Ohio State once again appears to be raiding the Lone Star State for an elite secondary talent. Ryan Day’s program officially made the top six for five-star Fort Worth standout John Meredith. This sets up a heavyweight recruiting battle for the nation’s No. 2 overall cornerback.

John Meredith has officially narrowed his recruitment to six choices. Ryan Day’s Ohio State made the cut along with Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, Texas, and Texas A&M. All blue-blood competition, but why not? He’s a rare 5-star Plus+ CB ranked the No. 2 overall prospect in the country and the top corner in the 2027 class. He is also one of the only players in his cycle to hold a 5-star rating from all major services, including Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN. Still, if it provides a glimmer of hope, the Buckeyes are getting the final word in this race, as a last visit can swing everything.

John Meredith will visit Columbus for an official visit from June 19-21, closing out a loaded travel schedule that starts in SEC country and works its way through the state of Texas. So Ryan Day and his staff are walking into this with a real shot. And they’ve earned it by being persistent. Ohio State already had him on campus once last season during a game against Penn State, and that trip clearly stuck with him.

“It was actually real good,” he said earlier this year. “It showed like it don’t matter like these big names, it’s just a regular team to them to play.”

Meredith is widely regarded as a “shutdown” boundary corner due to a rare combination of physical length and elite track-verified speed. Standing 6’2″ and weighing roughly 175–180 lbs, he also possesses 33-inch long arms. This allows him to jam larger receivers and disrupt passing windows. His background in track includes a 44′ 1.5″ triple jump, further showing his athletic prowess.

Speed is also a key component in his arsenal. He has recorded a sub-22 second 200m dash and reportedly possesses 4.29-second 40-yard dash speed. He is also versatile in his approach and is experienced in both press-man and off-man coverage. Opposing teams frequently avoid throwing to his side of the field entirely.

He is currently at North Crowley High School in Fort Worth, Texas, after transferring from Euless Trinity. He is often compared to elite NFL-caliber prospects like Jalen Ramsey and Christian Gonzalez for his ability to erase an entire side of the field.

John Meredith opens with Alabama on May 29, followed by Texas on June 5. Texas A&M gets him the following weekend before Ohio State wraps it up. That’s four official visits locked in, all within three weeks, and each stop is a heavyweight. Meanwhile, Miami is still working to get him back to Coral Gables.

And each program is pitching something different. Alabama is selling tradition and development. Texas is leaning into its rising roster and in-state pull. Ohio State is pushing consistency and a proven track record with DBs. But right now, it’s at Texas A&M where the strongest pull is coming from.

While A&M holds early predictions, Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns are aggressively pushing to keep their premier defender home. This has now become a brutal 3-way tug-of-war between A&M’s deep relationship ties, Texas’s rising momentum in the SEC, and Ohio State’s undeniable defensive back pedigree.

Will Texas A&M beat Ryan Day for John Meredith? 

Multiple insiders have logged predictions in favor of Mike Elko’s Texas A&M, and it’s not hard to see why. John Meredith has a history there. 

“They’ve been recruiting me hard – since before I was who I was,” he said. “That’s what it is… It’s fun. Those are my people over there.”

His words made it clear that it’s relationships that matter in his recruitment. And the Aggies doubled down on that. From Mike Elko’s early push to consistent communication with the defensive staff, they have made him feel like a priority from day one. 

“I’ve been around there since my recruitment first started. I’ve always been comfortable going around there,” he said. “I never get tired of going down there at all.”

Still, Ohio State might be able to flip the script. The Buckeyes are walking John Meredith into a program that currently holds the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. They’re stacking elite talent, especially on defense, and they’ve made it clear that development into the NFL is part of the pitch. And then there’s CBs coach Tim Walton, whom the player has openly praised for his relationship with his family.

“You don’t get coaches like that, man,” he said. “He has a lot of wisdom. Real good coach. My mom loves him. He keeps in touch with us. He’s just a real good coach. I really appreciate him.”

Five-star Houston native Devin Sanchez is actively peer-recruiting Meredith to join him in Columbus. In fact, he regularly pitches Ohio State’s secondary pipeline to his fellow Texan, proving that Day’s strategy of using recent in-state commits to lure new targets is a legitimate threat to all the SEC programs. So when John Meredith steps onto campus in Columbus on June 19, it could end up being the closing argument.