4-star DL Dominic Kirks visiting Ohio State after Washington decommitment

After being committed to Washington since June, Painesville (Ohio) Riverside four-star defensive lineman Dominic Kirks backed off his pledge to the Huskies on Friday night.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder’s recruitment picked up some steam toward the end of 2024, as the likes of USC and Ohio State got involved. Kirks opted not to sign during the December signing period and is now uncommitted following the departure of Kalen DeBoer, who left Washington to become the next head coach at Alabama.

It’s the Buckeyes that are perhaps looking to pounce on one of the six top-300 unsigned prospects in the On3 Industry Ranking, as Kirks is taking an official visit to Columbus this weekend. It’s his second visit with the in-state powerhouse following a trip in October.

Kirks is the No. 227 overall prospect and No. 25 DL in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 11 player in Ohio.

He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $66K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Buckeyes looking for final piece to cap off elite 2024 class

Ohio State signed 20 prospects in December — culminating in the No. 5 class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

The addition of Kirks would be welcomed, as the Buckeyes lost Chicago St. Ignatius five-star DL Justin Scott in a flip to Miami late in the cycle. Buford (Ga.) five-star EDGE Eddrick Houston and Stafford (Va.) Mountain View three-star DL Eric Mensah are now the only defensive linemen in the OSU class.

Eight top-150 prospects highlight another outstanding haul for Ryan Day and Co., however. Headlining the class, of course, is Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 overall prospect in the country.

Elite talent is littered throughout the class. Springfield (Ohio) five-star Aaron Scott and Cleveland Glenville four-star Bryce West are the No. 3 and No. 8 cornerbacks in the cycle, respectively. Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes four-star quarterback Air Noland is the No. 5 signal-caller, while the likes of San Antonio Veterans Memorial four-star running back James Peoples, Sunbury (Ohio) Big Walnut four-star linebacker Garrett Stover and New Palestine (Ind.) four-star IOL Ian Moore are all top-10 players at their positions.