Former Taft Senators receiver Lorenzo McMullen Jr. has not set a decision date yet, despite receiving offers from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State Nittany Lions, and TTUN. Clearly, the Cincinnati-area 247Sports Composite 5-star is waiting on the Ohio State Buckeyes, right?
Judging from the way he talks about his home state's flagship university, it definitely sounds like the Buckeyes are the program McMullen and his family want to get an offer from. He quite literally said he's "trying to get the Buckeyes."
“I’ve heard minimum,” McMullen said, of his conversations with Ohio State, per Cleveland.com. “It’s here and there ... It’d mean everything to me. My mom’s from Columbus, and her whole side of the family lives in Columbus, so I grew up in Columbus. I used to spend summers here, watching Ohio State, so it’d mean a lot for sure.”
You can't replicate suiting up for the Scarlet and Gray for someone who grew up in the Buckeye State. Like growing up in Louisiana with the LSU Tigers, the Buckeyes are the ultimate goal for anyone growing up in Ohio. Family traditions revolve around the Ohio State University. Hell, McMullen's own family celebrates the Buckeye tradition.
Ohio State holds the cards in McMullen's recruitment. Unless he's using the Buckeye branding for leverage from other schools, which doesn't seem likely.
Why hasn't Ohio State offered Lorenzo McMullen?
Judging by the programs that have offered McMullen, it's clear there's a robust market for the 2028 prospect. The Florida Gators, Louisville Cardinals, and even the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers have all offered McMullen as well.
He's a classic burner with good size (six-foot-one, 170) as a sophomore, but it's seemingly notable that he's transferring to the Princeton Vikings. Ryan Day doesn't like the transfer portal and probably wouldn't want to replace a high-end piece like that. Is his commitment volatile?
McMullen is making the jump from Division IV to Division I, playing in a much more competitive grouping. It's not like the Buckeyes would be worried about some jump to a bigger stage. There is none. And McMullen knows it.
Fans of the Fighting Irish, Nittany Lions, and Wolverines would never be able to feel comfortable landing McMullen, knowing the school colors he really wants to wear. Those are the schools that should be worried about McMullen's jumping ship, if anyone.
McMullen will have to keep up his strong play in a new division, or else the same NIL/rev-share paychecks won't be there. Perhaps proving himself in a new division will accelerate his timeline for a decision, since Ohio State may be waiting on McMullen to prove he's elite in Division I high school football before spending big on the 2028 blue-chip, and McMullen may be waiting for the Buckeyes' offer before deciding on his collegiate home.
Recruiting for the Buckeyes should start to heat up in the next few months. Getting those prospects once they visit over the course of the summer is going to be key for the future of the program.
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