Highly touted prospects from each of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes are expected to be in attendance, and as the game approaches, we take a look at some of the biggest recruiting storylines of the weekend.
Ohio State hopes for some turnaround
Starting with the class closest to arriving on a college campus, Ohio State hopes to welcome several flip 2024 candidates this weekend, including the commitment of Florida defensive lineman Amaris Williams, wide receiver of Miami Chance Robinson and Northwestern offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle.
Williams, Robinson and VanSickle will each make their second visit of the season to the Shoe, with the Ohio State coaching staff ready to apply full-court pressure on each. Depending on how each visit goes, there is cautious optimism that the Buckeyes could be successful in overturning those goals.
Two key hopes for 2024 will not be present on Saturday
Ohio State was hoping to have a few more 2024 targets on campus, but those visits will have to wait.
Five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton was supposed to be one of the weekend’s featured visitors, but he will no longer be coming Saturday due to the practice obligations of his high school team, IMG Academy. Ohio State hopes Seaton will be in attendance for next week’s game against Minnesota, although that has not yet been confirmed.
Ohio State tendered four-star Nebraska defensive tackle Carlon Jones as a commit on Oct. 30 and planned to have him in the boot on Saturday, but Jones’ team will play a playoff game on Saturday. Jones, however, postponed his visit until next weekend.
Many of the talents of 2025 are arriving on campus
Although Seaton may not make the trip this week, Ohio State will welcome a five-star tackle in the 2025 cycle in Georgia, signing Micah DeBose. DeBose, who resides in Alabama but grew up in Ohio, received an offer from the Buckeyes in July after a visit and will make his first trip to Ohio Stadium.
Top 30 prospect Faheem Delane was supposed to come for the Penn State game, but he will be traveling to Columbus this weekend. Delane is one of the Buckeyes’ top safety targets in the 2025 class and there appears to be a lot of mutual interest.
One of Ohio State’s top 2025 targets, Byron Louis, plans to travel to Columbus for his second visit this season, the first during the Penn State game. Other intriguing 2025 visitors include wide receiver Phillip Bell, linebacker Tarvos Alford and tight end Emaree Winston.
Two elite 2026 QB talents headed to The Shoe
Ohio State’s two proposed quarterbacks in the 2026 class who are currently uncommitted are expected to be at Ohio Stadium on Saturday: five-star prospect Jared Curtis and four-star signal-caller Will Griffin. Each of them is making their first game visit to Ohio State, with Griffin’s visit being his second to Columbus after impressing the Buckeyes during a recruiting camp in June. With OSU set at quarterback for the 2024 and 2025 classes, quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis can devote a good portion of his time to developing the relationship with each player.
Other notable 2026 visitors include five-star safety Zelus Hicks, Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney, offensive lineman Tyler Merrill and running back Javian Mallory.
A full list of visitors expected for this weekend has been compiled below. Ohio State commitments are in bold.
2024
2025
2026