The Ohio State football program has been looking to improve its 2026 recruiting class late in the season. They have been hosting plenty of recruits to games in recent weeks, hoping they can add some high-level recruits to their class. They haven't been neglecting the 2027 class, either.
Now that James Franklin has been fired at Penn State, the Ohio State Buckeyes are able to take aim at several recruits for both the 2026 and 2027 classes who had committed to the Nittany Lions. More than a few recruits have already decided to jump ship, and they have already looked at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes are looking to capitalize on this and add some highly-touted recruits, including a five-star recruit that they hosted just a couple of weeks ago. These are the recruits to keep an eye on now that they have opened up their recruitment following Franklin's firing.
These recruits have now become Ohio State football targets
Kemon Spell is the prize of the recruits who have de-committed from Penn State. Spell is a five-star running back in the 2027 class who pulled his commitment once Franklin was fired. He seemed on the fence anyway, as he visited in Columbus just a couple of weeks ago.
Spell is the top-rated running back in that class, so the Buckeyes are certainly going to make a big push for him. Ohio State is one of the eight schools he put on his list after he reopened his recruitment, which is good news for Ryan Day.
Layton von Brandt is another 2027 recruit that Ohio State might try to poach. He is a five-star offensive lineman in the 2027 class who also pulled his pledge once the news came down. The Buckeyes offered him back in May, and now might have a chance to land him.,
Jackson Ford, a four-star defensive lineman in the 2026 class, is also someone to keep an eye on. While he hasn't pulled his commitment yet, the Buckeyes could make a renewed push for him now that Franklin is gone. He only pledged to Penn State back in June.
There are a lot of recruits to watch in the next few days and weeks who could ultimately decide to look elsewhere. The Buckeyes will certainly look at those guys and see if they can rekindle some relationships that would benefit their roster in the next few years.