This offseason has been a strong one for Ohio State football. With multiple transfers coming in as well as multiple stars on both sides of the ball forgoing the NFL draft to come back to the Buckeyes for the 2024 season, hopes are high among Buckeye nation.
Ohio State has also gotten some good news on the recruiting front in the offseason. The Buckeyes wrapped up one of the best 2024 classes in college football by bringing in Julian Sayin, the top ranked quarterback in the class who transferred from Alabama after Nick Saban’s retirement.
The Buckeyes have also landed 2025 class commitments from five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez, and highly rated four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis in January.
The Buckeyes have offered nine edge rushers in the 2025 class. We’ll walk through each of those using On3 who is one of the top college football recruiting resources that tracks player rankings on all four main websites and provides predictions, insights, and NIL valuations.
Zahir Mathis
BOOM‼️4 ⭐️ DE Zahir Mathis has committed to Ohio State 😈@zahirmathis5 @hayesfawcett3 @stoolpresidente pic.twitter.com/aLpaP2c2v7
— Barstool Ohio State (@BarstoolOSU) January 10, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, PA)
Height/Weight | 6-5, 230
On 3 NIL Valuation | $86K Annual Value
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 57 Natl No. 7 Edge No. 1 PA
On 3 | 4 Star No. 69 Natl No. 5 Edge No. 2 PA
247Sports | 4 Star No. 79 Natl No. 9 Edge No. 1 PA
ESPN | 4 Star No. 50 Natl No. 7 Edge No. 1 PA
Rivals | 4 Star No. 41 Natl No. 2 Edge No. 1 PA
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Ohio State (Committed 1/10/24)
Ohio State Prediction % | 97.7%
Ohio State Visits | 1 (tied for second most of any team)
Ari Watford
🚨NEW🚨 2025 4-star EDGE Ari Watford has committed to Clemson, per @Hayesfawcett3🐅
Watford ranks No. 17 NATL. (No. 1 EDGE) in the 2025 On300⭐️
Read: https://t.co/FPJ1eM6WK2 pic.twitter.com/yHjGfcyO34
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) January 24, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Maury (Norfolk, VA)
Height/Weight | 6-5, 230
On 3 NIL Valuation | $129K Annual Value
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 21 Natl No. 1 Edge No. 1 VA
On 3 | 4 Star No. 17 Natl No. 1 Edge No. 1 VA
247Sports | 4 Star No. 20 Natl No. 2 Edge No. 1 VA
ESPN | 4 Star No. 32 Natl No. 3 Edge No. 1 VA
Rivals | 4 Star No. 132 Natl No. 8 Edge No. 2 VA
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Clemson (Committed 1/24/24)
Ohio State Prediction % | >1%
Ohio State Visits | None
Javion Hilson
BREAKING: Elite 2025 EDGE Javion Hilson tells me he has Flipped from Alabama to Florida State!
The 6’5 230 EDGE committed to the Crimson Tide in December
He is ranked as the No. 2 EDGE in the ‘25 Class 👀https://t.co/W5z5PMzjVl pic.twitter.com/B7TrnGawfI
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 16, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Cocoa (Cocoa, FL)
Height/Weight | 6-3.5, 225
On 3 NIL Valuation | $116K Annual Value
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 33 Natl No. 3 Edge No. 4 FL
On 3 | 4 Star No. 37 Natl No. 2 Edge No. 3 FL
247Sports | 4 Star No. 46 Natl No. 4 Edge No. 8 FL
ESPN | 4 Star No. 96 Natl No. 11 Edge No. 14 FL
Rivals | 4 Star No. 95 Natl No. 5 Edge No. 17 FL
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Florida State (Committed 1/16/24)
Ohio State Prediction % | 17.1%
Ohio State Visits | 1 (Tied for most of any team)
Christopher Burgess
Close look at #NotreDame 2025 DE target Christopher Burgess Jr. (@ChrisBurgessJr) taking instruction from defensive line coach Al Washington (@CoachWash56). @SimeonNation @nosaeguae @insideNDsports
Full highlights here: https://t.co/Dfhj5GPPQc pic.twitter.com/R3l1RN27o5
— Charleston Bowles (@cbowles01) June 5, 2023
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Simeon (Chicago, IL)
Height/Weight | 6-4, 230
On 3 NIL Valuation | $71K Annual Value
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 126 Natl No. 9 Edge No. 5 IL
On 3 | 4 Star No. 130 Natl No. 8 Edge No. 3 IL
247Sports | 4 Star No. 213 Natl No. 21 Edge No. 5 IL
ESPN | 4 Star No. 171 Natl No. 15 Edge No. 4 IL
Rivals | 4 Star No. 61 Natl No. 6 Edge No. 4 IL
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Notre Dame (Committed 1/6/24)
Ohio State Prediction % | 1.8%
Ohio State Visits | 4 (Tied for third most of any team)
Max Granville
2025 Fort Bend Christian Academy four-star EDGE Max Granville (#13) with the deflected pass and pressure on back to back plays
VC: @Texan_Live pic.twitter.com/5WqCQtbI2R
— Tim Verghese (@TimVerghese) August 25, 2023
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Fort Bend Christian Academy (Sugar Land, TX)
Height/Weight | 6-3, 205
On 3 NIL Valuation | N/A
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 133 Natl No. 10 Edge No. 23 TX
On 3 | 4 Star No. 75 Natl No. 6 Edge No. 14 TX
247Sports | 4 Star No. 159 Natl No. 21 Edge No. 21 TX
ESPN | 4 Star No. 104 Natl No. 14 Edge No. 14 TX
Rivals | 4 Star No. 237 Natl No. 16 Edge No. 43 TX
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Oklahoma
Ohio State Prediction % | <1%
Ohio State Visits | None
Isaiah Gibson
2025 4 ⭐️ DE 6’5” 257 Lbs
Isaiah Gibson— 704 Dawg (@FSFRecruits) January 15, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Warner Robins (Warner Robins, GA)
Height/Weight | 6-5, 257
On 3 NIL Valuation | N/A
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 160 Natl No. 13 Edge No. 21 GA
On 3 | 4 Star No. 212 Natl No. 17 Edge No. 28 GA
247Sports | 4 Star No. 84 Natl No. 10 Edge No. 11 GA
ESPN | 4 Star No. 135 Natl No. 13 Edge No. 24 GA
Rivals | 4 Star N/A Natl No. 19 Edge No. 26 GA
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Georgia
Ohio State Prediction % | <1%
Ohio State Visits | None
Justin Hill
Top Ohio LB/Edge and Buckeye target gets "great" vibe on his latest visit with the #Buckeyes on Saturday. https://t.co/ShQVZZd7Xa
— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) January 21, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Winton Woods (Cincinnati, OH)
Height/Weight | 6-3, 220
On 3 NIL Valuation | N/A
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 170 Natl No. 15 Edge No. 7 OH
On 3 | 4 Star No. 128 Natl No. 7 Edge No. 6 OH
247Sports | 4 Star No. 146 Natl No. 14 Edge No. 22 OH
ESPN | 4 Star No. 176 Natl No. 21 Edge No. 8 OH
Rivals | 4 Star No. 190 Natl No. 14 Edge No. 7 OH
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Ohio State
Ohio State Prediction % | 92.9%
Ohio State Visits | 3 (most of any team)
Darren Ikinnagbon
After a great conversation I am truly blessed to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University‼️🅾️🌰@CoachBGGrant @coachlrblanc @R2X_Rushmen1
#OhioState #buckeyes pic.twitter.com/qDNQgDotRF— Darren Ikinnagbon (@AceSZNF) January 26, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Hillside (Hillside, NJ)
Height/Weight | 6-5, 240
On 3 NIL Valuation | N/A
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 242 Natl No. 19 Edge No. 7 NJ
On 3 | N/A
247Sports | 4 Star No. 240 Natl No. 24 Edge No. 7 NJ
ESPN | 4 Star No. 279 Natl No. 24 Edge No. 8 NJ
Rivals | 3 Star N/A Natl No. 21 Edge No. 9 NJ
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Penn State
Ohio State Prediction % | 1.2%
Ohio State Visits | None
Mariyon Dye
2024 edge rusher @MariyonDye is excited about his #OhioState scholarship offer.https://t.co/vUwsyhBzK3 pic.twitter.com/95gS5aES3H
— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) January 20, 2024
Background
Recruiting Class | 2025
High School | Elkhart Central (Elkhart, IL)
Height/Weight | 6-6, 235
On 3 NIL Valuation | N/A
Industry Rankings
On3 Industry | 4 Star No. 329 Natl No. 23 Edge No. 4 IN
On 3 | N/A
247Sports | 3 Star N/A Natl No. 38 Edge No. 6 IN
ESPN | 4 Star No. 292 Natl No. 26 Edge No. 5 IN
Rivals | 4 Star No. 209 Natl No. 12 Edge No. 3 IN
Recruiting Insights
Current Leader | Michigan
Ohio State Prediction % | 22.3%
Ohio State Visits | 1 (tied for most of any team)
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