Eric Boggs
Ohio State just got its third defensive tackle in less than a month when Four-star defensive tackle Jarquez Carter committed to OSU’s 2025 recruiting class on Thursday. He’s joining Maxwell Roy and Trajen Odom at the position. Carter got his OSU offer on November 19 after visiting Ohio Stadium on a game day and instantly fell in love with what the Buckeyes had to offer.
“It meant a lot to me. That just let me know, if I can get an offer from Ohio State, I can get an offer from anywhere. It meant a lot that Larry Johnson thought I had enough ability to play for him. It felt great knowing all the great defensive linemen they’ve produced, that was a big-time offer for me. Coach Day told me that he really appreciated me coming all the way to Ohio State from Florida, he said that means a lot and shows I’m really interested in the school. He said, ‘If you show interest in me, I’ll show interest in you.”
Jarquez Carter per Eleven Warriors
Carter visited OSU many times during his recruitment, including last fall for a game day visit, last spring for a practice, and in June for an official visit. The Buckeyes beat out Miami, Florida, Penn State, and UCF for his commitment. Larry Johnson’s persistence paid off as he kept in touch with Carter weekly, sending him schemes OSU runs.
With Carter on board, OSU has 24 commitments in its 2025 class, including six on the defensive line. He joins defensive ends Zahir Mathis, Zion Grady, and London Merritt, along with Roy and Odom. OSU is still pursuing other defensive linemen like four-star Malik Autry and five-star Jahkeem Stewart if he reclassifies to 2025. According to 247Sports, Carter is the No. 395 overall prospect and the No. 42 defensive lineman in the 2025 class.
Carter is 6-foot-2 and 284 pounds, and he’ll likely play defensive tackle in college. “I see myself moving around the whole line, kind of like an Aaron Donald type,” Carter told Eleven Warriors. “I’d say my get-off and how I use my hands (makes me dominant on the field).”
Last season, Carter had 67 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and 15 quarterback hurries, leading Newberry High School (Newberry, Florida) to a 9-3 record. As a sophomore, he had 78 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, eight quarterback hits, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
When Carter arrives at OSU, he’ll probably need a season or two to adjust to the college game, but he has the potential to become a key player on the Buckeyes’ defense.
