USC Beats Out Ohio State Buckeyes for Coveted 4-Star Defender

After losing out on a key in-state recruit in Jakobe Clapper on Friday, the trend has continued for head coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

According to On3Sports' Hayes Fawcett on X, 2026 four-star cornerback Elbert Hill has announced his commitment to the USC Trojans after a heated race with the Buckeyes.

BREAKING: Elite 2026 CB Elbert Hill has Committed to USC, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 5’10 185 CB from Akron, OH chose the Trojans over Ohio State, Oregon, & Alabama

He’s ranked as the #1 Recruit in Ohio (#4 CB) per On3

“I’m home, Fight On✌🏻”https://t.co/zAZwpcuwoO pic.twitter.com/E2tGOzJl4n
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 2, 2025

The Akron native was a top recruit for Day and Ohio State, as he was the No. 1 player in the state of Ohio and the the No. 3 cornerback in the nation, per 247Sports' Composite Ratings. At 5-foot-10, 185 lbs, Hill has the makings to be a talented defensive back at the next level, which makes his commitment to newly-added Big 10 school a tough loss for Ohio State.

Looking at the future of the Buckeyes defensive back room, the team was able to land five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Sanchez could easily become an impact player day one for Day and his defense, but the program must continue to add more cornerbacks in the current recruiting class.

Day still has one cornerback commit this cycle in Jakob Weatherspoon, a versatile defensive back from Avon, OH. However, the Buckeyes will still need to lock down more firepower in the secondary to strengthen the defense for years to come.

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