Projecting Ohio State football 2025 recruiting class: What will OSU's defense look like?
Ohio State football has already started to build its 2025 defense.
Of the Buckeyes' eight commitments, five are on defense, including three cornerbacks, one defensive end and one linebacker.
But OSU is only getting started.
With eight commitments, the Buckeyes have the No. 4-ranked class in the country per 247Sports' rankings behind Notre Dame, Clemson and LSU. However, Ohio State has the highest average commitment rating of any team in the country.
Who will join Ohio State 2025 class? Projecting Ohio State football 2025 recruiting class: What will OSU's offense look like?
After taking a look at the Ohio State offense in 2025, here's a look at where the Buckeyes stand on defense and who could be the next players to join the class:
Ohio State football 2025 recruiting: Defensive line
Committed
Targets
DE Nasir Wyatt
DE Justin Hill
DE Darren Ikinnagbon
DE Mariyon Dye
DL London Merritt
DL Brandon Caesar
DL Landon Rink
Zahir Mathis. a 6-foot-6, 225-pound four-star out of Philadelphia, is a prototypical Larry Johnson edge rusher. But Mathis alone is not going to be enough to fill the losses of J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, and Tyleik Williams.
Since 2020, Ohio State averages nearly four defensive line signees in each recruiting class. The Buckeyes landed three in 2024 in defensive tackle Eric Mensah and defensive ends Dominic Kirks and Eddrick Houston.
Even if Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry leave a year early for the NFL, Ohio State, on paper, seems to have an advantage at defensive end compared to defensive tackle. In 2025, four-star London Merritt and three-star Brandon Caesar could fill in those spots on the interior
Look for Ohio State to continue to target Justin Hill, a four-star edge out of Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, to pair with Mathis.
Ohio State football 2025 recruiting: Linebacker
Committed
Targets
LB Tarvos Alford
LB Riley Pettijohn
LB Anthony Sacca
LB Madden Faraimo
LB Elijah Melendez (Miami commit)
LB Jadon Perlotte (Georgia commit)
Ohio State needs one more linebacker in the 2025 class.
The Buckeyes already have one in three-star Eli Lee out of Akron Hoban. And Ohio State has typically taken two linebackers in each recruiting class, especially with Arvell Reese, Nigel Glover and potentially C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers and Sonny Styles in the mix for 2025.
But Ohio State doesn't seem to have many options for that last linebacker commit in 2025. Two major targets — Elijah Melendez (Miami) and Jadon Perlotte (Georgia) — have committed elsewhere. The Buckeyes are one of many suitors vying for four-star Tarvos Alford, whose commitment date is set for March 30, and four-star Riley Pettijohn.
Ohio State has found recruiting success with former Buckeyes like Tim Walton and Brian Hartline. Can James Laurinaitis be next in line?
Ohio State football 2025 recruiting: Safety
Committed
None
Targets
Faheem Delane
Messiah Delhomme
Trey McNutt
In 2025, Ohio State is expected to have a key piece of its safety room back.
While Lathan Ransom and potentially Styles, who could also move to linebacker, could be off to the NFL after the 2024 season, Alabama transfer Caleb Downs would be heading into his third season of eligibility. With Downs would be Malik Hartford and Jayden Bonsu, among other young players who have not seen extensive playing time.
But safety is the position where an Ohio State recruiting streak is on the line.
According to the 247Sports' composite rankings, four-star safety Trey McNutt is the No. 1 player in Ohio. Ohio State has landed the top Ohio player in each of the past six recruiting cycles.
On average, Ohio State has landed about two safeties in each recruiting class since 2020. Faheem Delane, a four-star, is projected to join the Buckeyes' 2025 class, while Messiah Delhomme also continues to be a target.
Expect five-star cornerback Dorian Brew to be in the conversation too to move to safety if he joins the Buckeyes' 2025 class.
Ohio State football 2025 recruiting: Cornerback
Committed
Targets
Ohio State's cornerback class is seemingly full.
The Buckeyes have each of the top two cornerback prospects in the country in five-stars Devin Sanchez and Na'eem Offord, along with four-star Blake Woodby: the No. 72 overall player in the class.
Ohio State will potentially have as many as seven scholarship cornerbacks heading into the 2025 class before it adds Sanchez, Offord and Woodby. This includes both Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Davison Igbinosun, who are draft eligible.
And while Ohio State has landed, on average, about two cornerbacks each cycle, one more could be on the way.
The Buckeyes remain in contact with five-star Dorian Brew, who is ranked as the No. 19 player and No. 4 cornerback in the 2025 class.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Projecting OSU football 2025 recruiting class: A look at the Defense
