Four-star linebacker Payton Pierce commits to Ohio State
COLUMBUS — It took only a few months for James Laurinaitis to work his magic for Ohio State on the recruiting trail: Payton Pierce has committed to the Buckeyes.
The four-star Lovejoy (Texas) Lucas linebacker chose Ohio State over Notre Dame, Texas, Oklahoma and more.
Pierce is the No. 21 linebacker and No. 201 overall prospect according to the On3 Industry Rankings. On3 has Pierce as the No. 73 linebacker.
It didn’t take Pierce much time to settle on Ohio State, but he already had the foundation with the staff in place months before it offered him.
When defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was still at Oklahoma State the Cowboys were on Pierce. Then when Notre Dame entered the picture, Laurinaitis was the lead recruiter. Both are now in scarlet and gray at Ohio State, and the relationship had never changed.
Especially Pierce’s with Laurinaitis.
“Last year, I visited Notre Dame before I was offered or anything and he was the one who took me around that visit the entire time we were there,” Pierce told Lettermen Row in February. “I spent a lot of time with him right and since then I’ve grown a really good relationship with him. We text all the time and talk on the phone. He was kind of the main guy who recruited me at Notre Dame. We were in contact every week and talking.”
Lettermen Row spoke with Pierce after his debut Ohio State visit and the trip couldn’t have gone any better according to him.
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“There were a lot of things that stood out,” he said. “I mean, everything was elite, every aspect of it.”
“From the players, the coaches, the environment, practice, it was top notch from every aspect.”
Pierce is both the second defensive prospect and second linebacker committed to the Buckeyes. He joins four-star Sunbury (Ohio) Big Walnut standout Garrett Stover on the defensive side of the ball.
Ohio State has now reached double-digit marks in its 2024 class.
The Buckeyes added four-star Fairburn (Ga) Langston Hughes quarterback Air Noland to the class on Sunday. Last week they added five-star New Haven (Ind) wide receiver Mylan Graham and four-star San Antonio (Texas) Veterans Memorial running back James Peoples.
Ohio State already has four offensive linemen committed to the class as well with Ian Moore, Deontae Armstrong, Devontae Armstrong and Marc Nave.
And of course, five-star Hollywood (Fla) Chaminade-Madonna Prep wide receiver Jeremiah Smith remains committed to Ohio State.
The Buckeyes are continuing to build a master class in the 2024 cycle.
They got one step closer with the addition of linebacker Payton Pierce.
