Major Ohio State football target set to visit Columbus for a Big Ten game, and it’s big news for James Laurinaitis
The Ohio State Buckeyes got some great news from one of their most important defensive targets in the class of 2028.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have 18 commitments in the class of 2027, and the majority of the work is done for this current high school recruiting cycle. The Buckeyes still plan to add a running back at some point and potentially a couple of other recruits after the high school football season plays out some, allowing for further evaluations.
But for the most part, eyes are shifting to the 2028 recruiting class for the Ohio State coaching staff.
Grant Bowen is a name to know for Ohio State
One player toward the top of the board at linebacker for Ohio State is Grant Bowen, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete from Elmhurst, Illinois. While many college programs are recruiting Bowen as a tight end, the Buckeyes are recruiting him as a linebacker. Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis is leading the recruitment for Ohio State.
Bowen is ranked the No. 51 player nationally and the No. 2 athlete according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He holds over 30 offers, with programs like Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas all extending offers to the Illinois product.
Bowen will visit Ohio State when the Buckeyes host Maryland in October, according to Lettermen Row. He was on campus in June for a camp visit, and his return this fall shows where Ohio State stands in his recruitment: somewhere among the top teams. The October trip will mark Bowen’s third overall visit to Columbus this year. Illinois isn’t a far drive, but there’s still a strong development in a player the Buckeyes could look to bring in.
Laurinaitis continues to recruit the position well
When it comes to the class of 2027, Ohio State grabbed Prince Goldsby as their top linebacker recruit and is also bringing in four-star linebacker Quinton Cypher from North Carolina. Laurinaitis has done a strong job recruiting the position overall in Columbus, and Bowen is next up in terms of targets he would like to land for the Buckeyes.
Time will tell how Bowen’s recruitment plays out over the coming months, but Ohio State’s persistent pursuit and multiple campus visits this year suggest the Buckeyes are in a strong position heading into the fall.
