Buckeyes earn Crystal Ball for four-star edge rusher, set to host top three linebackers in March.

Ohio State continues to be aggressive on the recruiting trail as they want to add to their 2025 class.

Ohio State’s spring football season is barely two weeks away, with the coaching staff already in place. Following a successful

offseason, Day and crew must be looking forward to the next training with their new-look 2024 squad. With many signings that

are sure to make a difference this season, expectations in Columbus are typically high, but this year appears to be a special one all around.

Of course, spring football practice includes recruiting. The Buckeyes, who never seem to have down time, will once again take advantage of the opportunity to not only enhance their current roster, but also to host many top target recruits.

Over the next several weeks, both in-state and national players will rush to campus to visit Ohio State, and if their time spent is anything like the prior few months, the team’s success on the field should continue.

Four-star edge rusher expected to join Ohio State

This year’s 2025 recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the most remarkable the Buckeyes have ever had. Only eight players have committed for now, but with a class average of 95.94 per player according to 247Sports, the staff has brought in outstanding talent and has the highest average player ranking in the country, with plenty of potential to improve.

Offensively and defensively, the 2025 cycle is off to a great start, and Wednesday revealed that more possible good news could be on the way as another high-profile prospect was linked to the Buckeyes via the 247Sports Crystal Ball feature.

IMG Academy productLondon Merritt, a 6-foot-3 edge rusher weighing 235 pounds, has received nearly 40 offers. Despite competition from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, and other schools, the Ohio State Buckeyes have recently emerged as the top contender. So much so that Steve Wiltfong, Director of Recruiting for 247Sports, gave his vote for Ohio State to win in the end, which is exactly what the Buckeyes want to see.

Larry Johnson, the No. 73 player nationally and ninth best at his position per the 247Sports Composite, should benefit from his new two-year agreement. You can bet Day used this extension to fend off the negative recruiting that has occurred in recent years with LJ, demonstrating to recruits that he still intends to continue.

While it is still early, you have to like this fresh information and hope that the shades of the last two defensive line classes are a thing of the past. The goal is to establish him as a top-10 edge rusher alongside Zahir Mathis. It could take some more time, but with Merritt’s formal visit to Ohio State scheduled for June, that may be the timeline for when a decision is made.

Quick Hits
As previously said, spring ball will be a significant opportunity for Ohio State to recruit many of their top targets for the 2025 and 2026 classes. Getting directly to the guest list, which will continue to increase, a top linebacker prospect has already scheduled a visit to Ohio State.

Riley Pettijohn, a native of McKinney, Texas, has scheduled five visits this spring, including one to Ohio State on March 30. Pettijohn is ranked No. 33 nationally and the third best linebacker in the 2025 class by 247Sports Composite.

Riley is one of several linebacker targets that Laurinaitis holds in high regard, and his arrival on campus is a significant win for the Buckeyes, giving them a chance to demonstrate him why Columbus is the best fit. Payton Pierce, a Texas native from the 2024 class and now on the roster, could help with peer recruiting.

In linebacker recruitment, Jaedon Harmon of Georgia received the most recent offer on Wednesday. Harmon, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound athlete from Rome High School, is presently ranked No. 150 nationally and 19th best linebacker in the country by 247Sports Composite.

Another guy with a fairly outstanding offer list of over 30 schools, Ohio State may be a little late to the party here, but given how well they’ve done in Georgia over the previous few years, and now with Laurinaitis in a full-time job, the Buckeyes will undoubtedly be in the mix.

In a class that requires at least three players at the position, Ohio State has plenty of candidates. Harmon is the most recent to join that group.

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