Five(ish) Must Get Recruiting Targets for Ohio State in 2026

While Ohio State spends the month of February putting together its coaching staff for the 2025 season, recruiting will continue to go on. Ryan Day and his assistants will not be able to host any visitors during the month as the recruiting calendar has turned to a Dead Period, but the lines of communication remain open.

As the Buckeyes prepare to get their top targets back on campus in March and April, we’re taking a look a five(ish) priority targets for Ohio State. These are players that are highly ranked, highly thought of by Ohio State, have major interest in the Buckeyes, and are currently uncommitted.

1. Five-Star Akron (Ohio) Hoban Cornerback Elbert Hill

Ohio’s top prospect, Hill is a five-star caliber cornerback and a dynamic athlete. The Buckeyes have revived BIA under the direction of cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and now they have an elite national talent right in their backyard. Hill has been all over the country over the past few months, but the Buckeyes continue to make him their top priority and should be considered the favorite ultimately land him.

2. Ohio Offensive Linemen Max Riley, Sam Greer, and Adam Guthrie

Whomever is named the next offensive line coach will be able to make their own evaluations and perhaps some things on the O-Line board will change. But it’s hard to imagine that a reset at offensive line coach will impact the status of Riley, Greer, or Guthrie as priority targets.

It needs to be a big O-Line class for the Buckeyes after missing the number too many times in recent years and these players could anchor one of the nation’s best hauls if the Buckeyes can complete the trifecta. If not the trifecta, it’s critical that the Buckeyes land at least two of these three talented in-state prospects.

3. Suwanee (GA) Collins Hill Defensive Lineman Deuce Geralds

Defensive Line is another key position for the 2026 recruiting cycle and Geralds is one of the nation’s very best. Not only his Geralds one of the nation’s best, he embodies the modern defensive lineman. He can line up inside or outside and he brings a relentless attitude to each and every snap. He’s also extremely high on the Buckeyes early on.

4. Vero Beach (FL) Offensive Lineman Micah ‘Champ’ Smith

Smith was disappointed by the departures of Justin Frye (NFL) and Mike Sollenne (UNLV) so it will be imperative to get the Top 100 talent back on campus this spring. Smith is the high school teammate of 2025 linebacker signee T.J. Alford and the Buckeyes have been considered among the favorites to land the four-star prospect. Winning a big out-of-state battle would be quite the feather in the cap of whomever replaces Frye.

5. Cleveland (OH) Glenville Linebacker Cincere Johnson

There are several talented linebackers in Ohio in 2026 and the Buckeyes could end up taking several of them. But Johnson might be the most talented and he’s decidedly the only one playing at super-pipeline Glenville. Since earning a Buckeye offer, Johnson’s recruitment as gone national. It still stands to reason he’ll end up at Ohio State, but securing this one is key for the Buckeyes.