Ohio State is in the middle of a June football recruiting surge in the 2025 class. And with it, the Buckeyes have secured what they have been aiming for.
With recent commitments from top-100, four-star running back Bo Jackson and top-35, four-star safety Faheem Delane, Ohio State holds the No. 1 recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports' composite team rankings.
In the class, Ohio State has more five-star commitments than any other team with three – cornerback Devin Sanchez, cornerback Na'eem Offord and quarterback Tavien St. Clair – and the highest average player rating of committed recruits.
The Buckeyes hold a substantial lead over No. 2 Notre Dame, which has seven more committed players in 2025.
But it is only June. And with 14 commits, Ohio State could have as many as 10 more commits join the 2025 class.
How can the Buckeyes ensure they keep the No. 1 recruiting class in the country? Here are six key players that could define Ohio State's ranking.
Note: All rankings are from the 247Sports' composite
David Sanders Jr.: 5-star offensive tackle
David Sanders. Jr. remains the pendulum for Ohio State securing the No. 1 2025 recruiting class.
Sanders, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive tackle out of Charlotte, North Carolina, is the No. 2 player in the 2025 class behind quarterback Bryce Underwood, an LSU commit. Sanders entered June as the top uncommitted player on Ohio State's board as the Buckeyes look for their first five-star offensive line win since Donovan Jackson in 2021.
Ohio State is not alone in the Sanders fight. While the Buckeyes will get the last chance to secure Sanders with a June 21-23 official visit - one shared with players such as St. Clair and four-star offensive tackle and OSU commit Carter Lowe - Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama are fighting for someone many view as a potential plug-and-play tackle.
Ohio State has some potential backup plans at tackle, including five-star Josh Petty, four-star Micah DeBose and four-star Jackson Lloyd, who will reportedly each officially visit the Buckeyes this month. But for offensive line coach Justin Frye, Sanders may be the end-all, be-all in terms of how this class is remembered and viewed.
Dakorien Moore: 5-star wide receiver
Can Brian Hartline flip another five-star wide receiver?
In Dakorien Moore, Ohio State has its chance. Moore, a 5-11, 175-pound receiver out of Duncanville, Texas, is the No. 3 player and the No. 1 receiver in the country. And after multiple spring visits to Ohio State, Moore ended his commitment to LSU and reopened his recruitment.
Ohio State already hosted Moore for his official visit. And, having just completed an official visit with LSU, he still has two scheduled to Oregon and Texas.
Ohio State has one receiver committed in 2025 in four-star De'zie Jones. And the Buckeyes have their eyes on multiple options, including five-star Jaime Ffrench and high four-star Vernell Brown III.
The last time Ohio State failed to land a five-star wide receiver was in 2022. A commitment from a receiver such as Moore could help determine where the Buckeyes land on the national rankings.
Dorian Brew: 5-star cornerback
If Ohio State lands only two cornerbacks in 2025, the program landed the two to get in Sanchez and Offord.
But with seemingly a cornerback spot open after the decommitment of four-star Blake Woodby, all eyes seemingly turned to Ohio-turned-Texas five-star and Ohio State legacy Dorian Brew.
Brew is the No. 27 player and the No. 5 cornerback in the class. And while Ohio State already has its best cornerback recruiting class since 2017 when it landed Shaun Wade and Jeff Okudah, Brew can help Tim Walton and the Buckeyes further differentiate themselves on the defensive back market moving forward and give Ohio State another five star in the 2025 class.
Riley Pettijohn: 4-star linebacker
With Eli Lee and Tarvos Alford committed in the 2025 class, Ohio State's attention turns to fourth-ranked linebacker and high four-star Riley Pettijohn.
Pettijohn, out of McKinney, Texas, already held his official visit at Ohio State after joining Alford for the first official visit weekend of the year May 31-June 2.
“We got to know each other well,” Alford said of Pettijohn. “He’s a funny guy. I feel like he felt more comfortable around the staff and things like that. And I think he really likesLaurinaitis. I think we’re going to be in a good position with him.”
Pettijohn is the No. 31 prospect in the country, and Texas, Southern California and Texas A&M continue to put a full-court press on. Pettijohn would be Ohio State's highest-ranked linebacker commit since C.J. Hicks in 2022.
Pettijohn would be a signature piece for James Laurinaitis early in his tenure as Ohio State's linebackers coach.
Justin Hill: 4-star defensive end
Cincinnati four-star defensive end Justin Hill is important in myriad ways for Ohio State's 2025 recruiting class.
Not only is he one of the top-ranked edge rushers in the country at No. 7, he's a battle the Buckeyes desperately need to win. Hill, out of Winton Woods High School, is the fourth-ranked Ohio prospect in 2025, and Ohio State has already secured two of the top three in St. Clair and Lowe. While Hill considers Alabama, Oregon and USC, getting him to stay home would be a key win for in-state recruiting moving forward.
More on Justin Hill:What 2025 DE Justin Hill learned from Ohio State during official visit: 'I wanted clarity'
But more important for Ohio State, Hill represents the future at defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' jack defensive end/linebacker hybrid position. Hill was pitched as Knowles' first jack recruit, one that could introduce the position to the defense in 2025 and beyond.
As another top-75 defensive commit, Hill would help Ohio State's team ranking. But with Hill, Ohio State could be opening up another door that could positively effect future recruiting classes.
Jordon Davison: 4-star running back
Ohio State has landed its prized jewel at running back in 2025 with Jackson. But four-star top-100 California back Jordon Davison would not be a terrible second option.
Davison, a 6-foot, 225-pound back out of Mater Dei, is the No. 96 player and the sixth-ranked running back in the class. And for an OSU class that is projected to land three running backs, Davison would give the Buckeyes a solid one-two punch with Jackson with two of the top six running backs in the country.
Davison would also reopen California as a recruiting territory for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have not landed a California recruit since 2022, when the Buckeyes landed four-star defensive lineman Hero Kanu, who is originally from Germany.
Davison is expected to hold his final official visit at Ohio State June 21-23.
