Inside the Lettermen Lounge: Ohio State a top school for several blue-chip prospects in 2026
COLUMBUS – Ohio State is always in contention for blue-chip prospects across the country. Several of those prospects recently included the Buckeyes in their top schools list.
In this edition of ‘Inside the Lettermen Lounge’ we will break down the recruitments of each prospect that has recently included Ohio State in their top schools. We also shared some additional recruiting buzz from other Ohio State sports including baseball and women’s basketball.
– Ohio State has yet to host Five-Star Plus+ Nixa (Mo.) offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell for a visit but he included the Buckeyes in his top 14 back on July 18. Other schools in contention for Cantwell include: Miami, USC, Oregon, Texas A&M, Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Ole Miss and Nebraska.
The 6-foot-7.5, 305-pound Cantwell is the No. 2 overall prospect and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the On3 Industry Rankings. Cantwell will need to visit Ohio State fall for his interest to be viewed as genuine but the Buckeyes are in the mix for the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2026 class.
– The board for Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn in the 2026 class is fluid but four-star Los Angeles (Calif.) Oaks Christian running back Deshonne Redeaux is firmly on it. Locklyn offered Redeaux at Oregon and offered him again shortly after being hired at Ohio State.
UCLA leads for Redeaux on the On3 Recruiting Prediction with USC in second. Washington, Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Texas, Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma round out the rest of Redeaux’ top 12 that he announced on July 29.
– Safeties coach Matt Guerrieri has been recruiting four-star Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic safety Blaine Bradford since this spring but his recruitment really ramped this summer after he camped at Ohio State. The Buckeyes offered Bradford after the camp and he included Ohio State in his top five that he released on Aug. 2. Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame and Oregon are the other four programs in Bradford’s top five.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Bradford is the No. 13 overall prospect and the No. 1 safety in the On3 Industry Rankings. Ohio State and Matt Guerrieri are working to get Bradford back to Columbus this fall for a game-day visit.
– Ohio State is set to sign two tight ends in the 2025 class but that won’t stop the Buckeyes from signing two again in the 2026 class. Tight ends coach Keenan Bailey got some of the top tight end prospects in the country on campus in June including four-star Mack Sutter out of Dunlap (Ill.) High School.
The 6-foot-6 and 215-pound Sutter announced a top 12 of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee on Aug. 2. Sutter, the No. 127 overall prospect and No. 5 tight end in the On3 Industry Rankings, has a close relationship with Keenan Bailey.
– Four-star Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy EDGE Zion Elee is the No. 1 EDGE in the On3 Industry Rankings and a top target for Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson in the 2026 class. Elee announced a top five of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State on Aug. 3
The 6-foot-3 and 220-pound Elee camped at Ohio State in June. After the camp he told Lettermen Row that he plans to return to Ohio State for a game this fall. Oregon and Penn State also got Elee on campus this summer.
– Another touted EDGE prospect that recently included Ohio State in his top schools was four-star Anthony Jones out of Irvine (Calif.) Crean Lutheran. Jones, the No. 204 overall prospect and No. 18 EDGE, announced his top nine which consisted of Arizona State, California, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, UCLA and Washington.
Jones has yet to visit Ohio State in his recruitment but recently told On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons that he would like to visit Columbus this fall.
Recruiting around campus…
– Daria Biriuk, a 6-foot-1 shooting guard, is a top target for Kevin McGuff and the Ohio State women’s basketball program in the 2025 class. Per sources, Biriuk is set to take an official visit to Ohio State this fall from Sept. 5-8. She took an unofficial visit to Ohio State last season which was her first visit to Columbus. Originally from Ukraine, Biriuk is now living in Bell Buckle (TN) and attending The Webb School.
– Aug. 1 was the first day that Justin Haire and the Ohio State baseball coaching staff could contact prospects in the 2026 class.
The Buckeyes called dozens of 2026 prospects including Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller infielder Matt Ponatoski. He considered is a top ten prospect in the 2026 class and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Ohio. Ponatoksi wants to play baseball and football, he is the starting quarterback for Moeller, in college which will make this recruitment an uphill battle for Ohio State but Justin Haire has the Buckeyes in consideration.
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