Ohio State Buckeyes Targeting Five-Star Defender from Big Ten Opponent

The Ohio State Buckeyes are always looking to swing big in recruiting. Ryan Day has done an impressive job in recent years of building the program back to being arguably the best recruiting team in the nation.

Now, it sounds like Ohio State is trying to poach an elite talent from a Big Ten opponent.

Zion Elee is a five-star EDGE prospect in the 2026 recruiting class. He is viewed as one of the best players in the entire recruiting class.

At this point in time, Elee is committed to the Maryland Terrapins. That may not end up being where he actually signs.

According to a report from On3 Sports college football insider Hayes Fawcett, Elee is primed to take six official visits. The Buckeyes happen to be among those visits.

NEWS: Five-Star Maryland EDGE commit Zion Elee plans to take OVs to these 6️⃣ Schools:

•Maryland
•Auburn
•Ohio State
•Penn State
•Texas A&M
•South Carolina

He is ranked as the No. 1 Recruit in ‘26 (per On3)https://t.co/Wn83TAvgpB pic.twitter.com/tBmgvSBFV5
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 6, 2025

Granted, this does not mean that Ohio State has great odds to flip his commitment. However, coming off of a national championship winning season would certainly help their odds of doing so.

As of this moment, On3 Sports has Elee ranked as the No. 3 recruiting in the entire 2026 class. He is also ranked as the No. 1 EDGE.

Standing in at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he has good size and elite athleticism. He will need to bulk up a bit more, but his future could not look better.

Looking at the 2026 class, the Buckeyes could use more pass rushing. Swooping in and finding a way to flip Elee would be a huge get for Ohio State and would strengthen their defense immensely.

That being said, Elee is taking official visits to four five other quality programs. He is also committed to Maryland, which is his hometown school. Flipping him will be no easy task.

Hopefully, Day is able to work some magic and get the job done. For now, this is simply something to keep a close eye on that the Buckeyes have a chance of turning into a reality.

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