Ohio State Buckeyes Missing Another Key Recruiting Target Sparks Concern Program Is Losing Ground in Fiercely Competitive National Landscape

The Ohio State Buckeyes, one of college football’s most iconic programs, are no strangers to the national spotlight — nor to elite recruiting. For years, they’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson when it comes to signing blue-chip prospects and reloading their roster with future NFL talent. However, their recent miss on yet another high-profile recruiting target may be more than just a one-off. It could be a troubling sign that something deeper is going wrong in Columbus.

This isn’t about panic. One miss does not define a recruiting cycle. But when the same scenario begins to repeat itself — Ohio State identified as a frontrunner for a 5-star or top-100 player, only to be left at the altar — it starts to look like a pattern. And in the cutthroat world of college football recruiting, perception often becomes reality.

In the past several months, the Buckeyes have seen multiple top-tier prospects choose other destinations, sometimes in late flips or even after long-standing commitments. Some of these misses have come from within their own backyard — highly touted players from Ohio electing to play elsewhere. Others are national names Ohio State had invested months, even years, pursuing. Yet increasingly, the Buckeyes are finishing second, or worse, in these all-important races.

So, what’s going wrong?

For starters, it’s hard to ignore the growing impact of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals in recruiting battles. While Ohio State has made efforts to compete in the evolving NIL ecosystem, insiders suggest the Buckeyes have been slower and more conservative in embracing aggressive NIL tactics compared to rivals. Programs like Miami, Oregon, and even newcomers like Colorado are diving headfirst into the NIL era, offering not just tradition and coaching stability but also very tangible financial incentives. Ohio State, by comparison, is still leaning on its legacy — a dangerous bet when 17-year-olds are faced with seven-figure opportunities.

Head coach Ryan Day remains a sharp offensive mind and a solid recruiter. But in recent cycles, even Day’s staff continuity has been in question. Frequent changes at key assistant positions — including at defensive coordinator and offensive line coach — have disrupted relationships with recruits and made it harder to build trust over time. Stability, once a cornerstone of Ohio State’s pitch, now feels uncertain.

Then there’s the issue of results on the field. Though Ohio State consistently posts double-digit wins and remains in the playoff conversation, their inability to beat Michigan in recent years has not gone unnoticed. The Wolverines have won three straight in the rivalry — a fact that’s beginning to resonate with top recruits. Michigan, under Jim Harbaugh, flipped the narrative in the rivalry and also flipped a few recruiting targets in the process. What once felt unthinkable — recruits choosing Michigan over Ohio State — has now become reality.

Furthermore, Georgia and Alabama continue to set the standard, not just in the SEC but nationally. They recruit with relentless efficiency, and their message is simple: Come here and you’ll win national championships, develop under NFL-caliber coaching, and become a top draft pick. Until recently, Ohio State could make the same pitch with near equal credibility. Now, without a national title since 2014 and with questions swirling about postseason performance, the Buckeyes’ sales pitch feels a bit stale in comparison.

Ohio State fans are not oblivious to these trends. Message boards are filled with a mix of concern and frustration. There’s still confidence in the brand — Ohio State is, after all, a top-5 program historically and still sits near the top in recruiting class rankings. But the margin for error is shrinking. In the current landscape, even one or two bad cycles can drop a powerhouse into a prolonged rebuilding phase.

One of the more painful recent examples was the loss of a 5-star defensive lineman who had long considered Ohio State a favorite but ultimately committed to an SEC school. The Buckeyes had invested heavily — multiple visits, strong relationships with family, even a public pitch from Buckeye legends. And still, they came up short. Multiply that by a few more near misses in the past two classes, and it becomes clear this isn’t just bad luck.

The Buckeyes’ recruiting strategy may also need recalibration. While they’ve excelled with quarterbacks and wide receivers — thanks in part to Day and receivers coach Brian Hartline — other positions have lagged behind. Offensive line recruiting has not met elite standards recently, and defensive back recruiting, once a hallmark of the program, has shown cracks. In a game increasingly decided by trenches and secondary play, those deficiencies are more than cosmetic.

To be fair, the Buckeyes are not falling off a cliff. Their 2025 class still features several top-100 talents and sits comfortably in the top 10 nationally. But the concern isn’t where they are — it’s where they might be headed. If NIL hesitation continues, if instability among assistant coaches persists, and if they keep missing on top targets, then the impact will begin to show in wins and losses.

The pressure is mounting on Ryan Day. Though he boasts a remarkable win percentage and multiple College Football Playoff appearances, he’s 0-3 against Michigan, winless in the playoff semifinal round, and now under scrutiny for potential recruiting shortcomings. Fair or not, the standards at Ohio State are sky-high. And in today’s era, recruiting is the lifeblood of sustained success.

The upcoming months will be critical. Can Ohio State rebound and land a few marquee players before Signing Day? Will boosters and administrators fully commit to leveling the NIL playing field? Will coaching turnover settle and allow for long-term relationship building with recruits? These questions will define not just this cycle but the direction of the entire program.

Some observers believe this is just a blip — that Ohio State’s brand, its NFL pipeline, and its facilities will eventually reassert their pull. But in the modern recruiting arms race, legacy alone doesn’t win battles. Adaptation, innovation, and investment do. If the Buckeyes aren’t careful, they may wake up one day and find themselves staring up at a tier of programs they once routinely outpaced.

For a team and fanbase that demands national championships, second place on the recruiting trail isn’t good enough. It never has been. And the warning signs — flashing brighter with each missed commitment — suggest Ohio State can’t afford to ignore the shifts in the landscape any longer. The question isn’t whether they still belong among the elites. The question is what they’re willing to do to stay there.