Ohio State makes top schools lists four-star DL, safety

Another weekend has come and gone, bringing us one step closer to summer — and more importantly, one step closer to the return of Ohio State football. But before this current crop of Buckeyes can get back on the field, this summer will provide an opportunity for the OSU staff to keep on working to bring in the next group of young talent.

Ryan Day and company got some good news the last few days, as a pair of 2024 prospects included the Buckeyes among their top schools. First up on the list was four-star defensive lineman Darien Mayo, a 6-foot-7 edge rusher out of Maryland. Mayo, the No. 17 EDGE and No. 181 player overall in the cycle according to the 247Sports Composite, cut his list down from over two dozen offers to just six remaining suitors, with Ohio State included among the likes of Clemson, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina and USC.

Position coach Larry Johnson is still looking to nail down the first defensive line commit in this 2024 class, but there seem to be a number of high quality options that are seriously considering the Buckeyes. Ohio State will get to see Mayo up close and personal soon enough, as he has set an official visit to Columbus for June 9.

The other player to keep Ohio State in the mix moving forward is 2024 defensive back Brandon Jacob. Hailing out of Florida, the 6-foot-2 DB currently ranks as the No. 12 safety in the country and the No. 142 player overall on the 247Sports Composite. With around a whopping 40 offers to his name, Jacob cut his list down to a top 12, with the Buckeyes making the list alongside Alabama, Penn State, Michigan and Kentucky, among others.

Like the defensive line group, Ohio State is still looking to land its first defensive back in the 2024 class, but position coaches Perry Eliano and Tim Walton continue to build momentum with a number of big names, including in-state corners Aaron Scott Jr. and Bryce West, among others. The Buckeyes also continue to court Georgia commit Peyton Woodyard at the safety spot, but Jacob is now another name to keep an eye on in the secondary.

Quick Hits

• There hasn’t been much momentum as of late between Ohio State and high four-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton, but the IMG Academy standout told Marc Givler of Buckeye Huddle recently that the Buckeyes are still very much in the mix.

“Me and coach (Justin) Frye, the relationship has been there,” Seaton told Buckeye Huddle.“People have been thinking different, but Ohio State is still a high contender. [Justin Frye and I talk] a couple of times each week. Those talks mean a lot to me because it’s not like some bot text or some (generic) graphic. It’s real conversations with the real staff and that’s what I like.”

Seaton also said that Ohio State will “for sure” get one of his official visits when the time comes. Getting the Washington, DC native up to Columbus would be a huge step in the right direction for the nation’s No. 1 interior OL and the No. 52 overall player in the 2024 class.