College Football HQ

Ohio State recruiting win deals tough blow to Georgia, Alabama

A four-star linebacker prospect has committed to the Buckeyes burgeoning 2027 recruiting class and in the process handed a big loss to SEC powers Alabama and Georgia.
James Parks|
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Ohio State BuckeyesAlabama Crimson TideGeorgia Bulldogs

One of the top targets on the Ohio State recruiting big board has given his pledge to the Buckeyes and in the process handed a notable loss to a pair of SEC powerhouses.

Four-star linebacker Quinton Cypher gave his commitment to the Buckeyes late this week, selecting the reigning national champions over finalists Georgia and Alabama, according to Rivals.

Cypher is the eighth commit in Ohio State’s top-five ranked 2027 football recruiting class, its first linebacker, and an important acquisition for linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.

SEC rivals were in the mix

Alabama and Georgia were considered two of Cypher’s finalists, in addition to ACC power Miami, prior to his pledge to the Buckeyes.

But as the process was winding down to his commitment, it was clear that Cypher would be picking mainly between Ohio State and Georgia.

Cypher made a reported five visits with the Georgia football program during his process, and was present for an unofficial visit with Alabama during its win over Wisconsin, but the Bulldogs appeared to distance themselves from the Crimson Tide later on.

Georgia emerged as a serious contender for the linebacker during the final month of his recruiting process, but Ohio State ultimately secured his verbal pledge, putting a bow on a process that began in August 2024 with Laurinaitis leading the charge.

How he rates as a recruit

Cypher is considered a top-ten ranked player at the linebacker position and one of the 10 best recruiting prospects in the state of North Carolina.

The prospect is rated as the No. 9 overall linebacker in the nation and the No. 7 football prospect in the state regardless of position, according to a consensus of the national recruiting services.

ESPN gave Cypher its highest ratings, naming the Raleigh Millbrook star defender the No. 7 linebacker in the country. He is a consensus four-star prospect nationally.

What Cypher has done in high school

The linebacker has emerged as a tackle machine during his varsity career in Raleigh, in particular building a reputation as a very productive run defender.

Dominant across his three years of high school so far, Cypher stood out in particular during his sophomore campaign. 

It was during that year when he recorded 175 total tackles, including 31.5 stops behind the line, racking up 12.5 quarterback sacks, breaking up 8 pass attempts, forcing a fumble, notching two safeties, and intercepting 3 passes, returning 1 for a touchdown.

His freshman season ended with 155 stops, 8.5 tackles for loss, three pass defenses, a forced fumble, two recoveries, and two intercepted passes.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He has covered football for a decade, previously managing several team sites and publishing national content for 247Sports.com for five years. His work has also been published on CBSSports.com. He founded College Football HQ in 2020, and the site joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022 and the On SI network in 2024.

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