Better Know A Buckeye is our look at every member of Ohio State’s 2025 recruiting class and how they became Buckeyes as they prepare to begin their OSU careers this fall.
The top-rated offensive lineman in Maryland, Jayvon McFadden was a priority target for Ohio State once the Buckeyes locked in on him, even though he was the third (and last) offensive lineman to commit to the Buckeyes in the 2025 class. The 24th-ranked interior offensive lineman in the cycle, the Riverdale Baptist (Maryland) product had mutual interest in Ohio State but took his time going through the recruiting process before ultimately committing to the Buckeyes last August.
Jayvon McFadden
- Size: 6-4/285
- Position: OG
- School: Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Maryland)
- 247Sports Composite: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #24 IOL
- Overall Rank: #390
How He Became a Buckeye
When McFadden received an offer from OSU on Nov. 12, 2023, he already had 25 Division I offers, including from Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M, among others. While the Buckeyes joined the McFadden sweepstakes a bit later than others, they made up ground quickly.
A frequent visitor at Ohio State, McFadden took an official visit to Columbus on June 7, 2024, his only visit of the summer. From there, it seemed like OSU was in the driver's seat for the offensive lineman as momentum continued to surge for the Buckeyes and McFadden. While he held off on deciding at the time to do his due diligence, Ohio State remained the clear leader for him.
McFadden ultimately committed to the Buckeyes on Aug. 24, 2024, becoming the third offensive lineman to commit to the Buckeyes in the cycle, joining Carter Lowe and Jake Cook. He chose the Buckeyes over a final four that included Ohio State, Colorado, Maryland and South Carolina.
High School Years
McFadden played both guard positions and left tackle over the course of his time at Riverdale Baptist High School. As a senior, he helped his team to a perfect 10-0 record as a senior.
Throughout his high school career, McFadden showcased his ability to play with a violent mean streak and strong hands at the point of attack at both guard and tackle. McFadden's ability to use his length to gain leverage against opposing defensive linemen and his agility on his feet to get to the second level quickly on running plays are two attributes that enabled him to become the state of Maryland’s top offensive lineman during his high school career.
Immediate Impact
Better Know A Buckeye
Although McFadden has enough size to play tackle at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, he is starting his college career inside at Ohio State, lining up primarily at right guard during spring practices.
"The transition's been great," McFadden said during the spring. "I think playing tackle in high school helped me out a lot going into the interior because I have quicker feet than guys on the inside. So I use that to my advantage. And I use my arm length to my advantage as well, playing on the inside because the guys are kind of closer in the little box."
With that, he will be behind the likes of Tegra Tshabola, Luke Montgomery and Gabe VanSickle on the guard depth chart as a freshman, giving him time to work on his body, learn the speed of the college game in the trenches and work on his craft as a versatile offensive lineman.
"Just coming every day with the mindset that I'm here to work," he said about the way he practices. "Like I come in the building, I come in the Woody, and they know that I'm here to work. They know that I'm not here to play around."
Long-Term Impact
As he’s expected to start his career as a third-team offensive lineman this season, he’s likely multiple years away from becoming a starting guard for the Buckeyes. He understands he’ll need time to develop and earn his way up the depth chart.
"You kind of just want to learn from (the older guys) that have been here because it's kind of tough coming in and being a young guy and then going against different fronts you might have never seen before and talking to different knowledge that you might not have talked before," McFadden said. 'For me, it's been kind of a learning process, but I'm picking up on it. I get great coaching every day, and the older guys do a great job of communicating.
So it's kind of been really easy."
Although he is projected to be a guard for the Buckeyes, McFadden profiles as a swing offensive lineman capable of playing several positions along Ohio State’s offensive front if need be given his experience at tackle.
Expect him to be on the three-deep as a freshman and move up to the two-deep in his second year in Columbus before pushing for a starting spot in his third season as a Buckeye.
Player Comparison: Austin Siereveld
A four-star recruit in the 2023 class, Siereveld saw significant playing time at guard in his second season at OSU in 2024 due to several injuries. This spring, he showcased his ability to be a swing offensive lineman, performing well at both guard and tackle, so much so that Ryan Day said in late April that Siereveld “is going to be a starter” for Ohio State this fall at either guard or tackle, with right tackle looking like the most likely spot for him in the lineup.
Like Siereveld, McFadden was recruited to Ohio State primarily to play guard but with the thinking he could also potentially play tackle depending on how he develops. He’ll look to earn his way up the depth chart quickly and push for a starting job by his third year just as Siereveld has.
