Five-star DL from Florida sets Ohio State official visit

Defensive line coach Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes picked up a welcomed update in their pursuit of one of the top defensive prospects in the 2023 class on Tuesday. Plus, a pair of 2024 blue-chip prospects will make their way to Columbus to take in Ohio State’s season-opener against the Irish.

Wilson sets Ohio State official visit

The biggest news of the day came on Tuesday afternoon, when On3.com revealed that 2023 five-star defensive lineman Damon Wilson of Venice (FL) set an official visit to Ohio State for the weekend of Sept. 3.

To the surprise of nobody, the official visit is scheduled to take place on the weekend in which the Buckeyes will kick off the season in Columbus against Notre Dame. The weekend is quickly shaping up to be a major recruiting opportunity for Ohio State, and the list of notable prospects attending is only growing by the day.

Wilson isn’t one of the often discussed targets on the defensive line for Larry Johnson, but he is a prospect that the Buckeyes are well aware of after dropping an offer to the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder back in January. The highly-coveted Floridian has also already made a trip to the Ohio State’s campus back in April.

The chance to impress Wilson another time is a major opportunity for the Buckeyes, and we will ultimately see if the visit can place them in a position in which they are a real option for the Venice native.

Wilson is currently graded as the 29th overall prospect in this year’s cycle, and would be the top defensive prospect in the Buckeyes class if they were able to pull this one off. Wilson also slots in as the fifth-best prospect off of the edge, and is the eighth-highest graded player from the uber-talented state of Florida.

Bolden, Edwards eye season-opener

The good news for the Buckeyes is that Wilson wasn’t the only prospect that revealed the plan to visit Ohio State for the Notre Dame contest on Tuesday. According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, 2024 five-star athlete KJ Bolden and 2024 four-star athlete KingJoseph Edwards, who are teammates at Buford (GA), are also set to take in the Buckeyes season-opener.

For Bolden, Hodge notes that it will be his first trip to Columbus since April. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder was originally offered by the Buckeyes way back in October of last year. Bolden, who has over 30 offers under his belt already, is currently graded as the No. 4 prospect in his class and is the highest graded player from Georgia.

As for Edwards, who slots in as a top 35 prospect overall, he will also be making the trip to Ohio Stadium for the primetime contest with Bolden. The Buckeyes jumped into the mix for Edwards back in March when they offered the Georgia standout, and the two parties look to be in a good place.

“I speak with multiple staff members from Ohio State weekly,” Edwards told Hodge.

Quick Hits

• 2024 five-star cornerback Ellis Robinson IV of IMG Academy (FL) — who already placed the Buckeyes in his top 10 — is aiming for a fall visit to Ohio State, according to Hodge of Eleven Warriors. “My parents and I are planning to get to a game based around my football season schedule,” the No. 2 cornerback in next year’s cycle revealed.
• In a conversation with 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong, 2025 quarterback Colin Hurley of Trinity Christian Academy (FL) briefly discussed the latest in his recruitment and spoke on a few schools in specific. On the Buckeyes, who have already offered Hurley, the Jacksonville native stated that, “It was amazing being on campus there and building that relationship and they really want me to be their quarterback.”
• Former 2022 four-star cornerback and Ohio State signee Jyaire Brown of Lakota West (OH) had his black stripe removed on Tuesday. The No. 8 prospect from Ohio in last year’s cycle now becomes the third true freshman to “officially” become Buckeyes, joining Caden Curry and Kye Stokes. Transfer portal additions in Tanner McCalister and Chip Trayanum are the only other two that have had the stripe removed to this point.