What 2024 5-star DL Eddrick Houston's commitment means for Larry Johnson and Ohio State football

Ohio State added another five-star player to its 2024 class.

On Tuesday, defensive lineman Eddrick Houston became the Buckeyes' fifth five-star player committed, joining wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham, quarterback Air Noland and defensive lineman Justin Scott.

Houston, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive lineman out of Buford, Georgia, is the No. 23 player and the No. 4 defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class, giving the Buckeyes two top-five defensive linemen in the country.

For Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, five-stars like Houston and Scott have become the norm.

From 2015-2023, Ohio State has signed six five-star defensive linemen: Nick Bosa, Chase Young, Taron Vincent, Zach Harrison, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau.

Ohio State's six five-star defensive line signees are more than any other position in that span, with the Buckeyes bringing in five five-star offensive linemen and five five-star wide receivers since 2015.

Johnson's not only focused on five-star defensive linemen.

Between 2015-2023, the Buckeyes have signed 17 high school defensive linemen that were in the top 10 at their respective position. Of those linemen, eight of them — Bosa, Jonathon Cooper, Young, Vincent, Tyreke Smith, Harrison, Tumoloau and Sawyer — were top-50 players nationally.

Larry Johnson gets first five-star wins since 2021

For Johnson, it had been a few recruiting cycles since he landed a five-star defensive lineman.

After landing Tuimoloau and Sawyer in 2021, Ohio State signed eight defensive linemen in its next two recruiting classes, including defensive ends Omari Abor and Kenyatta Jackson Jr., who were top-10 edge rushers in the 2022 class.

But Ohio State was also missing its chance at landing the top talent in each class like five-star Keon Keeley (Alabama) and five-star Damon Wilson (Georgia) who each had the Buckeyes as finalists.

That stretch ended in July with Scott: the No. 14 player and No. 3 defensive lineman in the 2024 class, who committed to the Buckeyes over programs such as Notre Dame and Miami.

Even with both Scott and Houston in the 2024 class, that narrative has continued. After being finalists for both five-star defensive end Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) and four-star defensive end Marquise Lightfoot (Miami), both landed elsewhere.

Is Ohio State done adding defensive linemen in 2024?

Ohio State has a few defensive line targets left in the 2024 class.

Four-star defensive end Booker Pickett Jr. is beginning to ramp up his recruiting process, having previously held an unofficial visit at Ohio State for its spring game in April.

Pickett, who's uncle is former Ohio State defensive lineman Ryan Pickett, is the No. 14 edge rusher and No. 190 player in the class. He also has the attention of programs such as Florida State, Georgia, Miami and South Carolina.

Ohio State also hosted four-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley June 2-4, but consensus seems to be between either Oklahoma or Texas for the Lafayette, Louisiana native.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football recruiting: What Eddrick Houston commitment means