We are officially less than three weeks away from spring ball getting here for Ryan Day and Ohio State. Obviously, countless eyes are going to be on Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and other key returning players. However, Day is going to be working overtime with recruiting too.
Who will take first-team RB reps for Ohio State at spring ball?
Already, the Buckeyes are starting to set up visits with elite targets and the list includes standout defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou. Per On3's Jeremy Birmingham, the touted prospect has locked in his visit with Ohio State for March 10. It's of course no coincidence that this will also mark the very first day of spring ball for the Buckeyes:
Buckeyes will host priority defensive lineman and five-star 2027 talent for first time on March 10
— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) February 19, 2026
Via @LettermenRow https://t.co/tc2HhKnxcv
5-star DL Marcus Fakatou has locked in his Ohio State visit for March 10
It goes without saying, but Fakatou is not going to be the only recruit who Day is going to bring in on March 10. A stud from California, Fakatou, who checks in at 6-6, 275 pounds, has seen his recruitment explode this cycle and rightfully so.
He currently holds 36 offers, but some programs are starting to separate themselves a bit. On Feb. 13, Fakatou announced a Top 10 of Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame, USC, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Miami and Penn State.
As you can see, there's some serious competition to land his services, but the fact that Ohio State was able to finalize a spring ball visit so fast speaks to the interest level Fakatou has in the Big Ten powerhouse. Day will surely roll out the red carpet for him once he gets to Columbus too.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Fakatou is ranked five stars, the No. 2 defensive lineman in the country, No. 3 player out of California and No. 36 talent nationally for the 2027 class. He was originally a '28 prospect, but he reclassified to '27.
With that, the push to land him has intensified, with Ohio State in the mix to get things done. How things go during his March visit with the Buckeyes could play a massive role on how his recruitment shapes out.