Ohio State trending for coveted 2025 TE Nate Roberts

Ohio State closed the 2024 cycle with another top five-class in the On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings. Now, with their 20-player class all but sewn up, they can turn their attention to 2025, where they currently hold the nation’s No. 2 class after landing five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez over the weekend.

The Buckeyes have five commitments in total for 2025, including four blue-chippers ranked in the top 250 nationally. And they could be looking to add another pretty soon.

Ohio State recruiting insider Alex Gleitman logged an expert prediction for Ryan Day and Co. to land four-star tight end Nate Roberts, one of the Buckeyes’ top targets this cycle. After that pick, the Buckeyes are trending in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).

“Ohio State received a game visit from Roberts in September for their dominant win over Western Kentucky. After that visit, the Buckeyes jumped to the forefront of this recruitment and have not looked back,” Gleitman wrote in making his prediction.

… Outside of Roberts having a great relationship with [tight ends coach] Keenan Bailey and the staff, as well as Ohio State checking the box on many of the things he is looking for, Roberts also has family in the Columbus and Wheeling, West Virginia areas, making a potential move to play for the Buckeyes an easier on for the star tight end. I’m not sure about the when, but after talking to a few people in the know on this one, I feel comfortable enough putting in a Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) pick for Ohio State to land Roberts.”

Buckeyes multi-day visit made a strong impression

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Roberts was at one time committed to Notre Dame, but backed off that pledge over the summer. His home state school, Oklahoma, has also been in strong contention.

But Ohio State’s relentless efforts with him, as well as his visit this fall, helped them make a major move.

“The game day atmosphere was incredible,” Roberts told On3’s Chad Simmons in September. “I was able to do the walk with the team from the hotel to the gym where they do their skull session. During that walk, there were hundreds of people just waiting to see the football team walk. The skull session before the game is electric, nothing I’ve ever seen before. The game was amazing, packed stadium and it’s one of the loudest stadiums I’ve ever been in.”