College Football's No. 2 DL Rejects Two National Powerhouses in Recruitment Update

As the month of June draws to a close, some of the most consequential prospects in the 2027 college football recruiting class are set to make their commitments known, and now one of the top defensive linemen in the country has made his decision official.

No. 2 nationally ranked defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou has revealed his intention to play for the Ohio State program in the future as a member of its burgeoning 2027 football recruiting class in an announcement on Monday.

Ohio State takes a jump

College Football's No. 2 DL Rejects Two National Powerhouses in Recruitment Update — Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fakatou’s decision follows what was a growing consensus that the defensive lineman and No. 4 overall football player in California was leaning strongly towards the Buckeyes against two SEC contenders as his recruitment was drawing to a close.

As a result, the Buckeyes rose by a respectable margin in the national recruiting rankings, sliding into the improved No. 5 position, with 18 known verbal commitments, including 14 blue chip prospects, with Fakatou ranking as OSU’s third best prospect.

Consensus No. 1 nationally ranked edge rusher David Jacobs remains Ohio State’s most important 2027 commitment, followed by No. 3 wide receiver Jamier Brown as the top ranked prospect irrespective of position from the Buckeye State.

Who missed out on Fakatou?

Right until the end, it appeared to be a three-team race for the defensive lineman, with SEC blue bloods Georgia and Texas under strong consideration from the prospect.

Georgia maintained a strong and consistent rapport with Fakatou throughout his recruitment process since giving him an offer in early August of last year, and the Bulldogs were viewed as one of his most natural fits, especially after a very successful visit to Athens in late May and early June.

Fakatou also listed the Longhorns as one of his three finalists alongside the Buckeyes and Bulldogs after getting an offer from Steve Sarkisian last January and was on campus when Texas knocked off undefeated rival Texas A&M in an emotional regular season finale in 2025.

An uber-elite DL recruit

Fakatou has earned consistently positive reviews from recruiting analysts, an industry weighted average of whose opinion rates him as the No. 2 defensive lineman in the nation and the fourth best prospect from California at any position.

Playing most of his meaningful snaps on the edge, Fakatou also has the versatility to move inside to tackle, with good size and length at the point of attack, using his frame effectively to occupy blockers and clog up running lanes, including when working against double teams.

Fakatou flashes elite burst off the snap and shows consistent pursuit when working as a pass rusher, with intriguing upside as a rotational defensive lineman with run stopping ability and developmental pass rush potential when he suits up for the Buckeyes.

(Fakatou)

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