Ohio State OL Target Max Riley Down to Two Schools

Four-star Avon Lake (Ohio) offensive lineman Maxwell Riley has been a top target for the Buckeyes in the 2026 recruiting cycle. Fresh off a national championship win, the Buckeyes made the final list cut for the big-time lineman as he announced his two finalists on Tuesday afternoon.

Riley announced on his Twitter page that he will make a decision between Clemson and the Buckeyes. BuckeyeHuddle.com caught up with Riley to get his thoughts on his two finalists:

On Clemson: “Clemson has an exceptional culture. I also really like their offensive line coach, coach Luke.”

On Ohio State: “I grew up watching them being an Ohio kid. I really like coach Frye and how he does things and I also think the culture there is exceptional.”

While Riley is down to two, that doesn’t necessarily mean a decision is in the immediate future.

“I’ll probably take one more visit to both schools and kind of just go from there,” he added.

Riley was able to watch Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame on Monday night and has followed the Buckeyes’ playoff run closely.

“I’m really happy for them,” he said. “Especially for coach Day and coach Frye. I think their playoff run was a big testament to the culture there.”

Riley is one of Ohio State’s top overall targets in the 2026 cycle as the Buckeyes will work to create dividends on the recruiting trail.

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