The Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day have dipped into an old recruiting pipeline to land a key defensive commit in the 2027 recruiting class on Sunday.
The Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day continue to make noise on the 2027 recruiting trail as the program enters the summer.
As a top-10 program in the 2027 recruiting class rankings, the Buckeyes have done an outstanding job of targeting help on the offensive line by landing a total of five tackles in the current cycle. However, Day and the coaching staff made a key addition on the other side of the ball late last week to bolster Ohio State’s upcoming class.
According to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Sunday afternoon, 2027 four-star EDGE Wyatt Smith has committed to Ohio State over the likes of the Missouri Tigers and the Indiana Hoosiers.
Smith’s Recruiting Timeline
Smith, after an incredible junior season at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, has quickly become one of the nation's hottest defensive recruits. As of this month, the prolific defender is the No. 11-ranked EDGE in the 2027 class, as well as a consensus top-10 prospect in the state of Florida, per 247Sports’ Composite.
While Smith was able to gain meaningful playing time with the Raiders as a sophomore, the stout playmaker would completely dominate the competition in 2025, finishing the year with 115 tackles, 24 tackles for losses, and 13 sacks. With his impressive frame (6-foot-6, 235 lbs.), Smith possesses a rare blend of size and power off the line of scrimmage, making him a potential lethal threat for the Buckeyes if he is able to add more weight.
This, however, is not the first time that Ohio State has dipped into the St. Thomas Aquinas pipeline for an EDGE rusher. Back in 2013, the Buckeyes managed to sign former star Joey Bosa, who played his high school career with the Raiders. And three years later, Bosa’s younger brother, Nick, would also commit to Ohio State in 2016. Both brothers would go on to have incredible success with the Buckeyes, resulting in them becoming first-round picks in their respective draft classes.
Now, with the recent commitment of Smith, Day and the coaching staff have a total of 12 commits in the upcoming recruiting class. This includes a pair of five-star prospects in fellow EDGE DJ Jacobs and wide receiver Jamier Brown, along with eight four-star commits.
The combination of both Jacobs and Smith should provide extra reinforcement to the Buckeyes’ defensive line in the near future, with both pass rushers being viewed as two of the best in the 2027 class.
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