Five-Star Defensive Lineman Marcus Fakatou Commits to Ohio State

Five-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou committed to the Buckeyes on Monday, picking Ohio State out of a top three that also included Georgia and Texas.

Fakatou is the No. 26 overall prospect, the No. 2 defensive lineman and the No. 3 player from the state of California in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports composite. He racked up 69 tackles with 17 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a junior for Orange Lutheran High School, though he's since transferred to national powerhouse Sierra Canyon for his senior year.

Standing 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, Fakatou could play either defensive tackle or defensive end at the next level, though three-technique DT could be the best fit for his skillset in Ohio State's base 4-2-5 defense.  It'll all be up to defensive line coach Larry Johnson and strength and conditioning coach Mick Marotti to see how they want to sculpt Fakatou's body in Columbus.

Fakatou's tape shows he usually overwhelms the offensive linemen he faces in high school with his strength and acceleration, even if there's room for improvement in his reaction time off the snap. He shows ample speed to string out outside runs and chase down quarterbacks in pass rush, with violent hands and a great nose for the football. His awesome physical gifts should only show more with a few years of development in a major college football program.

Ohio State's been a primary contender for Fakatou since the earliest parts of his recruitment, and hit a home run with him and his family during his unofficial visit to Columbus on March 10. He returned for an official visit on May 29. After making official visits to Georgia and Texas, Fakatou canceled his scheduled official visits to Notre Dame and Oregon, ultimately choosing to become a Buckeye one month after his trip to Columbus.

Fakatou joins Jacobs and four-star defensive end Wyatt Smith as Ohio State's third defensive line commitment in the 2027 class. Ohio State now hopes to round out its defensive line class by landing four-star defensive tackle Karlos May, who will announce his commitment on July 18.

It’s the first time since 2021, when the Buckeyes signed JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, and the second overall time in Johnson’s tenure as defensive line coach, that Ohio State has landed two five-star defensive linemen in the same class.

Ohio State now has 18 commits in its 2027 class. Fakatou is the Buckeyes’ ninth defensive commitment in the cycle, joining Jacobs and Smith, linebackers Quinton Cypher and Prince Goldsby, cornerbacks Deontay Malone and Jaden Carey and safeties Eli Johnson and Angelo Smith, the younger brother of star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Fakatou is the third player to commit to Ohio State in the last four days, joining four-star offensive tackle Caden Moss and three-star wide receiver Jordan Donahoo.