The Ohio State Buckeyes' chances to land 5-star Lawrence North (IN) receiver Monshun Sales don't appear strong as his decision date looms this Friday. It looks like it'll come down to either the Texas Longhorns or the Indiana Hoosiers.
On3's Justin Wells claimed that, "Three months ago I said this kid is probably going to Indiana...now, I think it's 50/50." On3's Tim Watts reports that, "If this is a complete NIL decision, it probably won't be Alabama," so we can write off the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Indiana is a natural fit for Sales, and the Hoosiers are leveraging Omar Cooper Jr., a national champion and the No. 30 pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the New York Jets after that run, to help with their Sales pitch since he also went to Lawrence North. Still, Texas is refusing to go down without swinging for the fences.
The Longhorns may have an ulterior motive for pushing for Sales so hard. According to Wells, when it comes to Sales and fellow 2027 5-star Easton Royal, "They're not going to the same school."
Royal, a New Orleans native and Brother Martin product, is a strong flip candidate for Lane Kiffin's LSU Tigers, which are doing a phenomenal job following the Nick Saban blueprint and keeping in-state kids on the Bayou.
Sales could be the impetus for a Royal flip if he chooses Texas. It's very clear there's trouble in paradise on the Royal front in Austin by virtue of Sales being an option for the Longhorns at all.
Ohio State should hope Monshun Sales chooses Texas if he snubs Buckeyes
It seems that Sales is not really an option anymore for OSU unless there's an 11th-hour push. It feels like 5-star Baylor (TN) running back David Gabriel Georges is the only recruit the Buckeyes are putting all their eggs in the basket for, though. DGG's decision is coming down to the wire with the Tennessee Volunteers and Ole Miss Rebels still in the hunt, and he claims it's not all about money. What that means for Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's massive donation to the University of Tennessee to help land DGG is unclear.
Short of Sales joining him via a minor recruiting miracle in Columbus, Ohio State fans should hope Sales ends up in Burnt Orange. That would move two major pieces, including Royal, who'd probably be LSU-bound, into the SEC and away from the Buckeyes. Remember, the Texas game this coming September will be the last time for a while, unless they meet in the CFP, that the Scarlet and Gray face the Horns. If Sales ends up in Bloomington, he'll be an issue for OSU in the coming seasons in the Big Ten.
Add in the sting of losing a recruiting battle to Curt Cignetti and Co., and Sales' potential IU decision could ruffle many feathers in Central Ohio. The Hoosiers are building momentum that could last for years to come on the recruiting trail, and perhaps no addition would hammer that point home more than keeping an in-state stud in-state.
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