Talented 2026 Defender Simeon Caldwell Drawn To Ohio State For A Number Of Reasons

Thursday was day two of Ohio State’s six one-day camps for high school athletes, and one of the top athletes performing on the day was 2026 defender Simeon Caldwell.

Caldwell is currently a safety, but at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, some are looking at him as a potential linebacker as well. Even with the questions about where exactly he’ll end up, that hasn’t stopped the offers from rolling in.

Ohio State offered back in January, as did Georgia, Texas, and Texas A&M. Notre Dame offered in the spring, and the Florida Gators offered a little over a month ago.

What did the offer from the Buckeyes mean to Caldwell?

“It was great. Ohio State’s one of the top-tier schools, so getting an offer from them just means a lot,” he said following camp on Thursday. “Knowing that they see my potential, knowing where I can be, and knowing that I’m one of the best athletes in the country, it’s just something that makes me very proud. But I still know that there’s a lot of work to do.”

Ohio State worked him out at safety but they are aware that he could outgrow the position. It’s something they’re quite familiar dealing with, having spent the last couple of years going through a very similar situation with Sonny Styles, who spent his first two seasons as a safety/Sam linebacker. Styles is now fully immersed in the linebacker room for the Buckeyes as a junior.

It’s not an easy path but there is certainly proof of concept.

“It just makes me happy knowing that they can see me play multiple positions,” Caldwell said. “It’s not just, ‘I’m a receiver, I’m a linebacker, I’m a safety.’ I play football. I love the game and I’ll play whatever and I’ll do whatever it takes to stay on the field.”

As to what draws Simeon Caldwell to Ohio State, there are a number of factors at play.

“BIA. Best In America,” he said when asked what makes OSU such an appealing destination. ” And then their plus-two motto. You can’t just go to the line, you’ve got to go two yards past the line. It’s just just the excellence that they have. The competitiveness that they have. All the drills. You know, I go to other schools and you’re just doing one drill, and one person at a time. But here, you’ve got two people competing. The competitive mindset that they have here is just something that I want to be part of.”

Caldwell has been to Ohio State a few times now, and every time he’s been on campus, he’s been struck by the competitive nature of what he’s seen because it fits right in with his own demeanor.

“I’m a competitor. So I just compete wherever I go,” he said. “I just feel like that’s in my blood. I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get it done, no matter what. If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. I’m just gonna do whatever it takes to get it done.”

Simeon Caldwell didn’t need to walk or crawl on Thursday because he was running all over the place in coverage and in drills. He made it readily apparent why he holds the offers he does.

As to his top schools at the moment, he mentioned that Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Texas were doing a good job of recruiting, and that Georgia, Florida State, and Tennessee were also on his radar.

Caldwell will eventually choose the school that fits him best and where he feels most comfortable. Ohio State may have an ace in the hole in his recruitment, however, in the form of secondary coach Tim Walton, who is Caldwell’s uncle.

What would it be like for Caldwell to play for his uncle?

“It would be a great experience,” he said. “Me and him have a great bond. He’s a great coach. One of the best coaches in the country. He coached in the league. It’s just a great opportunity. I know he has my best interests at heart, so it would be a great opportunity to play for him.”

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