Eric Boggs
Ohio State has missed out on one of its top wide receiver targets in the 2025 recruiting class. Five-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III, ranked No. 25 overall in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2025 class, announced his commitment to Florida on Sunday. Ohio State was among the four finalists in Brown’s recruitment, along with Florida, Florida State, and Miami.
The Buckeyes appeared to gain momentum in Brown’s recruitment after his official visit during the first weekend of June. Brown expressed his admiration for the visit, stating it “really opened my eyes” and that he “really loved everything” about his time at Ohio State.
However, Florida was always a strong contender due to Brown’s deep family connections with the Gators. His father, Vernell Brown Jr., played cornerback for Florida from 2001-05 and later worked at the university as senior director of student-athlete development and alumni relations from 2018-23. His grandfather, Vernell Brown Sr., also played for the Gators.
Ultimately, Brown chose to continue his family’s legacy by committing to Florida, becoming the first five-star prospect in their 2025 recruiting class.
With Brown now committed to Florida, Ohio State shifts its focus to Phillip Bell, a four-star receiver from California. Bell is expected to choose between OSU and USC later this summer, making him the top target to round out the Buckeyes’ 2025 receiver class.
Another potential option for Ohio State is Preston Bowman, a three-star receiver from Pickerington, who was offered by OSU in June, just one day after committing to Kentucky. Despite his firm commitment to Kentucky, Bowman has frequently visited Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes confidence they can flip him with a dedicated effort.
Brown was likely Ohio State’s final chance to add a five-star wide receiver to its 2025 class. Initially, Ohio State was seen as the frontrunner to land five-star Florida wideout Jamie Ffrench after his decommitment from Alabama in January. However, the Buckeyes seem to have faded in that recruitment as Ffrench chose not to make an official visit to Ohio State this summer.
Despite this setback, Ohio State could still secure a five-star wide receiver in the class if Quincy Porter’s ranking continues to rise. The OSU commit from New Jersey is currently ranked as the nation’s No. 45 overall prospect, just shy of five-star status. Porter is one of three 2025 wide receivers committed to Ohio State, along with fellow New Jersey prospect De’zie Jones and three-star in-state prospect Bodpegn Miller.
