Ohio State opens April with top-ranked 2025 recruiting class

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has won national and Big Ten championships plenty of times in the program’s long and impressive history.

But the Buckeyes have never won a recruiting crown in the modern era. Well, if today was the end of the 2025 cycle, Ohio State would be the recruiting champion. As of now, the Buckeyes hold the No. 1 2025 recruiting class in the On3 Team Industry Rankings. They have a score of 96.358 and an average player rating of 93.28 LSU, which has the second-place class, has a score of 96.271, but an average player score of 92.93.

Ohio State is well ahead of its Big Ten competitors as well. Only USC (No. 3) is inside the top 10 as of now. You have to go to No. 11 before you find the next Big Ten team and that’s Oregon. Michigan is at No. 19.

How did the Buckeyes get there? Let’s meet the class.

CB Na’eem Offord

Five-star Plus+ Birmingham (Ala) Parker cornerback Na’eem Offord is the most recent committed prospect for the Buckeyes.

The No. 5 overall prospect and No. 2 cornerback per On3 picked Ohio State because of his relationship with secondary coach Tim Walton. Offord visited Ohio State during the final weekend of the contact period and committed in head coach Ryan Day’s office.

He is expected to visit when he can during the spring quiet period.

CB Devin Sanchez

Five-star Houston (Texas) North Shore cornerback Devin Sanchez was the prospect who started off the wave of commitments for the Buckeyes this winter.

Sanchez, the No. 6 overall prospect and No. 2 cornerback per the On3 Industry Rankings, announced his commitment to Ohio State live at the All-American Bowl on Jan 6.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound cornerback has already been an instrumental peer recruiter.

QB Tavien St. Clair

Five-star Bellefontaine (Ohio) quarterback Tavien St. Clair is the leader of this Ohio State class. He was the first pledge for head coach Ryan Day and committed back in June 2023.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback is the No. 27 overall prospect and the No. 5 quarterback per On3. Those numbers adjust to No. 15 and No. 4 in the On3 Industry Rankings. Both metrics have St. Clair as the top-rated Ohio prospect.

The junior quarterback finished the season with 3,083 yards, 34 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 70 percent completion rate. St. Clair also had 352 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

OT Carter Lowe

Four-star Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer offensive tackle Carter Lowe was a major winter addition to the Buckeyes’ 2025 class.

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound pledge from Northwest Ohio committed to Ohio State on Jan. 23 over Michigan, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. He is the first offensive lineman in the class and a big win both nationally and in-state.

Lowe is the No. 38 overall prospect and No. 6 offensive tackle in the On3 Industry Rankings. Those numbers adjust to No. 159 and No. 13, respectively, by On3.

CB Blake Woodby

Four-star Baltimore (Md) St. Frances Academy cornerback Blake Woodby was the third member to join the Ohio State 2025 class. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive back is the No. 67 overall prospect, the No. 8 cornerback and the No. 2 Maryland prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings. On3 has it a bit different with Woodby as the No. 259 overall prospect, the No. 27 cornerback and the No. 6 Maryland prospect.

Woodby missed a few games this fall because of an injury, but when he was on the field he was dynamic in zone coverage and route recognition. The Buckeyes have scouted Woodby as the nickel for their 2025 class.

LB Tarvos ‘TJ’ Alford

Four-star Port St. Lucie (Fla) Vero Beach linebacker Tarvos ‘TJ’ Alford committed to Ohio State on March 30, but really it was on March 23 when he told head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.

It was Laurinaitis’ first win on the recruiting trail as a full-time assistant and a massive pickup for the Buckeyes’ defensive class. Alford is the No. 78 overall prospect and the No. 7 linebacker according to On3.

EDGE Zahir Mathis

Four-star Philadelphia (Pa) Imhotep Institute EDGE Zahir Mathis followed Sanchez and committed to the Buckeyes on Jan. 17.

He was the first defensive lineman in the class and the second member of the front seven in the mix. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has taken a lot of slack for not bringing in steady numbers on the edge in recent recruiting cycles. Mathis is a good start for 2025.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound prospect is the No. 74 overall prospect and No. 9 EDGE in the On3 Industry Rankings. Those numbers adjusted to No. 110 and No. 12, respectively, per On3.

EDGE London Merritt

Four-star Bradenton (Fla) IMG Academy EDGE London Merritt is a prospect Ohio State has been recruiting for well over two years now. The No. 168 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings committed to defensive line coach Larry Johnson just hours into his unofficial visit las weekend.

WR De’Zie Jones

Four-star Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic wide receiver De’Zie Jones was a surprise commitment for Ohio State, but a welcomed one. He is the bonafide slot/inside wide receiver for this 2025 class.

Jones is the No. 308 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings.

SAF DeShawn Stewart

Four-star Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic safety DeShawn Stewart committed to Ohio State on March 31 and was the fourth commitment in three days for the Buckeyes a little under a week ago.

Stewart is only the No. 321 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings, but On3 is much higher on him and has him as the No. 154 overall prospect.

LB Eli Lee

Three-star Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban linebacker Eli Lee is the first linebacker commit for Ohio State in the 2025 class. He joined the group on Oct. 25 just three weeks after he earned his offer from defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and graduate assistant James Laurinaitis.

The in-state pledge is the No. 58 linebacker and the No. 21 Ohio prospect per On3.

He finished his junior season as the Division II state runner-up, losing 7-2 to Massillon Washington on Nov. 30. He ended the year with 170 tackles, 11.5 sacks, two safeties, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception that was returned for a touchdown.