Eric Boggs
Ohio State has recently missed out on securing Ohio’s second-ranked prospect for the 2025 class. Trey McNutt, a five-star safety, announced his commitment to Oregon. This development is notable as Ohio State was initially favored to land McNutt, who is the top-ranked safety and the 19th overall prospect in the 2025 cycle. McNutt’s father, Richard McNutt, played as a defensive back for Ohio State from 1999 to 2002, adding a personal connection to the program.
The shift became apparent when McNutt chose not to make an official visit to Ohio State this summer, instead visiting USC, Florida, Texas A&M, and Oregon. Although Ohio State might attempt to bring McNutt back for an official visit this fall, they now face the challenge of persuading him away from their new Big Ten rival.
McNutt joins another top Ohioan, Justin Hill, who committed to Alabama on July 3, in spurning the Buckeyes. Oregon’s success in securing top recruits over Ohio State extends beyond McNutt, as the Ducks have also landed five-star cornerback Dorian Brew, four-star running back Jordon Davison, and five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore this summer.
Despite these losses, Ohio State still leads the 247Sports team composite rankings for the 2025 class, with Oregon trailing in sixth place behind Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Auburn. Ohio State’s safety class remains strong with commitments from Faheem Delane, the second-ranked safety in the 2025 class, and four-star prospects DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. With McNutt off the board, four-star Virginia safety Messiah Delhomme has become the top target to round out Ohio State’s safety class.
Ohio State’s 2025 class also includes eight in-state commits, featuring three of Ohio’s top five prospects: quarterback Tavien St. Clair, offensive tackle Carter Lowe, and running back Bo Jackson. However, missing out on McNutt, an Ohio State legacy, is a notable setback. If McNutt remains committed to Oregon, he will become the fourth five-star Ohioan in the past decade to leave the state, joining Tommy Kraemer (Notre Dame, 2016), Jackson Carman (Clemson, 2018), and Drew Allar (Penn State, 2022).
