Elite Recruit Commits to Ohio State, Leaves Texas, USC in the Dust

The loaded 2025 recruiting class is finalizing their decisions and it sounds like the Ohio State Buckeyes just landed a big fish. Surprisingly enough, Ryan Day was able to reel in a top linebacker recruit despite the fact Texas and USC were both in the race.

The announcement was made on Saturday after Riley Pettijohn, a four-star linebacker recruit, committed to Ohio State, according to 247 Sports. Although he stems from the state of Texas, Pettijohn chose Ohio State over Texas, USC, and Texas A&M. After thanking multiple family members and coaches along his journey, Pettijohn officially put on the Ohio State cap and made his commitment.

This is a big get for the Buckeyes especially considering how competitive the Big 10 is going to be moving forward. Additionally, it's notable that Ohio State beat out the USC Trojans, as both programs are in the same conference. On top of that, snagging an elite recruit based in Texas is huge, as you'd think Texas and Texas A&M would have the home-state advantage.

Riley Pettijohn is listed as the No. 5 ranked linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class. He'll be joining an Ohio State team that's stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. This is a great fit for Pettijohn, as his talents give him the opportunity to win a starting job once he joins the school as a freshman in 2025.

The Buckeyes are a program with a ton of winning history, as Ohio State has eight National Title wins in total. However, they haven't won championship since 2014 when Urban Meyer was the head coach. So, the fact they landed another top recruit is huge for this program's future success as they aim for at least one title in the coming years.

Ryan Day took over as head coach back in 2018 and hasn't looked back since. Although he has yet to win a title, Ohio State has remained ultra competitive with Day leading the way. The Buckeyes are certainly doing everything possible to end the dry spell, as they've continued reeling in top recruits and coaches.

One big addition to the coaching staff came this offseason, as Ohio State somehow landed former Oregon and UCLA head coach, Chip Kelly, to server as offensive coordinator. Kelly is known for orchestrating a high-flying offense and developing two or three-star athletes into five-star athletes. Combine his developmental skills and coaching prowess with the Buckeyes ability to land elite recruits and you have yourself an exciting combination.

With that said, look for Ohio State to be one of the best teams in the nation next season. They'll be battle tested throughout the year though, with a massive matchup against the Oregon Ducks in October.

Related: Chip Kelly Explains Move to Ohio State With Blunt Six-Word Message

Related: 2024's Top Receiver Recruit Has 1 Request For Ohio State Fans