Ohio State Early Signing Day Tracker: Every Player Coming to the Program in 2026

Follow along as the Ohio State Buckeyes build its 2026 recruiting class during the Early Signing Period. This real-time tracker features every official signee, individual breakdowns, position group insights, and how the class stacks up nationally.

Starting Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 a.m., players from all across the country will be able to sign their National Letters of Intent.

Name	Position	Height	Weight	High School	Hometown	National Class Ranking	Star Rating
Cincere Johnson	LB	6-foot-3	222	Glenville	Cleveland, OH	40	4
Khary Wilder	EDGE	6-foot-4	260	Junipero Serra	CA	78	4
Jay Timmons	CB	5-foot-11	185	Pine-Richland	Gibsonia, PA	42	4
Sam Greer	OT	6-foot-7.5	315	Archbishop Hoban	Akron, OH	63	4
Blaine Bradford	S	6-foot-1	207	Baton Rouge Catholic	Baton Rouge, LA	142	4
Jordan Thomas	CB	6-foot-1	185	Bergen Catholic	Oradell, NJ	175	4
Jaeden Ricketts	WR	6-foot-0	187	Watkins Memorial	Pataskala	N.A	3
Khmari Bing	CB	6-foot-0	190	St. Frances Academy	Baltimore, MD	205	4
Maxwell Riley	IOL	6-foot-5	280	Avon Lake	Avon Lake, OH	168	4
Simeon Caldwell	S	6-foot-1.5	195	The Bolles School	Jacksonville, FL	220	4
Dre Quinn	Edge	6-foot-4	228	Buford	Buford, GA	233	4
Damari Simeon	DL	6-foot-3	275	St. Augustine Prep	Richland, NJ	N/A	4
Emmanuel Ruffin	DL	6-foot-4	295	Bessemer City	Bessemer, AL	146	4
CJ Sanna	LB	6-foot-3	225	Olentangy	Lewis Center, OH	N/A	4
Braxton Rembert	Edge	6-foot-5	200	Mill Creek	Hoschton, GA	N/A	4
Favour Akih	RB	6-foot-0	190	Rutherford B. Hayes	Delaware, OH	N/A	3
Nick Lautar	TE	6-foot-5	230	Lebanon	Lebanon, OH	N/A	3
Mason Wilhelm	IOL	6-foot-4	285	St. Edward	Lakewood, OH	N/A	3
Brock Boyd	WR	6-foot-1	180	Southlake Carroll	Southlake, TX	N/A	3
Tucker Smith	OIL	6-foot-5	280	Sandra Day O'Connor	Glendale, AZ	N/A	3
Jamir Perez	DL	6-foot-4	360	Glenville	Cleveland, OH	N/A	3
Luke Fahey	QB	6-foot-0	185	Mission Viejo	Mission Viejo, CA	N/A	3
Darryus McKinley	DT	6-foot-3	270	Acadiana	Lafayette, LA	N/A	3
Landry Brede	OT	6-foot-5	280	Mentor	Mentor, OH	N/A	3

Cincere Johnson, LB - Glenville (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'3", 222 pounds
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 40

Johnson is ranked as one of the best linebackers in the country, ranked No. 3 at his position. He received countless offers from high-profile programs, including Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon and others.

Johnson has been unreal during his time at the high school level. In his senior campaign, he's led Glenville to the Division IV state championship with 161 tackles, 32.5 for a loss and 12 sacks. There's no doubt that in his first year he can see time on the gridiron at points, with him having a chance to vault into a starting spot his second season.

With so many defenders graduating, including highly-touted linebackers, Johnson has a shot to make an immediate impact.

Jay Timmons, CB - Pine-Richland (Pennsylvania)

Height/Weight: 5'11", 185 pounds
Hometown: Gibsonia, PA
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 42

Timmons initially committed back in April to attend the Indiana Hoosiers, a team the Buckeyes will take on in the upcoming Big Ten championship on Saturday. He's been a big-time recruit for quite some time now, drawing offers from Florida State, another team he committed to and then decommitted from, Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin and other Big Ten programs.

His play in coverage is what makes him such a demanding prospect. Coming downhill, he hits with force, despite being smaller than many others on the field. It might take him a bit to get adjusted to the college level, with the Buckeyes hopefully putting together a program to bulk him up.

Sam Greer, OT - Archbishop Hoban (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'7.5", 315 lbs
Hometown: Akron, OH
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 63

Greer, who will be attending Ohio State from just up the road in Akron, is by far the best offensive lineman in the 2026 room so far for the Buckeyes. He's the No. 6 nationally ranked offensive tackle prospect in the 247Sports composite, drawing offers from Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and others.

His size is huge, creating a demanding presence up front against any opposition. While he adjusts to the college level, the Buckeyes will look to get him up to speed fast. By his second-year in Columbus, Greer could already be finding himself on the field due to his physicality and quick feet.

Blaine Bradford, S - Baton Rouge Catholic (Louisiana)

Height/Weight: 6'1", 207 lbs
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 142

Bradford, who lives across the country, never seemed destined to end up in the scarlet and grey. However, the Buckeyes' recruitment staff had other things in line as they were able to get him to ignore the programs on the other side of the country and attend Ohio State.

When he initially committed to being a Buckeye back on March 31, 2025, he was a five-star prospect. Although he's dropped, his skillset is still top-notch. He has a chance to immediately slot into the secondary next season with plenty of defenders graduating, including potential All-American Caleb Downs.

Jordan Thomas, CB - Bergen Catholic (New Jersey)

Height/Weight: 6'1", 185 lbs
Hometown: Oradell, NJ
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 175

Thomas committed to being a Buckeye back in May of 2025, signaling a committment to the Buckeyes that hasn't waivered since.

He's a projected future starter for the Buckeyes, especially given his size and man coverage abilities. He comes in as the No. 2 prospect in the state of New Jersey and No. 20 nationally ranked cornerback. With such high praise, it's understood why the Buckeyes wanted to jump on him so quick back in April of 2024 with an official offer.

Khmari Bing, CB - St. Frances Academy (Maryland)

Height/Weight: 6'0", 190 lbs
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 205

The Buckeyes beat out the Crimson Tide for this one.

A tough battle no doubt, as Bing initially opened his recruitment up this fall after decommitting from Maryland. Countless teams entered the picture and tried to haul in the four-star prospect. He still has some growth to do, both in size and the level of play in college football, but he's another perfect example of speed and playmaking ability that's game-changing.

Simeon Caldwell, S - The Bolles School (Florida)

Height/Weight: 6'1.5", 195 lbs
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 220

Caldwell is the son of former NFL linebacker Mike Caldwelll, giving him those heavy-hitting, competitive genes. He's got the size of a college linebacker, but his speed makes him a high school safety. As many players do, he may fit the easy transition to linebacker when he arrives in Columbus.

His tremendous speed and coverage make him a similar linebacker to current Buckeye, Sonny Styles. At his size, he can continue to grow into a linebacker body type, but his athleticism and quick jump will potentially get him first-year reps with the special teams side of things.

Dre Quinn, Edge - Buford (Georgia)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 228 lbs
Hometown: Buford, GA
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 233

So far, Quinn is the only native of Georgia to join the Buckeyes 2026 class. At four stars, Quinn provides an explosive bounce off the outside edge for any opposing team to try and combat. He's incredibly athletic and has the power to push back most tackles in front of him.

After committing to Clemson in June, he decided to flip and attend Ohio State. He also received offers from Texas, Clemson and 36 other schools, showcasing the demand for his abilities on the gridiron.

Damari Simeon, DL - St. Augustine Prep (New Jersey)

Height/Weight: 6'3", 275 lbs
Hometown: Richland, NJ
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Simeon is a big boy who can use brute force to get his way into the backfield. He has the physical characteristics to get time in his first year, but that might only come in late-game win situations or if injuries riddle the Buckeyes in 2026. He's got all the tools to succeed, as long as he gets up to speed on the technical side of things.

Offers from big-time programs like Michigan, Penn State and Texas flooded his inbox, but he decided to take a trip west to Ohio and become a Buckeye.

CJ Sanna, LB - Olentangy (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'3", 225 lbs
Hometown: Lewis Center, OH
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Sanna is one of the more exciting, underrated linebacker prospects in this class. Big names like Cincere Johnson will overshadow him a bit, but he's nearly the perfect size coming into college. He's going to have to prove himself and earn a role to be alongside his other classmates, but we've seen in years past that freshmen can stand out.

He received offers from other Ohio schools such as Bowling Green and Cincinnati, but his major looks came from Duke, Indiana, Iowa, Miami, Michigan State and Oklahoma.

Braxton Rembert, Edge - Mill Creek (Georgia)

Height/Weight: 6'5", 200 lbs
Hometown: Hoschton, GA
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Rembert comes into Columbus with a four-star rating that sees him as the No. 29 linebacker in the class. If there's any position group that has a ton of potential, it's this one, and Rembert adds to it. He will probably adjust to the edge rusher role in college, mainly due to his size, but his athleticism will also help carry him.

He initially committed to Wake Forest back in June, but after receiving a late October offer from the Buckeyes, he decided to flip.

Favour Akih, RB - Rutherford B. Hayes (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'0", 190 lbs
Hometown: Delaware, OH
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Akih is going to be in a deep, very deep running back room at Ohio State, but his speed might be able to earn him some time on the field in his first few seasons. He clocked in at a mark of 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, proving that in open space he can rumble. His role with the Buckeyes will probably see him expand to be a pass catching back, especially if his hands are nice.

As of now, he's the only running back who committed in 2026, before signing.

Outside of Ohio State, he received some big-time offers from schools like Indiana, Miami, Penn State and USC.

Nick Lautar, TE - Lebanon (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'5", 230 lbs
Hometown: Lebanon, OH
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

The tight end room has always been more thin than other spots on the roster for Ohio State. In 2026, Lautar looks to be one of the only freshman on the roster. He will be behind a whole wave of starters that could return in 2026, including recent standout Max Klare. However, that's not a bad thing as it will give him time to develop.

Lautar was a late sign for the Buckeyes, due to the fact that three-star Corbyn Fordham flipped to Florida State, resulting in the recruiting staff looking for a new commit. After having an unofficial visit in September, he then got an offer in November and committed the following day.

Mason Wilhelm, IOL - St. Edward (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 285 lbs
Hometown: Lakewood, OH
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

St. Edward High School has been a prominent school in the Cleveland area for quite some time now. And up front, Wilhelm has been a game-changer. The No. 33-ranked prospect in the state received offers from nearly every MAC school, but it was the one from the Buckeyes that came on Nov. 7 that was a no-doubter.

That day, he committed.

The big story for Wilhelm was his initial committment to North Carolina to become a Tarheel, but Ohio State felt like a bigger chance. With Ohio State, he should slot in as a guard or center, looking to keep his father's legacy alive, Matt Wilhelm. He was a Buckeye during its national championship run way back in 2002.

Landry Brede, OT - Mentor (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'5", 280 lbs
Hometown: Mentor, OH
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Brede is one on this list that stands out, simply due to his offer list. He has over 32 offers, most notable come in from North Carolina, Florida, Michigan State, Missouri, Vanderbilt and West Virginia. At his size, he's got an incredibly high ceiling, especially when combining that with his speed.

A local, Ohio State came calling late in the recruiting cycle. He committed to NC State back on June 25, before receiving an offer from the Buckeyes on Sept. 6. After that came, he did some thinking before decommitting to NC State on Oct. 13 and flipping to join the Buckeyes.

Brock Boyd, WR - Southlake Carroll

Height/Weight: 6'1", 180 lbs
Hometown: Southlake, TX
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

One of the few wideouts in this class, Boyd give's you similar characteristics of many past and present Ohio State wide receivers. He has a bit of size, a quick burst of speed and most importantly, an ability to get up and high point the football.

Boyd helped lead his team in this year's Texas 6A D-II state playoffs with over 1,200 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in his senior season. Just last season, he had a similar level of production with over 1,500 yards and nearly 20 touchdowns, marching Southlake Carroll to a state championship appearance.

If we know anything about Brian Hartline's wide receiver room, if guys want to work, Hartline can mold them into diamonds.

Tucker Smith, IOL - Sandra Day O-Connor (Arizona)

Height/Weight: 6'5", 280 lbs
Hometown: Glendale, AZ
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Smith committed to becoming a Buckeye early in the cycle back on March 26. His official offer from the Buckeyes came five days prior, making it an easy decision for the big man. Outside of Ohio State, he received offers from Arizona and Arizona State, looking to keep him close to home, and others across the country such as Arkansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and USC.

He's a versatile offensive lineman who's played each position up front in high school, allowing for him to be molded into whatever role the Buckeyes need from him. He can bend, has good feed and his lateral quickness allows him to move along with quick defensive rushers.

Khary Wilder, Edge - Junipero Serra (California)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 260 lbs
Hometown: Gardena, CA
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 78

Wilder is one of the best edge rushers in the nation, making his signing huge for the future of the Buckeyes’ defensive line. He took a major jump in his senior season, both technically and physically, finishing as a top 50 prospect in the 247Sports composite.He has the frame to stack up anywhere on the defensive line, but his speed and power make him a lethal edge rusher. He isn’t just good at one and not the other; he’s versatile.

He will be able to make immediate contributions in his first or second seasons in Columbus in disrupting the pass and rush attack.

Maxwell Riley, IOL - Avon Lake (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'5", 280 lbs
Hometown: Avon Lake, OH
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 168

Only a two-hour drive from Columbus, Riley won’t have to travel to far to his new home for the next couple of years. After committing to become a Buckeye in March, he seemed to never waver from the scarlet and grey, even with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Indiana, Miami and other big-time schools.His crystal ball prediction had him leaning towards Clemson, but Riley stuck to the home-grown storyline to stay in-state. He’s got quick feet, is consistent on blocking assignments and is projected to be a multi-year starter with a ceiling carrying him beyond college.

Jamir Perez, DL - Glenville (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 360 lbs
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Another Glenville signee, Perez, has been dominant at the high school level. At 6-foot-4, 360 pounds, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with for the Buckeyes. Initially, he committed to Florida before flipping to the Buckeyes back in July.

His ranking doesn’t show exactly how good he is, mainly due to his need for improvement in conditioning. If he can become more technically sound as well, his size and power will help carry him forward. It may take him two or three years for him to become effective and carve out a legitimate role on the defensive line, but the sky’s the limit.

Emmanuel Ruffin, DL - Bessemer City (Alabama)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 295 lbs
Hometown: Bessemer, AL
Star Rating: ★★★★
National Class Ranking: No. 146

Ruffin comes in at a four-star mark, serving as a late-cycle commit for the Buckeyes. He was projected to end up in Colorado, but decided to head north to join Ohio State. Ranked as the No. 20 defensive lineman in the state of Alabama, Ruffin has been effective throughout his entire high school career.He’s strong, athletic for his size and excellent at breaking through blocks to get into the backfield. He’s another guy who may take a year or two to fully develop, but he has a chance at becoming a staple on the defensive line for the Buckeyes in a few seasons.

Jaeden Ricketts, WR - Watkins Memorial (Ohio)

Height/Weight: 6'0", 187 lbs
Hometown: Pataskala, OH
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

Well, the Buckeyes no longer have Brian Hartline, but they’ve put a focus on keeping the mold of talented wideouts alive. Ricketts is the No. 82-ranked wideout in the nation, but has an incredibly fast burst of speed. His 4.4-second 40-yard dash alone makes him an intriguing prospect.It was reported that Ricketts nearly flipped late in the cycle, but ultimately decided to stick it out with the Buckeyes. He also received offers from Indiana, Illinois and countless in-state programs.

Darryus McKinley, DT - Acadiana (Louisiana)

Height/Weight: 6'3", 270 lbs
Hometown: Lafayette, LA
Star Rating: ★★★
National Class Ranking: N/A

He previously committed to LSU, but just a week before signing day, he opted to go the route of Ohio State. It was uncertain whether or not he would stick it out till signing day, but he did, and will now pull over the scarlet and grey uniform.

McKinley is one of those big, athletic defensive linemen who can play either inside or outside, making him a versatile pickup for the Buckeyes. Due to his size, he will more than likely come in and play tackle, a position he will have to work at to get up to speed. In high school, he primarily played outside as an edge rusher, but his agility wouldn’t hold up well at the next level. However, he’s a powerful, brute-like force that, with a bit of growth on the technical side, can carve out a role in a few years.

2026 Decommits

Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class took a few hits in recent months, losing four verbal commitments across multiple position groups.

On offense, highly-touted offensive tackle Aaron Thomas reopened his recruitment, followed by tight end Corbyn Fordham, who flipped to Florida State. Athlete/defensive back Jakob Weatherspoon later backed off his pledge as well, while defensive tackle Cameron Brickle became the most recent to decommit before committing to Maryland.

Weatherspoon was the sole four-star of the bunch, with the other three all being three-star recruits.

While Ohio State did get a lot of the prospects there were hoping to, a few slipped through the cracks due to the loss of Offensive Coordinator Brian Hartline. He decided to leave the Buckeyes to take over as the head coach for USF, a decision that directly led to two recruits deciding to flip elsewhere and one still up in the air.

As of Wednesday, Dec. 3, top-rated wideout Chris Henry Jr. has not yet decided to commit to a university. Rumor has it he’s between Ohio State, Oregon and USC. Earlier today, he made a statement saying, “I have not signed yet. Still trying to weigh my options due to coaching changes, I just want to make the right decision for my future.”

The two commits that ended up flipping were wideout Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, who opted to attend USC, and Legend Bay, who decided to go to Tennessee. Both were four-star recruits.

Class Ranking

Although the class took a few hits, it still remains one of the best in the nation by a large margin.

According to 247Sports, the Buckeyes' 2026 class comes in at the No. 5 overall rank and No. 5 composite rank. In 2025, Ohio State had the No. 5 overall, No. 4 composite and No. 24 transfer rank, while also securing an even higher No. 3 overall, No. 5 composite and No. 8 transfer rank in 2024.

Over the past few seasons, the program that calls Columbus home has dominated the recruitment and transfer portal headlines, and 2026 is no exception.

Incredible depth and high ceilings has been a reoccurring consistency for the program.

Year	Overall Rank	Composite Rank	Transfer Rank
2026	5	5	N/A
2025	5	4	24
2024	3	5	8
2023	5	4	29
2022	4	4	73
2021	2	2	101
2020	5	5	28
2019	7	14	2
2018	2	2	N/A
2017	2	2	N/A
2016	4	4	N/A