Eric Boggs
This weekend marked the third official visit weekend of the summer at Ohio State, and the Buckeyes have positioned themselves well with several key targets. After a quiet week prior, this weekend saw a surge in activity with twelve high-profile recruits visiting Columbus. The visit list included both committed prospects and top-priority uncommitted players, with the Glenville pipeline once again becoming a major storyline.
All eyes were on linebacker Cincere Johnson and defensive tackle Jamir Perez, who camped at Ohio State earlier in the week before returning for official visits. Johnson, a four-star backer who’s long been courted by James Laurinaitis, is expected to make his college decision this Thursday and has narrowed his choices to Ohio State, Alabama, and Penn State. If the Buckeyes land him, it’ll be another big win for the Glenville-to-Columbus tradition.
Perez, a three-star DT currently committed to Florida, made his second trip to campus this week and continues to be one of the more realistic flip candidates for the Buckeyes. If Ryan Day’s staff can close the deal with one—or both—of Glenville’s standouts, it would keep the Tarblooder-to-Buckeye connection thriving, following in the footsteps of Bryce West, Arvell Reese, and Damarion Witten.
While Laurinaitis played point man for Johnson, veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson was at the center of the action across the trenches. He spent time with four-star tackles PJ Dean and Earnest Rankins, as well as defensive ends Carter Meadows, Jackson Ford, and Keysaun Eleazer. Of that group, Dean appears to be leaning heavily toward the Buckeyes, while the others had their chance to soak in everything Ohio State has to offer—and connect with future teammates. Recruits like Ford and Eleazer made it clear they were most eager to experience the Buckeye culture from the inside out, especially how the current players feel about being in the program.
On the offensive side, all three of OSU’s current offensive line commits—Maxwell Riley, Sam Greer, and Tucker Smith—were in town to help solidify the class and recruit others. Columbus native CJ Sanna, a four-star linebacker and vocal Buckeye pledge, took his visit as well and did his part to sway Johnson to join him in scarlet and gray.
In the secondary, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton focused his efforts on Danny Odem, a four-star prospect who is nearing a June 23 commitment. Georgia commit Justice Fitzpatrick had previously been expected but officially shut down his recruitment before the weekend.
With three visit weekends down and one to go, Ryan Day and his staff are clearly building momentum in the 2025 cycle—and if the results match the energy on campus, more good news should be coming to Buckeye Nation very soon.
