Ohio State looks to be close to losing elite five-star talent to Michigan, and the news around the NIL deal won’t sit well with fans
Ohio State fans are not going to be happy if he chooses the Wolverines and the Buckeyes miss for money reasons.
The Ohio State Buckeyes took three running backs in their last recruiting class and are looking to add two more in the class of 2026.
Delaware Hayes (OH) running back Favour Akih is currently the only commit at the position for the Buckeyes. He’s a talented four-star prospect who has improved tremendously over the past year.
Ohio State’s top remaining target is still on the board and is set to commit on August 19. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, the latest update on his recruitment isn’t encouraging.
Ohio State may be on the outside looking in when it comes to landing Savion Hiter
Hiter, the No. 1 running back in the country out of Virginia, is considering Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan, and Georgia. The Buckeyes have missed out on several key recruits lately, and it appears this may be another case.
“Georgia and Ohio State still have Hiter on their radar, and both would love to land him, but sources said that neither is willing to do what Michigan and Tennessee are talking about from a revenue-sharing/NIL standpoint,” Brian Dohn of 247Sports reported.
Losing a major recruiting battle to Michigan over money-related reasons won’t sit well with the Ohio State fanbase — and it shouldn’t. While the position is in good hands with James Peoples expected to lead the backfield this season and Bo Jackson potentially next in line, landing Hiter would mean adding a blue-chip talent capable of making an immediate impact.
According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Michigan is currently the team to beat for the 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back heading into his senior season.
Most of the elite running backs in the 2026 class are already off the board, and Hiter remains Ohio State’s top offensive target. As things stand, it doesn’t look promising for the Buckeyes.
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