The Buckeyes have added to their 2024 recruiting class with a commitment from Painesville, Ohio defensive lineman Dominic Kirks.
Kirks (6-5 254) attends Riverside High School and was a Second-Team All-State selection as a senior. He totaled 43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks.
Kirks committed to the University of Washington in late June, but did not sign with the Huskies during the early signing period.
Ohio State had not yet offered Kirks by signing day, but they did get in touch with him about a visit in January, so he held off on signing. This past weekend, Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer accepted the open head coaching position at Alabama. Kirks decommitted from Washington shortly thereafter, which also coincided with an official visit to Ohio State this weekend.
Kirks received an offer from USC in late October. He also held offers from Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and others.
Rated the No. 251 player in the nation per the 247Sports Composite and the No. 33 defensive lineman in the class, Kirks could end up at either defensive end or defensive tackle depending on where his development takes him. Rivals rates Kirks as the No. 15 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 137 player overall.
Ohio State now has three defensive linemen in the 2024 recruiting class, which makes the addition of Kirks significant. The numbers have been relatively low in terms of defensive ends the past two years, so this helps alleviate some of those concerns.
Prior to the commitment of Kirks, the Buckeyes had signed just one defensive end in each of the past two seasons. Kirks now joins five-star Georgia defensive end Eddrick Houston in this class. They will both be taking part in a loaded defensive end room in 2024 as OSU has returned all of their defensive ends from the 2023 team — including stars Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau.
The good news for both freshmen is that they will be permitted to ease into things a bit, or at least as much as “easing in” is allowed at Ohio State.
Buckeye Huddle will have much more on this commitment coming soon.
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