Top recruit hints to Ryan Day that Ohio State’s Week 1 showdown against Texas goes beyond 2025 results
As if the Ohio State Buckeyes needed more on their plate in Week 1 against the Texas Longhorns, there’s real pressure for Ryan Day to deliver a tremendous experience for a slew of recruits. The 2026 and 2027 classes will each be well-represented, and the Buckeyes are big game hunting. One of their top targets […]
As if the Ohio State Buckeyes needed more on their plate in Week 1 against the Texas Longhorns, there’s real pressure for Ryan Day to deliver a tremendous experience for a slew of recruits. The 2026 and 2027 classes will each be well-represented, and the Buckeyes are big game hunting. One of their top targets in 2027 is four-star edge-rusher Chris Whitehead from Virginia.
The premier pass-rusher will start his junior campaign in Columbus, and his father admitted that Ohio State has his eye. However, he’s also considering Texas if the Longhorns extend an offer and become involved in his recruitment. That gives Day a little extra to monitor.
“As time has been moving on, all the teams that we are going to watch are teams that he is very interested in,” the elder Whitehead told Rivals. “Even Texas, which has jumped up the charts even though he doesn’t have an offer from them yet, but he always wanted to go to Texas.”
That might be a bit intimidating for Ohio State, but it seems more like a bold invitation from Whitehead’s father to continue drumming up the interest. The reality is that Texas doesn’t need to go overboard recruiting out-of-state prospects. If they need a body, the Longhorns have had few issues finding motivated in-state options to be developmental bodies or portal fits.
The Buckeyes are in a bit of a different boat, though. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has gotten good but not elite prospects over the last five years, and he’s now in his early 70s. Top names haven’t been wowed by the potential of Johnson retiring at any moment, and the Buckeyes don’t overpay high schoolers. That makes certain battles tough to win.
Still, Whitehead is giving the Buckeyes the chance to win a head-to-head matchup against Notre Dame and Tennessee.
“He loves Tennessee and Ohio State coaches and is very excited about meeting Coach (Marcus) Freeman again having another great conversation with him. Miami wanted us to come to the game to see Florida but he is also very interested in Florida as well even though he doesn’t have an offer from them. Coach Johnson from Ohio State and Coach Chop from Tennessee has really shown him that they want him to be a part of the program.”
Papa Whitehead also said Florida and Clemson have yet to offer but he’d like to see his son get more attention from them. The 25th overall prospect in the class has offers from Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, and Texas A&M, so there’s no shortage of possible fits. But the Buckeyes are in a good position to make a huge impact right off the bat this fall and deliver on getting an elite talent in the building in 2027.
