Eric Boggs
After a challenging week, Ohio State’s offensive line coach Justin Frye has successfully secured a crucial recruitment victory, reinforcing the Buckeyes’ 2025 class. On Saturday, four-star prospect Jayvon McFadden from Maryland committed to Ohio State, adding much-needed depth to the offensive line. McFadden, who took his official visit to Columbus on June 6, chose Ohio State as his only official visit this summer. Initially, momentum seemed to favor the Buckeyes shortly after his visit, but McFadden decided to take his time, re-evaluating his options before making his final decision. In recent weeks, Frye and the Ohio State staff made a determined push, ultimately convincing McFadden to join the Buckeyes.
McFadden, hailing from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, has been a frequent visitor to Columbus over the past year. Ohio State extended an offer to him during his visit for the Michigan State game last November. Since then, he returned to campus for the spring game and again in June for his official visit. The connection McFadden felt with Ohio State was unmatched, leading him to schedule only one official visit despite taking longer to finalize his decision than initially expected.
McFadden chose Ohio State over nearly 30 other programs, including notable names like Colorado, Florida, Maryland, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Boston College, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, and Tennessee. His final choices were narrowed down to Ohio State, Colorado, South Carolina, and Maryland.
With McFadden’s commitment, Ohio State’s 2025 class now boasts 25 total commitments, including three offensive linemen: McFadden, Carter Lowe, and Jake Cook. While the Buckeyes aim to further strengthen their offensive line, there are currently no heavily pursued uncommitted targets. However, this could change as Ohio State evaluates senior film from prospects across the country in the coming weeks.
In addition to traditional recruiting, Ohio State is expected to stay active in the transfer portal to address potential needs, particularly for offensive tackles, ahead of the next season. McFadden’s addition brings a significant boost to Ohio State’s offensive line corps. According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, McFadden is the No. 407 overall prospect and the No. 25 interior offensive lineman in the nation.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 300 pounds, McFadden excelled as a left tackle during his junior season at Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro. Although he is likely to transition to an interior offensive line position at the college level, there remains a possibility he could fill in as an offensive tackle if needed.
McFadden’s playing style is characterized by a tenacious mean streak and strong hands at the point of attack, traits that will serve him well at Ohio State. His length and leverage allow him to effectively engage defensive linemen, and he is quick to reach the second level on running plays. With a relentless motor, McFadden is known for his high-intensity finishing.
While he may require one or two seasons of development before making an impact for the Buckeyes, McFadden has the potential to become a versatile swing lineman, capable of playing multiple positions along Ohio State’s offensive front.
