a five-star defensive tackle in the 2024 class before signing with LSU – chose to become a Buckeye rather than wait for LSU to complete its coaching search, which ultimately ended with the hiring of Kiffin.

McKinley 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. His versatility made him a strong addition to round out Ohio State’s defensive line class and will increase his chances of working his way into the rotation in his second or third year in Columbus.

LB Cincere Johnson

A product of the famed Ohio State pipeline at Glenville High School, Johnson brings a similar skill set to the Buckeyes as fellow Tarblooder alumnus Arvell Reese.

Ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Ohio, No. 3 linebacker and No. 50 overall prospect in the 2026 class, Johnson has been a tackling machine at Glenville, recording 161 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks this season. Currently 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Johnson projects as a future starting middle linebacker for the Buckeyes, with the ability to also rush from the edge situationally and make plays all over the field as Reese does. 

LB CJ Sanna

When Sanna committed to the Buckeyes in April, he was a three-star recruit ranked as the No. 35 linebacker and No. 449 overall prospect in the 2026 class. He had just come off a season at Olentangy High School (Lewis Center, Ohio) with 97 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Following another dominant year for the Braves in 2025, Sanna flew up the rankings, earning a fourth star and improving to the No. 15 linebacker and No. 252 prospect in his class.

With Ohio State’s base defense featuring two linebackers, Sanna will have time to develop early in his college career. Still, current freshmen Riley Pettijohn and Tarvos Alford have proven that rookies can earn playing time if they prove themselves in practice and on special teams.

LB Braxton Rembert

Rembert committed to Wake Forest on June 20, but after receiving a scholarship offer from James Laurinaitis on Oct. 26, it was only a matter of time before the 6-foot-5, 200-pound linebacker pledged to Ohio State. He flipped from the Demon Deacons to the Buckeyes 24 days later, on Nov. 18.

Like Sanna, Rembert rose sharply in the recruiting rankings this fall, earning a fourth star and jumping from well outside the top 1,000 to No. 358 overall in the 2026 class. As a senior in 2025, he recorded 56 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, nine sacks, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one interception.

CB Jay Timmons

Even though his father Lawrence is a former Florida State star, Timmons decommitted from the Seminoles to sign with the Buckeyes.

Timmons, who initially committed to Indiana in April, was a big-time riser in the recruiting rankings during his senior year, finishing as the No. 7 cornerback and No. 64 overall prospect in the 2026 class. A gifted athlete with a nose for the ball in coverage who shows no fear coming downhill and hitting despite being just 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Timmons could play either cornerback or nickelback at Ohio State and should contend for playing time by year two.

CB Jordan Thomas

A top-of-the-board target for Tim Walton from the time he received his Ohio State offer in April 2024, Thomas committed to Ohio State 13 months later and never looked back.

A 6-foot-1, 185-pound cornerback who’s strong in both coverage and run defense, Thomas projects as a future starting cornerback and potential leader for Ohio State’s secondary. The No. 2 prospect from New Jersey and No. 123 overall prospect in the 2026 class, Thomas will look to continue the recent trend of Garden State products (Jaylen McClain, Davison Igbinosun, Cody Simon, Ronnie Hickman) becoming standouts on the Buckeye defense.

S Blaine Bradford

Ohio State earned one of its splashiest wins in the 2026 recruiting class when it earned Bradford’s commitment in March. Even though Bradford lives in Baton Rouge and his brother Jacob plays for LSU, the Buckeyes beat out his home-state Tigers to land one of the top safeties in the class.

Rated as a five-star prospect at the time of his commitment, Bradford finished the cycle as the No. 7 safety and No. 71 overall prospect in the class, but that doesn’t change his potential to compete for early playing time in a secondary that will be replacing Caleb Downs (likely) and Lorenzo Styles Jr. next year. A 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety who flies to the ball as a run defender, Bradford projects best to play strong safety but has the athleticism and coverage skill to potentially play any of the three safety spots in Ohio State’s defense.

S Khmari Bing

Ohio State beat out Alabama to flip Bing away from Maryland, where he had been committed since the summer of 2024, as he captured the attention of some of the nation’s top programs in his senior season.

Bing, who was a three-star prospect at the time of his commitment but is now a four-star prospect ranked 395th in the 247Sports composite, played both cornerback and safety at St. Frances Academy but is expected to play free safety at Ohio State. While he likely won’t be an immediate successor to Caleb Downs in the Buckeyes’ starting lineup, his ballhawking ability and playmaking range give him the upside to be a future difference-maker in Columbus.

S/LB Simeon Caldwell

The son of former NFL linebacker Mike Caldwell, Simeon Caldwell was recruited to Ohio State as a safety but could potentially have a similar career arc to Sonny Styles, who started his Buckeye career as a safety before moving to linebacker as a junior.

While Caldwell has the speed and coverage ability to play strong or nickel safety like Styles did in his first two years at Ohio State, he’s spent plenty of time playing in the box in high school and has the frame at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds to grow into a linebacker body over time. Either way, the 186th-ranked overall prospect will be a strong candidate to compete for immediate playing time on special teams while growing into a defensive role in his second or third year.

S Kaden Gebhardt

Gebhardt flipped his commitment from Clemson to Ohio State during the Early Signing Period. A 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety from Olentangy High School, Gebhardt recorded 418 tackles, 11 interceptions, 17 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across four varsity seasons, earning All-OCC honors each year and Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior. Like Caldwell, Gebhardt has the size to possibly transition to linebacker in college, following a path similar to current redshirt freshman Garrett Stover.

313 Comments

Ohio State Transfer Portal Tracker: Buckeyes Add 16 Transfers, Lose 31 Players to Transfer Portal

James Smith

John Mobley Jr. Drives Ohio State to Emphatic Win Over UCLA, 86-74

John Mobley Jr.
View 313 Comments