National outlet may have let the cat out of the bag regarding why Ohio State missed on elite player they wanted
The month of June has been good to the Ohio State Buckeyes, and that includes another commitment they picked up just yesterday. Glenville (OH) linebacker Cincere Johnson gave the Buckeyes their 16th commitment in the class of 2026. There was a chance the Buckeyes could have landed a second major commitment on the same day, […]
The month of June has been good to the Ohio State Buckeyes, and that includes another commitment they picked up just yesterday. Glenville (OH) linebacker Cincere Johnson gave the Buckeyes their 16th commitment in the class of 2026.
There was a chance the Buckeyes could have landed a second major commitment on the same day, as they were a finalist for another top prospect. That commitment didn’t come through—and now, the reason may be a bit clearer.
On3 reveals big NIL package that helped USC land four-star EDGE Luke Wafle over Ohio State
According to On3, it was a back and forth battle for Wafle the last few days with USC coming out on top.
“The Trojans were tracking for Wafle’s commitment coming out of last weekend’s official visit to Los Angeles. Ohio State upped its NIL package and began to trend Wednesday morning. USC then made a counter-offer to that and ultimately got the pledge locked in. We’re hearing Wafle’s package is between $2.2 and $2.6 million over two years.” — Steve Wiltfong, On3
Ohio State typically does not hand out large NIL deals to newcomers until they’ve spent time on campus. There aren’t many players like Jeremiah Smith who’ve come along and made the Buckeyes consider changing that approach. Wafle, the No. 6 EDGE and a four-star talent in the 2026 class, is highly regarded—but it would be surprising to see Ohio State promise over $2 million to a player who hasn’t set foot on campus and may not contribute as a freshman.
Since missing out on Wafle, Ohio State has shifted its focus. Duncanville (TX) EDGE duo KJ Henry and Landon Barnes will both be visiting Columbus this weekend. The Buckeyes may have missed on a top target, but now we may have a better understanding of why.
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Buckeye Nation will be rooting for him.
