COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class is likely a wrap as it welcomed 20 new members into the fold as part of Wednesday’s start to the early signing period.
The class, which features 10 players each on offense and defense, ranks fourth nationally per 247 Sports, the fifth consecutive year the Buckeyes have signed a top-five class. In the Big Ten, the class ranks first for the 14th consecutive cycle, edging out conference newcomer Oregon’s 25-man class.
Headlining Ohio State’s 2024 haul is the number one-ranked player in the country, receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Opa Locka, Florida product is the third highest-ranked player to ever commit to Ohio State since 247’s recruiting rankings began and perhaps the largest recruiting victory for Ohio State’s ace recruiter Brian Hartline.
Smith gave his verbal commitment to Ohio State last December but continued to be heavily pursued by the likes of Florida State and Miami. While Smith continued to say all the right things in the weeks leading up to signing day, the allure of increasingly lucrative NIL packages from other programs continuously cast a shadow on the prospects of Hartline going wire to wire for Smith’s services up until his ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking during the ceremony, Smith said his decision between Miami and Ohio State was not made until two minutes before taking the stage. Ultimately, the draw of being inserted into Hartline’s NFL factory won the day.
At the podium for his press conference to recap the class, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day still wasn’t sure of Smith’s decision until General Manager of Player Personnel Mark Pantoni interrupted Day to inform him of Smith’s commitment, drawing a prolonged sigh of relief and a smile from Day.
The drama regarding Smith’s final decision was hardly the only intrigue for Ohio State on Wednesday as its top commitment on the defensive side of the ball also went to the wire before affirming his decision to be a Buckeye.
Five-star defensive lineman Eddrick Houston, a Buford, Georgia native, represented a massive recruiting win for defensive line coach Larry Johnson in August. The 26th-ranked player overall and fifth-best defensive lineman in the class, Houston was also heavily recruited by national powers such as Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson.
As is typically the case, though, the verbal commitment didn’t end Houston’s recruitment, and Alabama made a heavy push to steal Houston away from Ohio State. By Wednesday morning, Ohio State’s chances of holding onto Houston appeared bleak as 247 Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong reported all indications were that Houston would flip his commitment and sign with Alabama.
A short time after Day was informed of Smith’s commitment, he was again interrupted, this time by Athletic Director Gene Smith, to inform him of an urgent phone call. Day left the room before returning 10 minutes later again noticeably relieved. The call was from Houston to let Day know he would honor his commitment and sign with Ohio State despite Alabama’s best efforts.
Smith and Houston are joined by three other five-star recruits in Indiana receiver Mylan Graham, Georgia quarterback Air Noland, and Springfield, Ohio cornerback Aaron Scott. Ohio State is the only program to sign five composite five-stars in 247’s rankings in the 2024 cycle.
Ohio State had to pivot to Noland to fill its lone quarterback spot in the class after Dylan Raiola, the top-ranked quarterback in the class, backed out of his commitment last December. Day and the Buckeyes did well to quickly minimize the void left by Raiola’s departure from the class, getting firmly involved in Noland’s progressing recruitment in April.
Despite already holding offers from Clemson, Alabama, and Oregon, among others, it took Noland exactly one week to commit to Ohio State, doing so on April 8. Noland seemingly never wavered in his commitment despite the continued recruitment from other programs, and his presence in the class gives Ohio State an elite talent to build on in a quarterback that is currently experiencing instability.
“We watched his film and saw the athleticism,” Day said on Wednesday of the decision to pursue Noland. “He’s just kind of a baller out there making a lot of plays. He’s a state champion. He was a high school teammate of (current Ohio State tight end) Jelani Thurman, so we were down there some and got to see who he was and saw all the people in the area, the school, and the coaches talk about what a great player he was and what a great leader he is.
“It doesn’t take long when you talk to him to recognize how mature he is with his approach, and that’s a big part of it. We just love that part of it. We feel he has a really high ceiling when he gets here, and I’m looking forward to getting to work with him soon.”
In addition to the five-star signings, Ohio State also landed signatures from four more players — Texas running back James Peoples, Ohio linebacker Garrett Stover, Ohio cornerback Bryce West, and Indiana offensive lineman Ian Moore — ranked inside 247 Sports’ top 200 players.
Stover, a first-team All-Ohio performer at Big Walnut High School and cousin of current Buckeye tight end Cade Stover, will bring some local flare to Ohio State. Day said Garrett brings a similar mentality of hard work and toughness that has made Cade one of the best at his position, and he likes Garrett’s versatility in being able to play both linebacker and safety. “He’s a really talented player who’s going to be a big part of our class,” Day said.
Texas linebacker Payton Pierce, Arizona cornerback Miles Lockhart, and Tennessee tight end Max LeBlanc round out Ohio State’s four-star commitments. Three-star commitments include Michigan offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle, Ohio tight end Damarion Witten, New Jersey safety Jaylen McClain, Virginia edge rusher Eric Mensah, Ohio offensive linemen and twin brothers Devontae and Deontae Armstrong, Ohio running back Sam Williams-Dixon, and Florida safety Leroy Roker.
Witten, fresh off his second state championship victory with Glenville High School, was recently named the Most Valuable Player at the U.S. Army Bowl, which annually gathers some of the best high school seniors in the country to showcase the next wave of collegiate stars.
The Ohio State coaching staff won’t have to wait long to see the fruits of their labor on the field in Columbus as 15 commitments in the class are slated to graduate early and enroll at Ohio State in January. The list includes Smith, Noland, Houston, Peoples, Williams-Dixon, Moore, Mensah, Pierce, Stover, Scott, West, Lockhart, McClain, and both Armstrong brothers.
Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.
