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Ohio State lands elite linebacker recruit to further cement LB coach's legacy

The Ohio State football coach has shown he's one of the best recruiters in the country.
Ohio State Buckeyes linebackers coach James Laurinaitis warms up players prior to the NCAA football game against the Ohio Bobcats at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 13, 2025.
Ohio State Buckeyes linebackers coach James Laurinaitis warms up players prior to the NCAA football game against the Ohio Bobcats at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 13, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State football program decided to hire James Laurinaitis as a full-time coach starting with the 2024 season. He was a GA with the Buckeyes in 2023 before he got the promotion. Laurinaitis started his coaching career with Notre Dame in 2022 as a GA.

Since becoming a full-time coach, Laurinaitis has shown himself to be an excellent recruiter. He has been able to land several elite recruits, including a five-star recruit. Laurinaitis helped develop Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles into top 10 picks in this past year's NFL Draft.

Ohio State has always had a great history of linebackers. Laurinaitis is a big part of that himself. Now, Laurinaitis has landed another linebacker recruit who is hoping to add to that legacy in the next few years. This commit is proving that Laurinaitis is legit as a coach.

Ohio State football lands four-star linebacker recruit Prince Goldsby

Four-star linebacker recruit Prince Goldsby has decided to pick the Ohio State Buckeyes. Goldsby is from Blue Springs, Missouri. He is the seventh-best linebacker recruit in the country. He becomes the second linebacker recruit in the 2027 class for the Buckeyes.

Goldsby is also the 13th recruit in Ohio State's recruiting class so far. However, the class is about to keep growing in numbers by the end of the month. Ohio State has the biggest recruiting weekend of the season at the end of the month of May. That will determine how highly-ranked the class will finish.

Laruinaitis is turning into the best recruiter that Ohio State has on the coaching staff. He is also turning into a great defensive coach. At some point, he could take over the defensive coordinator position once Matt Patricia decides to move on. He is also starting to look like a viable future head coaching candidate.

Ohio State coach James Laurinaitis is becoming an elite coach

Based on the short time he has been with the program, Laurinaitis is a coach on the rise. For several years, he was a radio personality in Columbus on 97.1 The Fan. He finally made the decision to get into coaching, and Ryan Day is happy to have him on his coaching staff.

It seems that Laurinaitis is progressing at a great clip to be a future head coach. The question is whether or not he gets a coordinating gig before he becomes a head coach, or if he progresses more like Brian Hartline. Hartline was an elite recruiter before moving to USF as their head coach.

Goldsby is just the latest linebacker to decide to play for the Buckeyes. He should become an impact player in the next couple of years, but he will need Laurinaitis to help develop him. He has good size at 6'3 and 205 pounds, so he just needs a coach to help him develop.

The Buckeyes do a great job of developing their defensive players. This is clearly why Goldsby decided that he wanted to play his college ball in Columbus for the next few years.

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