2026 Jacksonville Wideout Has Buckeyes 'Up There'

COLUMBUS – The annual Ohio State football camps draw talent from far and wide on a yearly basis and the Buckeyes welcomed a trio of talented players from The Bolles School in Jacksonville (Fla.) on Thursday.

Class of 2026 wide receiver Naeem Burroughs was joined by teammates Simeon Caldwell and Corbyn Fordham on the fields of the WHAC, all three already holding Ohio State offers but all three working out and striving to better their games.

The four-star receiver already has cleared two-dozen offers from programs across the nation, including Ohio State, and is a national top-100 player according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, for the class of 2026.

It goes without saying, any national wide receiver is very much in play for the Buckeyes as long as Brian Hartline is on the recruiting trail for Ohio State and sporting the Block O on his polo shirt.

Relationships mean a lot to Burroughs and there is already a great relationship in place between the two.

“He’s one of the best receiver coaches in the nation,” Burroughs said. “It shows in the drills that he put us through. He wants us to get better. He’s trying to teach us to get better. /Even though this is a camp, he wants the best for us.”

The Buckeyes stepped up less than a month ago with the offer, certainly a big one for Burroughs, even with offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and other major players already in hand.

The rising junior has an older brother who plays at Wisconsin, so it would appear that distance is a non-factor in making a decision.

If that is not going to be a factor, it really appears that fit, and messaging will mean a lot to the younger Burroughs. What has Ohio State been telling him along the way?

“If you want to be great, come to Ohio State,” Burroughs said. “It is as simple as that. When I came up here, they were all showing love and showing that they actually want me. Some schools, they just like to say it and not really show it, but they’re actually showing it.”

Burroughs admits that it would be great to play at the same school as his Bolles teammates, but that everyone will have to come to their own conclusion. At this early point of the recruiting game, it would not be a stretch to say that Ohio State is among the favorites of all three players, but there is a long way to go.

As for Burroughs, where does Ohio State fit into his recruitment?

“They’re up there,” he admitted.

Check out more from Burroughs post-camp interview and be sure to keep it locked in here at BuckeyeHuddle for all the latest during very busy month of June that has more camps, 7-on-7 events and of course official visit weekends for members of the class of 2025.