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.
While Epi Sitanilei was the last addition to Ohio State's 2025 class, it didn't take away from how important it was for the Buckeyes to get him that late in the cycle. The four-star St. John Bosco (California) defensive end became a must-get and integral part of the class following a series of events in late November 2024.
Epi Sitanilei
- Size: 6-4/225
- Position: DE
- School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California)
- 247Sports Composite: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #27 EDGE
- Overall Rank: #253
How He Became a Buckeye
Sitanilei was a target for Larry Johnson long before November. But Ohio State already had three defensive ends committed in the class: Zion Grady, Zahir Mathis and London Merritt. When Mathis and Merritt decommitted from OSU eight days apart, Sitanilei instantly became the Buckeyes' top target at the position.
Although the defensive end had been committed to UCLA since June, Johnson kept in close contact with Sitanilei, communicating that if anything changed, which ultimately happened, the Buckeyes would love for the California product to end up in Columbus.
Still without an offer, Sitanilei understood the situation and made the cross-country trek to Ohio State for an official visit for The Game against Michigan, showing how important it was to him by finding a way to arrive in Columbus before kickoff, even though Sitanilei had a game in California the night before. It was on that visit that Johnson and Co. were able to seal the deal, as Sitanilei flipped his commitment from UCLA and signed with Ohio State on Dec. 4.
High School Years
Sitanilei was a late bloomer, as the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder was only a full-time starter for one season at St. John Bosco.
The defensive end finished with 59 tackles (six tackles for loss), a sack and four pass deflections in his senior season. That said, he showed glimpses of his high potential throughout his high school career, showcasing his speed and power to get in opponents’ backfields when he was on the field. That combo, paired with his explosiveness off the line of scrimmage, meant that he had an advantage against opposing tackles even if the offensive linemen were bigger than he was.
Epi Sitanilei Usumali gets sack. pic.twitter.com/rsCfvJ1oOV
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) October 14, 2023
Sitanilei also showed off his versatility and athleticism during his time at St. John Bosco, lining up as both a linebacker and on the edge, using his speed and power as a mismatch advantage whenever he could.
He was selected to play in the 2025 Polynesian Bowl and was an MVP at the Los Angeles Under Armour Camp.
Epi Sitanilei has the athleticism to do some different things for a defense. pic.twitter.com/i3lQtV91oZ
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) May 30, 2025
Immediate Impact
Better Know A Buckeye
Since he didn’t enroll at Ohio State until the summer, Sitanilei is the least experienced player at his position among the Buckeyes' nine scholarship defensive ends going into fall camp. With that, the California native will likely redshirt his first season in Columbus, developing and perfecting his skill set in practice while adding weight and muscle to his 6-foot-4 frame.
Long-Term Impact
Five of Ohio State's nine scholarship defensive ends are upperclassmen. With that, Sitanilei will have a chance to begin climbing the depth chart in 2026.
While his limited high school experience may mean a longer process before he sees the field, his skill set and experience playing both defensive end and linebacker make him an intriguing hybrid edge rusher for the future of Ohio State’s defense. As the Buckeyes are expected to mix up their defensive fronts more often under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Sitanilei is a candidate to play the standup edge defender role that C.J. Hicks, among others, could play for the Buckeyes this year.
Player Comparison: Javontae Jean-Baptiste
After redshirting his first season as a Buckeye, a year that he significantly bulked up his 215-pound frame, Jean-Baptiste played four seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Notre Dame for his final year of eligibility. The 6-foot-5, 253-pound hybrid defensive end and linebacker combined for 53 tackles (12 tackles for loss), five sacks, one pass defended, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Like Jean-Baptiste, Sitanilei will not only have to add plenty of muscle and weight to his frame, but he will have to wait his turn behind plenty of talented defensive ends and linebackers in front of him on the current depth chart. However, Sitanilei's versatility should give him a leg up once he learns the speed of the college game and develops his raw potential, provided he stays the course with his development and rounds out his skill set to pair with his physical tools.
