Better Know A Buckeye is our look at every member of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class and how they became Buckeyes as they prepare to begin their OSU careers this fall.
Legend Bey was the final addition to Ohio State's 2026 recruiting class, but that hasn't stopped him from getting off to a fast start in Columbus.
The do-it-all high school quarterback was already expected to be a dynamic running back and/or wide receiver for Ohio State's offense at some point in his Buckeye career. But when Ryan Day compared him to the likes of Tyreek Hill and Curtis Samuel in Bey's first spring at OSU, the hype train started to roll, and it really hasn't stopped since, even as he’s battled a hamstring injury.
Legend Bey
- Size: 5-10/177
- Position: RB
- School: North Forney (Forney, Texas)
- 247 Sports Composite: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #126 (#5 ATH)
Background
Bey's recruitment was interesting, to say the least. He clearly wanted to be a Buckeye, but some of his family had other ideas.
After committing to Tennessee in June, he flipped his commitment to Ohio State on Nov. 10, 2025. Then, on Signing Day, Bey flipped back to the Volunteers on Dec. 3. But it wasn't his decision to do so, as he felt immense pressure from his family to sign with Tennessee, which he did even though he indicated earlier that day that he planned to sign with OSU while wearing scarlet and gray at his signing ceremony.
Once he turned 18 in December, Bey secured a release from his scholarship agreement with Tennessee and signed with Ohio State, the school he wanted to sign with all along.
Bey took the high school ranks by storm beginning with his sophomore season. He threw for 731 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions while also adding 673 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground in 2023.
As a junior, he threw for 1,400 passing yards and ran for over 1,900 rushing yards as he totaled 41 touchdowns on the season.
In his senior season, Bey passed for 1,341 yards through the air while throwing 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also added 1,626 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground.
Legend Bey is already getting Curtis Samuel comps
— Ohio Divided (@BuckeyeNatty) March 11, 2026
Samuel had 724 all-purpose yards as a freshman
95 receiving
383 rushing
246 KR
Legends walking into a loaded offense with JJ, Bo, West, so Ill lower the line
O/U: 699.5 all-purpose yards? pic.twitter.com/mmSX6Y2rxb
While Bey was technically North Forney's quarterback, Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn described him as a running back disguised as a quarterback in high school.
“He was pretty much playing running back then, because I told Legend, ‘You were a fake quarterback,’” Locklyn said. “‘You were just dropping back running the ball.’ So he's been playing running back his whole life. And his ability to make people miss, the short area burst, it looks like art when he's out there running.”
Scouting Report
Bey has the shiftiness to make defenders miss and the top-end acceleration and speed to burst away from them in the open field once he's by them.
His playmaking ability at quarterback during his four-year high school career speaks for itself, but since arriving in Columbus, Bey has already made quite a name for himself early on as a running back. Ryan Day went out of his way to praise Bey and his skill set before the Buckeyes even started spring practices.
“Legend Bey is a guy who is dynamite,” Day said in late January. “I kinda call him maybe the poor man's Tyreek Hill. I mean, he can go. And when you watch him last year play quarterback in Texas – five-touchdown games, six-touchdown games, just running around, making guys miss – he's lightning in a bottle. So he can do a bunch of different things for us.”
For those not familiar, Hill has been one of the NFL’s most dynamic playmakers for the past decade, making eight Pro Bowls, gaining 13,681 all-purpose yards and scoring 96 touchdowns as a receiver, runner, kickoff returner and punt returner.
While Hill has primarily been a wide receiver in the NFL, Bey is expected to primarily be a running back at Ohio State. That said, the playmaking ability seems to be the main comparison for Day. Unfortunately, Bey has missed much of spring ball due to a hamstring injury, but the hype hasn't necessarily slowed down much.
“Legend is Legend," Locklyn said last week. "That means that this kid’s got a chance to be really good. But I said the same thing last year about two other kids. That was Bo Jackson and Isaiah West. This kid’s got a chance to be really good.”
Add in that he was given the No. 2 – a number worn by many Ohio State legends – as a freshman and, well, the hype continues to mount.
Depth Chart Outlook
With Bo Jackson and Isaiah West back in the fold and the addition of Florida transfer Ja'Kobi Jackson, a spot on Ohio State’s running back three-deep might be hard to come by for Bey this season.
That said, Bey's versatility and big-play ability could give the Buckeyes reason to carve out a role for him as a freshman, particularly as they look for more explosiveness in their running game than they had last season.
"Extremely talented. I’m excited to see what he does this year," West said this spring. "Make no mistake, he’s gonna be great. Boy is fast. Boy can run.”
Bey could also be used as a kick and punt returner in 2026 as Ohio State looks for more explosiveness on special teams.
One way or another, it’s hard to imagine Bey not having some role for the Buckeyes this season with how his coaches and teammates have talked about him. Given his current trajectory, it would be a surprise if he isn’t playing a major role for Ohio State by 2027.
Player Comparison: Curtis Samuel
Better Know A Buckeye
While Day compared Bey to Hill, the easiest comparison to make, especially as a Buckeye, is Samuel, the former Ohio State do-it-all playmaker.
During his three years in Columbus, the 5-11, 196-pound hybrid running back/wide receiver totaled 1,286 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 1,249 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through the air. In his final season at Ohio State, Samuel notched 771 rushing yards and eight touchdowns to go along with 865 receiving yards and seven touchdowns (1,636 total yards and 15 touchdowns).
The dynamic playmaker was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft and is entering his 10th NFL season as a wide receiver.
Bey might play more running back than Samuel, but the two have similar skill sets and the ability to make plays from multiple spots on the offense.
Most of the players billed as the “next Curtis Samuel” for the past nine years at Ohio State have failed to make a significant impact, but Bey looks like the best candidate the Buckeyes have had since Samuel himself to replicate the impact Samuel made from the H-back position.
