The Ohio State football program hasn't been able to land a lot of key recruits on the defensive front this cycle. It's the second straight year in which the defensive line depth in the recruiting class will be lacking. They do still have time to fix that, but Larry Johnson looks out of touch at the moment.
One defensive end recruit that they were able to gain a commitment from is Khary Wilder. Wilder decided to choose the Buckeyes a while ago, and he is a four-star recruit right now. There's a chance he's a five-star recruit when everything is all said and done, based on a recent jump up the recruiting rankings he just made.
Key defensive Ohio State football recruit takes a ride up the recruiting rankings
After an impressive performance at Rivals camp, Wilder has soared up their recruiting rankings. Wilder is now one of the best defensive ends in the class, according to Rivals. He was one of the best performers in that camp against some of the other best players in the country, so that fueled this massive jump.
Biggest risers in the initial 2026 Rivals300 rankings📈
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 14, 2025
Read: https://t.co/0r1u7mM5W3 pic.twitter.com/2t5a1MEpxZ
Wilder is now ranked as the 38th-best player in the country in the 2026 recruiting class. He's a fantastic player, which is good for the Buckeyes because he's one few defensive ends they've been able to land in this cycle. Ohio State has to figure out how to get more players like him.
The Buckeyes are hoping to finish the 2026 recruiting class strong this winter. They have about six months left to fill out the final 10-12 members of their class. They still have a couple of five-star recruits that they are hoping to add.
Ohio State is hoping that Matt Patricia can help Larry Johnson at the end of the cycle. At this point, this looks like it will end up being Johnson's last season. If the recruiting continues that way from him, then it kind of has to be.