Time to Admit Ohio State Has a Recruiting Problem With No End in Sight as Rivals Surge and Talent Slips Away Fast

Ohio State football has long been synonymous with dominance—on the field and in recruiting. From Woody Hayes to Urban Meyer and now Ryan Day, the Buckeyes have built their identity on attracting elite talent from across the country. But in the unforgiving world of college football, past glory does not guarantee future results. And now, in the summer of 2025, it’s time to confront a difficult truth: Ohio State has a recruiting problem, and there’s no clear solution in sight.

For years, the Buckeyes stood tall among college football’s recruiting royalty. They were a fixture in the top-five national rankings and regularly outmuscled SEC giants for five-star prospects. But the landscape is changing fast—and not in Ohio State’s favor.

The warning signs have been accumulating over the last two cycles. It started subtly: a few key prospects choosing elsewhere, a couple of unexpected decommitments. But now it’s reached a critical mass. Blue-chip athletes are no longer viewing Columbus as a must-visit destination. Five-star players from talent-rich regions like Florida, Georgia, and even Ohio are increasingly heading south—or worse, to bitter rivals like Michigan and Penn State.

In the 2025 cycle, Ohio State currently ranks just inside the top 10 in national recruiting rankings, a fall from their usual top-three perch. More concerning than the ranking itself is how they got there: volume over quality. The Buckeyes have secured commitments from several solid four-star players, but they’ve consistently struck out on top-tier talents—especially on the defensive line and in the secondary, areas that have historically been Ohio State strengths.

Recruiting insiders point to several reasons for the slide. NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has completely reshaped the recruiting battlefield, and Ohio State has struggled to keep pace. Schools like Georgia, Texas, and even Miami are aggressively investing in their NIL programs, offering not just exposure, but structured, high-dollar opportunities for athletes. Ohio State’s NIL structure, while improving, still lacks the aggressive posture needed to compete in this new era. There’s a perception among recruits—and more critically, among high school coaches and trainers—that OSU isn’t playing the NIL game as boldly or creatively as others.

Meanwhile, coaching turnover has also taken a toll. The departures of ace recruiters like Brian Hartline from his once peerless wide receivers room and long-time player personnel figures such as Mark Pantoni have destabilized relationships with key high school programs across the country. Though Ohio State has made moves to fill those vacancies—like bringing in experienced NFL and collegiate staff—the continuity and connection that once gave them an edge are harder to replicate overnight.

Equally damaging is the Buckeyes’ recent struggles in head-to-head recruiting battles with Michigan. Under Jim Harbaugh and now Sherrone Moore, the Wolverines have flipped the script on their hated rival. Not only has Michigan won on the field, but they’ve also begun regularly beating Ohio State for in-state talent. That would have been unthinkable five years ago. But in 2024 and 2025, it has become disturbingly routine.

One of the most glaring examples came this cycle when Cleveland Heights five-star offensive lineman Marcus Dale, long expected to be a Buckeye lean, committed to Michigan in June. The move wasn’t just a gut punch—it was symbolic of a broader shift in the state of Ohio. Recruits are no longer automatically gravitating toward the scarlet and gray. They’re exploring other programs that are winning more consistently, developing players more efficiently, and—most critically—offering better NIL packages.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has acknowledged the growing challenge. In spring press conferences and booster meetings, Day has repeatedly emphasized the need for aggressive investment in NIL and recruiting infrastructure. “We have to modernize,” he said bluntly in May. “We’re not going to fall behind, but we have to be real about where we are and what we’re up against.”

But being real isn’t the same as solving the problem. And right now, Ohio State looks like a program caught between eras—still relying on its brand and tradition, but not quite equipped to meet the demands of modern recruiting warfare. The Buckeyes are still good. But good isn’t good enough when Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Michigan are getting better every day.

Even more concerning is what the future may hold. The class of 2026 is shaping up to be a generational group in Ohio, loaded with elite players. Early projections suggest more than a dozen blue-chip prospects within state lines. But early signs suggest that Ohio State will again face stiff competition from out-of-state powers. If the Buckeyes can’t lock down their own backyard in this pivotal class, the recruiting spiral could become a full-blown crisis.

The consequences go beyond recruiting rankings. Ohio State has made the College Football Playoff just once in the last three years, and they’ve failed to win the Big Ten since 2020. As the on-field results plateau, the talent pool continues to shrink. The program’s once-vaunted pipeline of NFL-ready players—particularly at defensive end and in the secondary—has slowed to a trickle.

The Buckeyes have always been a resilient program. They’ve bounced back from coaching scandals, postseason bans, and transitional periods before. But this moment feels different. This isn’t a blip. It’s a structural issue. It’s a reflection of a recruiting operation that’s been outpaced by smarter, faster, and more aggressive programs.

There are still reasons for hope. The recent hiring of Sam Petitto from LSU signals a recognition of the need for strategic recruiting minds. The Buckeyes are also in the mix for several late-rising stars and could salvage the 2025 class with a strong close. But for that to happen, Ohio State must rethink everything—from NIL strategy to relationship-building to staffing continuity.

More than ever, the Buckeyes need alignment from top to bottom—from university leadership to donors to coaches. The days of relying solely on tradition and success to land the nation’s top prospects are over. Ohio State must now sell a complete, competitive vision of development, opportunity, and immediate impact.

Until they do, the Buckeyes risk slipping further behind in a college football arms race that shows no signs of slowing down. Programs that adapt will thrive. Programs that don’t will watch elite talent walk out the door—or worse, never walk through it in the first place.

So yes, it’s time to admit what many have quietly feared: Ohio State has a recruiting problem. It’s persistent. It’s growing. And unless something changes dramatically and quickly, the days of Buckeye dominance may be fading into the rearview mirror.