Ohio State football: Will the Buckeyes add more five-star recruits?

After landing their first two commitments from five-star players for their 2023 recruiting class recently (receivers Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate), is the Ohio State football program in line to add a couple more? It is certainly looking like they are in a very good position to do so. Here is a look at who they could be adding:

Matayo Uiagalelei – Although there are not any predictions just yet, there is a lot of speculation about the nation’s number two edge rusher and 21st overall player (according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings) will choose Ohio State. The California native was in Columbus on a visit in April and while he didn’t have a lot to say about it, his dad certainly did,

"“Every time I’m with Ryan Day it’s like family. He’s a great individual, the same person you see on TV is who you get in person. Thank you for being a real one.”"

I’d say Dad is a Ryan Day fan. When it comes time to make a decision, the elder Uiagalelei makes it clear NIL will be a very important factor. While his affinity for Day may not make that much of an impact in the end, the fact the Buckeye players do well with NIL opportunities should weigh heavily in the Uiagalelei’s decision.

Ohio State, USC, and Oregon are considered the frontrunners right now, and he does intend to take a trip to Alabama in the fall. Some are of the opinion Oregon has fallen behind, but he raved about his recent visit with the Ducks. The consensus seems to be if he chooses to stay on the west coast, he’ll choose USC. If not, he’ll commit to the Ohio State football program. No timeline for a decision has been given by the family.

Caleb Downs – After missing out on their top safety targets last year, Downs is a big fish the Buckeyes need to reel in. The 6’, 185-pounder from Hoschton, Georgia is the country’s number one player at this position.

He appears to be a very good fit for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme. Knowles calls the free safety the adjuster because he must recognize the offensive formation and move his defensive teammates accordingly. Downs is a very smart player who does a lot of film study. That’s the type of guy you want making adjustments to your defense. He’s also described as a leader and physical player.

While none of the trusted experts at 247Sports have made any predictions just yet, Rivals has him choosing the Buckeyes. There are already two safeties committed to OSU in this recruiting class, but there is plenty of room to add a guy like Downs. He was on campus the weekend of June 25-26 for his official visit.

In case you missed it this weekend, the Buckeyes picked up commitments from a couple of cornerbacks and received a prediction for an offensive tackle, but missed out on a coveted defensive lineman. As expected, Jermaine Mathews of Cincinnati announced on Friday he will join Ryan Day’s program.

More good news came Friday when Calvin Simpson-Hunt, a Texas native with blazing speed, flipped his commitment from Texas Tech to Ohio State. That same day, experts at 247Sports and Bucknuts predicted Greenwich, CT tackle Miles Walker to the Buckeyes. Unfortunately, OSU lost out on four-star defensive tackle Darron Reed. He chose LSU on Monday.

It doesn’t take following recruiting for very long to realize how fluid it is. Something is always happening and things change almost daily. Stay tuned everyone, there’s a lot more to come.