Is Ohio State Trending Up for Nation’s Top Prospect David Sanders?

CHARLOTTE — It would be hard to argue that there is a bigger recruiting target at the moment for Ohio State than Charlotte (NC) Providence Day star David Sanders Jr. Not only is Sanders Jr. the nation’s top prospect in the 2025 class, but he is a once-every-few-years type of offensive tackle, a position the Buckeyes sorely need to address in this 2025 recruiting class.

Ohio State has been relentless in its pursuit of Sanders in recent months and it could be starting to pay dividends. The five-star prospect was back on campus over the weekend, his second trip to Columbus in less than two months.

“It was just the consistency with the program and coaching staff,” Sanders told BuckeyeHuddle.com on Monday about why he made the quick turn around visit. “Coach Frye, coach Day, coach Mike (Sollenne), they’ve been on me heavy. My family and I have been in constant contact (with Ohio State) throughout the weeks.”

Many have felt Ohio State was on the outside looking in for Sanders during his recruiting process but Sanders admits things have changed recently as the Buckeyes have made a big push for the athletic lineman.

“I would say that’s an accurate statement, only because I had only been to Ohio State one time,” he explained. “That one visit was very good, but I just felt like it wasn’t a place that I could call home after only being there one time. Spending quality time around the coaches and around the program and around the players they have in the locker room, that’s a big factor for me and my family. These consecutive visits, getting to meet with the players and hang out with them a little bit, that really boosted them for me.”

One nice bonus for Ohio State in its pursuit of Sanders, has been his budding friendship with former Buckeye star and now Arizona Cardinals star Paris Johnson Jr. Sanders and Johnson are similar talents on the field but are also thoughtful, mature young men off of it and that has made for an easy connection.

“The resource of having him almost at my finger tips is amazing,” Sanders said. “Having someone of that quality as a man and being able to reach out to him and talk to him (is valuable). He doesn’t push Ohio State on me. His true honest opinion about coach Frye, coach Mike and that program has been the best for me. Just giving me advice on how to take the recruiting process, how to attack when you get to college that first day, I’m just very grateful for him and his family helping me and my family out during this process.”

Hear more from the nation’s number one prospect in our one-on-one interview from our Southern Swing recruiting tour, including his official visit schedule, timeline for a decision, and his connection with the Ohio State coaching staff.