Report: After losing David Sanders Jr Ohio State recruiting strategy in 2026 class

As anticipated after recent developments, five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. committed to Tennessee over the weekend. Earlier in the week, Josh Petty chose Georgia Tech, leaving Ohio State’s top two offensive line targets for the 2025 class off the board. The Buckeyes now have just two commits at the position in Carter Lowe and Jake Cook, during a cycle where they desperately needed to bolster their offensive line depth.

Pursuing top-tier linemen like Sanders is always challenging, but Ohio State and offensive line coach Justin Frye worsened the situation by not having a solid backup plan in place in case Sanders chose another school. Out of fewer than 30 offensive linemen the Buckeyes have offered this cycle — a rather narrow selection — only four remain uncommitted, with just one, three-star IOL Jayvon McFadden, showing genuine interest in Ohio State.

Now Frye faces significant pressure, and justifiably so. Head coach Ryan Day hired him from UCLA to replace Greg Studrawa, who was not an active recruiter, but Frye’s recruiting efforts have shown minimal improvement. Ohio State offered far fewer offensive linemen than their top competitors and overlooked several talented in-state prospects like Wisconsin commit Nolan Davenport (No. 33 OT, No. 12 OH) and Kentucky commit Jermiel Atkins (No. 48 OT, No. 19 OH).

With the Buckeyes likely losing three or four starting offensive linemen to graduation or the NFL Draft after the upcoming season, the team is in a precarious position. They will likely need to rely on the transfer portal next offseason to fill multiple spots, a strategy they’ve been reluctant to embrace despite recent additions like Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin.

This approach is risky, as the availability and quality of players Ohio State would pursue through the portal are uncertain. Additionally, the offensive line is one of the most challenging positions to rebuild via transfers. To address their ongoing issues, Ohio State must improve its recruiting strategy and efforts for the 2026 class if they want to strengthen a unit that has underperformed in recent seasons.

The first step for Ohio State to improve its offensive line recruiting will be securing the top prospects within the state. Fortunately, the 2026 class in Ohio features several high-caliber offensive line talents, with three of the top four already holding offers from the Buckeyes.

Leading the pack is Maxwell Riley, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive tackle ranked as the No. 6 OT and No. 37 overall player in the nation according to 247Sports. Riley is the top prospect in Ohio and has nearly 30 offers from elite programs. Landing the Avon Lake native is crucial for Ohio State, although it won’t be an easy task. The Buckeyes currently hold the only Crystal Ball prediction for Riley, according to Bill Kurelic, though it was made in early 2023.

The other in-state linemen with Ohio State offers in the 2026 class are Sam Greer and Will Conroy. Greer, from Akron, is ranked as the No. 13 OT and No. 170 overall prospect, and the No. 6 player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite. Conroy, hailing from Cleveland, is ranked as the No. 16 IOL and No. 13 player in Ohio. Greer received his offer from Ohio State in April 2023, while Conroy was offered in January 2024.

Ohio State might gain an edge with Greer through peer recruiting, as current 2025 commit Eli Lee and 2026 cornerback target Elbert Hill both attend Archbishop Hoban, Greer’s high school, which also produced former OSU running back Chip Trayanum. However, the situation with Conroy is more concerning. Despite Ohio State being his “dream school” and his childhood favorite, the Buckeyes were not included in his top five schools list released in July.

Another in-state blue-chip prospect without an Ohio State offer is offensive tackle Adam Guthrie. Standing at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds, Guthrie is ranked as the No. 16 OT, No. 215 overall player nationally, and the No. 9 in-state prospect per the 247Sports Composite. He holds over 30 offers, but Ohio State has yet to make a move, which is something they will need to address quickly.

Despite the promising talent within Ohio in the 2026 class, early signs are troubling. Ohio State has offered just 15 offensive linemen in this cycle, a stark contrast to other top programs like Michigan (32 offers), Oregon (37), Penn State (55), Alabama (33), and Georgia (40). This disparity raises concerns about Justin Frye’s recruiting efforts.

While the number of offers doesn’t entirely reflect the work being done, it’s not a good look given the current challenges and the underperformance of the offensive line recruiting strategy. If Frye wants to keep his position beyond this season, he will need to ramp up his efforts and produce tangible results.

The focus should start with locking down the top in-state prospects, then targeting elite national recruits. Ohio State cannot afford another cycle where they invest heavily in a few top targets and come up empty, especially at such a critical position for success at the highest level.