There is still a lot of time between now and National Signing Day, but Ohio State has a ton of work to do in the 2027 recruiting class.
The Buckeyes hold 15 verbal commitments in this cycle, a class that currently ranks No. 11 in the country per the 247Sports Composite. While Ryan Day and his staff have been prioritizing quality over quantity, as their 92.72 average player rating ranks sixth nationally, at some point you do need to start adding bodies to the room and closing the deal with the big fish on your radar.
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That’s not to say Ohio State hasn’t done some of that already. The Buckeyes currently possess a pair of five-star pledges in defensive lineman DJ Jacobs (No. 4 overall player) and wide receiver Jamier Brown (No. 23), in addition to another trio of top-100 prospects in EDGE Wyatt Smith (No. 78), offensive tackle Kellen Wymer (No. 81) and linebacker Prince Goldsby (No. 93).
It’s a great start to what could be an impressive haul when everything is said and done, and while keeping these guys through the finish line will be another battle in itself, the focus right now is on continuing to add.
That said, two of Ohio State’s biggest remaining targets are still on the board, and as of right now both of them appear to be trending in a positive direction.
The crown jewel of this 2027 class for the Buckeyes would be none other than running back David Gabriel Georges. The Tennessee native ranks as the No. 2 RB and No. 10 overall player in this cycle, and he has been the sole focus of position coach Carlos Locklyn for quite awhile now.
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Ohio State rolled out the red carpet for Gabriel Georges a little more than three weeks ago, and the buzz coming out of that visit was palpable. So much so, that predictions in favor of the Buckeyes began to roll in shortly after. As things stand now, all three On3 RPM’s for Gabriel Georges remain in Ohio State’s favor, including from Ohio State insider Alex Gleitman and On3 Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong.
Gabriel Georges then visited the in-state Volunteers the following weekend, and there were some rumblings that things were beginning to chance in favor of Tennessee. However, it has now been more than two weeks since that short trip, and none of the predictions for the star running back have wavered away from the Buckeyes.
Ohio State has since further upped the ante, extending an offer to Gabriel Georges’ high school teammate and roommate, Jordan Darren — an unranked safety in the 2027 class. That move was received well by DGG.
While Tennessee is going to continue to push hard for one of the nation’s top prospects in their own backyard, and of course NIL will likely play at least some factor in this recruitment, it feels as though Ohio State has done just about everything it can to put itself in a favorable position for Gabriel Georges.
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After cancelling a planned visit to Georgia, this is now down to a three-team race, with Ohio State and Tennessee at the forefront but Ole Miss still lurking in the shadows. Gabriel Georges is set to make his official commitment on July 22. With still a month to go, the Buckeyes would have to be considered the current favorite.
Elsewhere, Ohio State also appears to be in pole position for five-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou.
The No. 2 DL and No. 24 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Fakatou just wrapped up the last of his four planned official visits, making trips to Ohio State (May 29), Georgia (May 31), Texas (June 5) before cancelling his last two planned trips to Oregon and Notre Dame.
The On3 RPMs in Ohio State’s favor began rolling in before Fakatou even stepped foot in Columbus, but they continued in the weeks to follow as well. Since completing his final visit with the Longhorns, four more predictions in favor of the Buckeyes have come down, making a compelling case that Ohio State has separated itself from the pack in a big way.
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Landing the Sierra Canyon product would be a huge victory for position coach Larry Johnson, going toe-to-toe with a pair of SEC powerhouses in Georgia and Texas as well outlasting Big Ten rival Oregon and Midwest rival Notre Dame. It would also bode well for Matt Patricia, who has seemingly been a big part of this recruitment and would love nothing more than to add a chess piece like Fakatou to his defense.
The California native has no official commitment date set, but there are rumors that it could come as soon as the first week in July. If that becomes the case, Ohio State has to be the clear and obvious favorite.
Should Ohio State land both Gabriel Georges and Fakatou, it would instantly jump their 2027 class up to No. 6 nationally. It would also give the Buckeyes four composite five-star commits, which would tie Miami for the best in the country.
Quick Hits
It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Ohio State on the recruiting trail.
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Monsanna Torbert Jr., the No. 13 CB and No. 5 player in Ohio in the 2027 class, has seemingly shifted gears. Once predicted to end up with the Buckeyes, Torbert Jr. received a pair of On3 RPM’s on Sunday in favor of rival Michigan, where his position coach would be none other than Kerry Coombs.
It would be a tough look for Tim Walton to lose an in-state recruit to the Wolverines and a former OSU position coach, but it appears things are trending that way following Torbert Jr.’s visit to Ann Arbor this past weekend. Nothing is set in stone yet, but this would be an ugly wrinkle in this recruiting cycle.
Torbert has a commitment date set for July 1.
