Ohio State stands in a tough position with two recruits who are trending toward heading south from the Buckeye state
The Buckeyes made a strong push to land 2025 five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr., but ultimately fell short, and he signed with Tennessee. However, Ohio State did secure freshmen Carter Lowe, Jake Cook, and Jayvon McFadden in that class.
Looking ahead to the 2026 class, Ohio State had hoped to tap into the offensive line talent in the state. Unfortunately, things are not looking promising for two top in-state offensive tackles who would be ideal fits for the Buckeyes.
According to On3’s Steve Wiltfong, Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney are seen as the frontrunners for four-star offensive tackles Maxwell Riley and Adam Guthrie. Both players are ranked in the top 160 nationally and are among the top five prospects in Ohio.
Riley has narrowed his options down to just Ohio State and Clemson. The highly-rated tackle, ranked No. 9 at his position by 247Sports Composite, hails from Avon Lake High School and would be an excellent addition to the Buckeyes, potentially starting for multiple years.
Guthrie, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound offensive tackle from Miami Trace High School in Ohio, is set to visit Ohio State in June. He is ranked as the No. 13 offensive tackle and the No. 155 overall player. The Buckeyes will be competing with Clemson and Penn State for his commitment.
Thank you to all the schools that have dedicated their time and resources towards recruiting me. With that being said I’ll be making my college decision between The Ohio State University and Clemson University.
Proverbs 3:5-6 pic.twitter.com/j1IAfx9geq
— Maxwell Riley (@bigmax2026) January 21, 2025
Losing either Riley or Guthrie would be a setback for Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, especially after the recent loss of three-star guard Will Conroy to Oklahoma. Ohio State will likely continue to pursue Conroy until it’s no longer an option.
While the Buckeyes are still targeting five-star players like Jackson Cantwell and Immanuel Iheanacho, missing out on in-state players like Riley and Guthrie would be a bigger problem. Ohio State can’t afford to lose its top local targets, as it would force the team to rely more on the transfer portal to fill offensive tackle positions.
New offensive line coach Tyler Bowen will look to shift the momentum in Ohio State’s favor and put the team in a stronger position to land Riley and Guthrie.
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