Lorenzo McMullen Jr.’s recruiting relationship with Ohio State changed in a big way in just one month.
After participating in the Under Armour Next camp at Pickerington North High School on May 10, McMullen described his communication with Ohio State as “minimal.” Even though McMullen is ranked as the No. 1 player in Ohio for the 2028 recruiting class, Ohio State hadn’t offered the five-star wide receiver, leaving him to question whether the Buckeyes were even interested in him.
At the time, McMullen wasn’t sure whether he’d camp at Ohio State this summer. But an offer from the Buckeyes was always the one he wanted the most.
“It would mean everything to me,” McMullen said when asked then about the possibility of receiving an Ohio State offer. “My mom is from Columbus, and her whole side of the family is still living in Columbus. I grew up in (Franklin) County too. I used to spend summers here. I’ve watched Ohio State. It would mean a lot.”
Ultimately, McMullen chose to camp at Ohio State on Thursday. An offer from the Buckeyes came in turn, and Ohio State immediately became one of his top schools as a result.
“Definitely top three. For sure top three,” said McMullen, who said Thursday that LSU and Notre Dame are his other top schools.
Even though he’s been regarded as one of the top prospects in his class since national recruiting websites began releasing their initial rankings for the 2028 class last year, Ohio State entered Thursday’s camp still wanting to see more from McMullen before making him an offer. A strong workout in front of Ohio State wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton, however, was enough to convince the Buckeyes that they should formally enter the race for the five-star wide receiver.
McMullen says his communication with Hankton had “for sure, definitely” picked up even before Thursday’s camp, and he enjoyed being coached directly by Ohio State’s first-year receivers coach on Thursday.
“It was great because knowing his history, he coached Kyren Lacy and all the guys at LSU and all that, now he's here coaching Jeremiah Smith and all of them,” McMullen said.
“Definitely top three. For sure top three.”– Lorenzo McMullen Jr. on where Ohio State stands in his recruitment after offering him
Ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver and No. 29 overall prospect in the 2028 class, McMullen joins a group of five-star wide receivers in his class whom the Buckeyes are targeting that includes Jett Harrison, the younger brother of former Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr.; Brysen Wright, the No. 1 overall prospect in the class; and fellow five-stars Jaylen Addai, Braylon Clark and Deandre Bidden. He was one of two receivers in his class to receive an offer during Ohio State’s first week of camps, along with four-star California prospect Hayden Koo.
It’s too early to say where exactly McMullen stands on Ohio State’s 2028 receiver board now that he has received his offer, but his status as the state’s top player in the composite rankings for his class, as well as being the first in-state receiver in his class to pick up an Ohio State offer, certainly makes the 6-foot-2, 180-pound wideout – who has a 75-inch wingspan and has leaped six feet, seven inches in the high jump – a prospect to watch for the Buckeyes.
McMullen is continuing to explore schools all over the country, with a trip to Florida next up on his list. That said, McMullen said in May that he had a desire to stay in the Midwest, potentially giving Ohio State a key edge over Southern schools in his recruitment. McMullen also has existing relationships with several current and soon-to-be Ohio State players with Southwest Ohio roots, including cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr., freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. and 2027 wide receiver commit Jamier Brown.
In the end, McMullen says the biggest thing he’s looking for in his recruitment is to have a good relationship with his coaches.
“Coaches’ relationship with the players, how you get along with the players, how the players act around them,” McMullen said of what he’s looking for as he visits schools this summer. “If the players gotta change, or if they’re being themselves around them.”
McMullen said he plans to return to Ohio State for multiple games this fall, giving the Buckeyes a chance to continue building their quickly blossoming relationship with the five-star wideout.
