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Ohio State offers three fast-rising defensive prospects

On3 imageby:Matt Parker•02/11/23•

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Ohio State helmet by Matt Parker -- Lettermen Row --
(Matt Parker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — It might be a dead period and visits are on hold, but Ohio State is still active on the defensive recruiting trail.

The Buckeyes offered three prospects Friday afternoon: Deyvid Palepale, Myron Charles and Zechariah Fort.

Lettermen Row quickly runs through all three prospects and where the trio sit in their recruitments as the weekend unfolds.

Let’s dive in.

Deyvid Palepale

2024 Lansdale (Pa) Hempfield defensive lineman Deyvid Palepale announced his Ohio State offer Friday afternoon.

The unranked prospect now holds 17 offers with Penn State holding a commanding lead in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. USC, Notre Dame and Michigan are among the 17 schools that have offered Palepale.

He’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 305-pounds, which would definitely fit him into the defensive tackle role for the Buckeyes’ 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson was the one who extended the offer.

Palepale is the tenth defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle offered by Ohio State.

Myron Charles

Ohio State and Larry Johnson continued the offer spree on Friday with 2025 Port Charlotte (Fla) defensive lineman Myron Charles.

The Buckeyes’ offer was Charles’ seventh total. He currently holds other offers from Alabama, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, UCF and Louisville.

Charles is currently 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds. He has not yet made any visits outside of the Sunshine State, and even then he’s only visited Florida twice.

Charles is the third defensive lineman in the 2025 cycle to hold an Ohio State offer.

Zechariah Fort

The final Friday offer remains to a Florida prospect but comes on the back end of the defense.

2026 IMG Academy (Fla) cornerback Zechariah Fort announced his offer from the Buckeyes in the waning moments of Friday morning.

Fort’s Ohio State offer was his 13th total. The Buckeyes currently are competing against schools such as USC, Florida State, Tennessee and Georgia among others for his pledge.

Fort, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound defensive back, had an impressive year for the Ascenders. He had 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble in only five games.

Fort is just the tenth prospect in the 2026 cycle to hold an Ohio State offer.

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