Scarlet Sunrise: Pair of Buckeyes OTs land in Phil Steele ranking of top NFL Draft-eligible tackles

Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise. Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Buckeyes football, recruiting, basketball and more in Scarlet Sunrise.

Pair of Buckeyes OTs land in Phil Steele ranking of top NFL Draft tackles

Ohio State didn’t have its best offensive line in program history last season. But this year, the Buckeyes return three starters on the offensive line — including both tackles.

College football preseason magazine legend Phil Steele likes what he sees from both of the Buckeyes’ returning tackles. Steele ranked his top 25 offensive tackles who are eligible for next spring’s NFL Draft in his preseason magazine, and he included both Ohio State starters. Steele has starting left tackle Josh Simmons as the No. 7 tackle for next spring’s draft, and he has starting right tackle Josh Fryar as the No. 13 draft-eligible tackle entering the season this year.

Simmons is Steele’s top-ranked Big Ten tackle. Fryar is third, behind only Simmons and Michigan’s Miles Hinton.

Five-star receiver picks Oregon over Buckeyes, others

Duncanville (Texas) Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Dakorien Moore committed to Oregon on Thursday. The one-time LSU commit and long-time Buckeyes target chose the Ducks over the Tigers, Texas and Ohio State.

Moore is the No. 3 overall prospect and top-ranked wide receiver in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 1 player in Texas.

Ohio State still has a nice offensive haul, even without Moore. Four-star Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic wide receiver Quincy Porter is committed to the Buckeyes. The No. 31 overall prospect and No. 5 wide receiver committed to Ohio State over Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers and others.

Offensively, the Buckeyes are led by a trio of in-state pledges. Four-star Bellefontaine (Ohio) quarterback Tavien St. Clair, four-star Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer offensive tackle Carter Lowe and four-star Cleveland (Ohio) Villa Angela St. Joseph running back Bo Jackson are all with the Buckeyes.

Four-star Washington (Okla) tight end Nate Roberts and four-star Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic wide receiver De’zie Jones round out the offense.

ICYMI: Ohio State is Phil Steele’s top defensive line group

Ohio State has the best defensive line in college football. At least, that’s what college football preseason magazine legend Phil Steele believes about the Buckeyes.

Yes, Steele has the Buckeyes as the top defensive line in college football because of its talent and experience.

Edge rushers J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer anchor a unit that also features defensive ends Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry, as well as Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton on the interior. Several other budding stars look to take their place in the coming seasons.

The Buckeyes topped Penn State, Utah, Michigan and Nebraska, which rounded out the top five. Texas A&M, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ole Miss finished the top 10. Iowa is at No. 13 and Oregon is at No. 23; they’re the other two Big Ten teams ranked outside the top 10.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 57 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 148 days

Are you a Lettermen Row member yet?

Are you ready to get all your latest Buckeyes news in one place? Become a member of Lettermen Row today. With your Lettermen Row/On3+ membership, you’ll not only have access to everything that’s happening with the Buckeyes, but you’ll also be able to peruse other fan sites within the network to hear just how rivals are feeling about Ohio State, as well. Make sure to follow along on X, Instagram and on Youtube for all the latest Buckeyes news you need to know.