Ryan Day has Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class loaded with talent. It ranks No. 9 nationally with 22 commitments, including one five-star standout and 14 four-star prospects. We have mixed news for the Buckeyes. The program is on the verge of losing another important recruit to a rival school, but it is also close to securing a gifted four-star prospect.

Legend Bey, a dynamic 4-star athlete from Forney, Texas, who first committed to Tennessee, visited Columbus for the weekend and was quite impressed with the Buckeyes. “Ohio State is in consideration,” he stated on On3. “They have an amazing plan for me and want me to play as a freshman. Ohio State is a huge factor in my recruitment. They have QB and wildcat packages for me and want to develop me! Not only does this visit have me considering them, but I love my relationships with the coaching staff.”

After watching the Buckeyes defeat Penn State, it’s understandable why Bey could be reevaluating his Vols commitment. Ohio State is reportedly in a “strong position” to get the speedster, but Tennessee’s staff is anticipated to make one more final push before his decision.

Meanwhile, Louisiana’s four-star safety Blaine Bradford has been a model of commitment and loyalty for the Buckeyes. Bradford hasn’t stumbled in the face of LSU’s coaching turmoil following Brian Kelly’s departure. “I’m only taking one official visit…Ohio State. I never really understood why people committed and still took visits. I feel like if you commit, you’re committed for a reason. I feel like it would be disrespectful for me to go out there and take other visits. Like they say, the best in the country go to Ohio State,” he had earlier said.

But that clearly doesn’t make LSU stop chasing him. And as promised, Bradford hasn’t planned any further formal visits. Even the No. 1 DL Lamar Brown tagged him on social media with the message “Come Home!” in an effort to bring him back to LSU.

More importantly, there will be a coaching change at LSU, and the new staff will look to establish contact with Bradford. Blaine is the No. 3 safety in the 2026 class, and what may help the Tigers in the process is that his older brother is already on the roster as a freshman.

Ohio State eyes massive flips as signing day nears

The buzz around Ryan Day’s 2026 recruiting class is going to intensify in the coming weeks. Five-star safety Bralan Womack is at the top of the Buckeyes’ list of top contenders. Womack, who committed to Auburn in August, has seen the Tigers’ program sink into chaos after the firing of their head coach. Ohio State was one of his finalists before, and the Buckeyes haven’t stopped recruiting him since.

You can’t help but think that Womack’s journey with Ohio State may not be finished just yet when you consider the NFL pipeline and Matt Patricia’s growing defensive stock. Then there’s Kemon Spell, a five-star RB every program in the country has its eyes on.

After the chaos that followed James Franklin’s firing, Spell decommitted from Penn State, opening the way for Ohio State to make a move. Behind the scenes, the Buckeyes have already been working hard to sell their NFL pipeline and the opportunity to play early in a diverse backfield. Yet, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Oregon are all circling, so the race is by no means a one-horse chase.

Don’t forget about Kevin Brown, an elite 2026 lineman from Pennsylvania who was spotted in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ game but is committed to Penn State. It wasn’t just a casual visit. It’s never a coincidence when a top recruit from a Big Ten opponent begins to attend your home games. Every O-line needs a cornerstone tackle like Brown; thus, flipping him would boost your line while damaging a rival. Brown might be the next domino to fall in Ohio State’s track record of winning big in these late-cycle battles.