Ohio State Buckeyes Receive Major Update on Elite 4-Star Recruiting Target

As we head into the dog days of the summer, the recruitment trail continues to heat up for the Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day.

Rivals' Chad Simmons reported on Wednesday that 2026 four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds is down to five schools, with the Day and the Buckeyes part of the mix for the young talent.

A summer decision is looming for 4-star DL Deuce Geralds, per @ChadSimmons_ 👀

Geralds is down to LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Oregon.

Read: https://t.co/e4KboyMopZ pic.twitter.com/bD4YWVjRDT
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 8, 2025

Geralds is the No. 9 defensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting cycle, as well as the No. 8-ranked prospect in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports' Composite Ratings. The 6-foot-3, 265 lbs. defender is coming off an incredible 2024 campaign at Collins Hill High School, as he finished the season with 114 tackles, 30 tackles for losses and 13 sacks. His efforts landed him a spot in the 2025 Under Armour All-America Game.

Luckily for Buckeye fans, the program's coaching staff has shown interest in Geralds since his freshman year, as Ohio State offered the highly-touted prospect back in 2023. The Georgia native spent this summer taking official visits during the months of May and June, with Columbus being his last stop on Jun. 20. However, Day has serious competition for Geralds, as LSU, Michigan, Oregon and Ole Miss remain in the running.

If Ohio State were to land the young talent, Day would have two incredible defensive end prospects in the 2026 recruiting with Geralds and four-star commit Khary Wilder. Last month, Wilder was named the On3Sports' MVP of the Rivals Five-Star Challenge for his outstanding play in Indianapolis.

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