Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s aggressive late-season recruiting push continued this past weekend, and this time the Buckeyes secured a key piece at a position of need. After months of evaluating their options and expanding the tight end board once Illinois product Mack Sutter reaffirmed his commitment to Alabama, Ohio State turned its attention in-state—and found its answer in Lebanon standout Nick Lautar.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound tight end had been on Ohio State’s radar for most of the year, but it wasn’t until Saturday night, during the Buckeyes’ dominant 48–10 win over UCLA, that tight ends coach Keenan Bailey and head coach Ryan Day officially extended an offer. Lautar didn’t make them wait. Less than 24 hours later, he flipped his commitment from Louisville to Ohio State, becoming the Buckeyes’ 27th pledge in the 2026 class and their third commitment in a span of two days.
Lautar, rated the No. 924 overall prospect and the No. 52 tight end in the 247Sports composite rankings, had been committed to Louisville since June 1. But Ohio State continued monitoring his senior season closely and brought him to campus twice this fall—first for the Week 3 matchup against Ohio, and again this weekend for the UCLA game. With his steady development and impressive physical tools, the Buckeyes felt confident extending an offer in mid-November. Lautar responded with the decisive answer they hoped for.
With his commitment, Ohio State has now secured its tight end for the cycle, and Lautar is expected to be the first and likely only TE taken in the 2026 class. His blend of size, strength, and upside gives the Buckeyes a foundation piece as Keenan Bailey continues to reshape the tight end room with versatile athletes who fit Ohio State’s evolving offensive approach.
Lautar joins a rapidly growing 2026 class that continues adding talent at a blistering pace as December approaches. And for Ohio State, landing a homegrown tight end who rose through steady evaluation and in-state development is another example of Ryan Day’s staff combining national recruiting power with strategic regional focus—exactly the formula that has kept the Buckeyes near the top of the college football world.
