Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class is getting stronger with the addition of a familiar and highly anticipated name. Four-star athlete Legend Bey, who was originally committed to the Buckeyes before a brief and complicated detour to Tennessee, has officially secured his release from the Volunteers and is set to join Ohio State, pushing the class total to 28 signees.
Bey’s recruitment was one of the more unusual stories of the early signing period. Although he signed paperwork with Tennessee, it became increasingly clear in the days that followed that his heart remained in Columbus. Multiple reports indicated that family pressure played a significant role in his initial signing, as Bey was only 17 at the time and required parental approval to finalize a national letter of intent. Social media activity and later reporting strongly suggested that Ohio State was always the destination Bey preferred.
Once Tennessee granted Bey a scholarship release, the path cleared for him to rejoin the Buckeyes. While the early signing period has passed and he cannot formally sign at this moment, Bey is expected to enroll at Ohio State in January. He turns 18 on December 24, allowing him to make his own decision and officially move forward with the program he wanted from the start.
From a football perspective, the addition is a significant win for Ryan Day and the Ohio State staff. Bey is ranked as the No. 175 overall prospect and the No. 9 athlete nationally in the 247Sports Composite for the 2026 class. A dynamic playmaker from North Forney High School in Texas, Bey played quarterback in high school but projects primarily as a running back in Columbus, with the flexibility to also contribute at wide receiver. His elite speed stands out immediately, with verified times of 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 10.23 seconds in the 100 meters.
Bey joins an already loaded offensive group in the 2026 class, which includes four-star running back Favour Akih and an impressive wide receiver haul led by five-star Chris Henry Jr., along with Jerquaden Guilford, Jaeden Ricketts, and Brock Boyd. His versatility only adds to the creativity Ohio State can employ on offense in the coming years.
While the circumstances surrounding his recruitment were far from typical, the outcome ultimately aligns with what Buckeye fans had hoped for all along. Legend Bey is headed to Ohio State, bringing speed, upside, and a clear desire to wear the Scarlet and Gray. In the end, that combination makes this addition feel less like a flip and more like a homecoming.
Bey’s addition brings the class to 28, and more than likely will be the complete 2026 recruiting class, unless some unforeseen recruit decides to take a similar path and decommit from their current school at the twelfth hour. The rankings you see above are The OHIO Podcast’s Buckeye Commitment Rankings, or BCR for short. We take into account the recruits scores from both 247sports and On3, along with our own recruiting experts. We also give each recruit additional scores based on offers, competition level, rival understanding, and team needs for the most comprehensive score in Buckeye Nation.
If you would like to learn more about our BCR’s, watch each recruits highlight film with The OHIO Podcast hosts, along with additional content, blogs, message boards, and more, please consider joining our Patreon community. (See the advertisement above.)
