Elite five-star Ohio State football pledge makes heartfelt admission after committing to the Buckeyes over the SEC
Ohio State landed five-star DL Marcus Fakatou on Monday afternoon over Texas and Georgia. After committing to the Buckeyes, the California product made quite the admission.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are up to 18 commitments in the class of 2027 and No. 18 was one of their most important. Five-star DL Marcus Fakatou committed to Ohio State on Monday and it marked a big recruiting win for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State beat out Georgia and Texas both to land Fakatou, and he gives the Buckeyes another key piece to their defensive line of the future. Going out to California and landing Fakatou was a big move by the Buckeyes and it’s a testament to the recruiter that defensive line coach Larry Johnson is.
Marcus Fakatou spills the beans on what Ohio State’s Larry Johnson did
Johnson’s relationship with not only Fakatou but also his family stood out in this recruitment. The No. 2 defensive lineman in the country shared a story from his visit to Columbus that left a mark on his parents, and it’s an example of why he’s now set to play for the Buckeyes.
“Coach (Larry) Johnson sat my parents down, gave them his word, and promised them everything, and that made my parents so emotional, they were sitting in his office and crying,” Fakatou said via Rivals.
“I didn’t know this because I was in Coach Day’s office talking to him. Afterward, they came to me and I saw tears on their faces and I was like, ‘What happened?’ I thought something bad.
“But my mom was like, ‘No, what he told us really hit our hearts,’ and what I appreciated was that Ohio State won my parents’ hearts too and not just mine.”
Coach Day has been open over the years that you not only recruit players but their parents as well. Building strong relationships is key in today’s era of college football, and the Buckeyes seem to have it with the Fakatou’s already.
Ohio State has sent a ton of defensive linemen to the NFL under Johnson’s coaching. Think of the Bosa brothers, Chase Young, Zach Harrison, Jalyn Holmes, Jonathon Cooper, Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Tyliek Williams, Ty Hamilton, Kayden McDonald, and Caden Curry to name a few. Fakatou hopes to follow in the same steps.
The plan will surely be three years and off to the NFL with Fakatou, as he’s a player who is going to have a shot at Year 1 playing time. When Ohio State lands those kinds of recruits with sky-high ceilings, it’s worth celebrating.