Eric Boggs
Four-star defensive tackle Trajen Odom from North Carolina committed to Ohio State on Friday, providing the Buckeyes with a much-needed interior defensive lineman for this recruiting cycle.
Odom has always considered Ohio State one of his favorite teams growing up, and now he’ll get to wear the scarlet and gray in college. He received his offer from Johnson in January after the OSU defensive line coach visited Odom’s school. He made his first visit to Columbus in March.
“Being in Columbus, the visit was great. The atmosphere and the area were cool. I liked the relationships I built with coach Day, coach Johnson, and the whole defensive staff. My main takeaways were that there’s a lot of intensity within the entire program and the system. A big thing is the developmental piece that coach Johnson has put into his players. It’s really a brotherhood and a great relationship between the players and staff.”
Trajen Odom per Eleven Warriors
During that trip, both Johnson and Ryan Day told the 6-foot-4, 285-pound prospect that he is a priority target for Ohio State. Odom visited OSU again in May, a few weeks before his official visit to campus. On his official visit, Odom saw enough to choose the Buckeyes over other contenders in his recruitment, including USC, Oregon, and UCLA. The Ducks were the main competition for Odom, but Johnson and OSU won in the end.
With Odom now committed, OSU has 21 commitments for the 2025 class. He’s the fourth defensive lineman, joining Zion Grady, Zahir Mathis, and London Merritt. Odom is the first interior defensive lineman. The Buckeyes are still looking to add another interior prospect such as Malik Autry or Maxwell Roy. If five-star 2026 defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart reclassifies to 2025, he will also be a priority target for Johnson this winter.
According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Odom is the No. 283 prospect and the No. 31 defensive lineman in the 2025 class.
In his junior season at Weddington (Matthews, North Carolina), Odom recorded 54 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, four sacks, and one forced fumble. As a sophomore, he had 41 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and five sacks.
Odom can overpower interior offensive linemen with his sheer strength, occasionally tossing aside guards and centers to bring down opposing ball carriers or quarterbacks. His instincts are superb, and he often uses quick block-shedding techniques to disrupt running lanes.
His 6-foot-4, 285-pound frame is a good starting point, but he’ll likely need at least a year to put on additional weight before he’s ready to see significant playing time. However, Odom has the potential to be a regular contributor to the Buckeyes’ defensive line rotation once he adapts to the college game.
