The highly sought-after prospect visited campus three times this summer.
Kissimmee, Fla., Osceola four-star defensive end Derrick LeBlanc included Ohio State in his top seven on Wednesday evening alongside Clemson, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma, Penn State and UCF.
The 6-foot-4 and 250-pound LeBlanc is considered the 13th-best defensive lineman and No. 84 prospect overall in the class of 2023, as he recorded 38 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four pass break ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery to lead the Kowboys to the regional semifinals this fall.
LeBlanc visited Columbus three times over summer, including a multi-day trip in early June, a one-day camp later in the month and the program’s Buckeye Bash and BBQ in late July.
Those trips seemingly established Ohio State as the leader in LeBlanc’s recruitment, but he took a step back in order to visit other schools during the season, including multiple trips to see the Gators, Hurricanes and Knights.
In addition to his top schools, LeBlanc mentioned a looming commitment. It’s unclear exactly how soon that could happen, though.
The Buckeyes would certainly welcome his pledge, as evidenced by a recent visit from head coach Ryan Day and defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
They’re hoping to add to a class that features just a pair of commitments in Tennessee four-star tight end Ty Lockwood and Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne four-star offensive guard Joshua Padilla.
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