Scarlet Surge: Five Official Visitors Most Likely to Sign with Ohio State
In a weekend that felt more like a coronation than a recruitment push, Ohio State welcomed a wave of elite prospects to Columbus, draping the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in both tradition and tantalizing potential. As Buckeye Nation buzzed with optimism, five official visitors stood out—not just for their star ratings, but for the palpable chemistry they shared with the program. While nothing is official until pen meets paper, these five look like future Buckeyes in every sense.
1. Devin “D1” Rucker – 5★ CB, Bradenton, FL (IMG Academy)
Devin Rucker walked into the Shoe on Saturday night and you could swear the turf rippled. At 6’1” and 190 pounds, with sub-4.4 speed and lockdown instincts, Rucker is the kind of corner Ohio State has historically molded into a first-round pick. He spent most of the visit with secondary coach Tim Walton, who laid out a clear vision: Rucker as the centerpiece of the next “BIA” (Best In America) secondary. Sources close to his camp say he’s already ordered scarlet gloves—he just hasn’t posted it yet.
2. Jamari Woods – 4★ WR, Houston, TX (North Shore)
Woods is a name that exploded after a 300-yard, four-touchdown game last October, and his rise has been meteoric since. But while Texas and LSU made aggressive pitches, it was Brian Hartline’s film session that left Woods wide-eyed. “He showed me what he did with Garrett [Wilson], and then said, ‘That could be you… but faster,’” Woods said after the visit. The NIL deal framework Woods received from The Foundation reportedly blew rivals out of the water. Lock him in.
3. Micah Stinson – 4★ Edge, Atlanta, GA (Westlake)
Explosive. Violent. Coachable. Those were the three words D-line coach Larry Johnson used when describing Micah Stinson, and the 6’5”, 240-pound edge rusher returned the compliment by calling Johnson “a football monk—wise, calm, but deadly serious.” Stinson connected instantly with rising sophomore Eddrick Houston, a fellow Georgia native, and the duo were reportedly inseparable during the visit. Crystal balls have started to flip. Quietly, he may already be in.
4. Landon Voss – 5★ OT, St. Louis, MO (De Smet Jesuit)
The top offensive lineman in the Midwest wasn’t even sure he’d take his official to OSU—until Justin Frye called his dad at midnight in March. That late-night heart-to-heart started a relationship that peaked this weekend with Voss watching practice next to Paris Johnson Jr., who happened to drop in. The 6’7”, 305-pounder described the experience as “spiritual.” It’s down to Ohio State and Georgia, but his body language said it all: he’s picturing Saturdays in the Shoe.
5. Zion Marcus – 4★ LB, Fort Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Marcus has long been a Miami lean—until he stepped into Jim Knowles’ war room. The linebacker room presentation was reportedly part film study, part chess match, with Marcus leaving visibly impressed. “They showed me how they’d use me like a weapon, not just a player,” he told a Columbus Dispatch reporter. He even asked for Knowles’ personal number before boarding his flight. The tide may be turning.
Conclusion:
If Ryan Day and his staff close on even three of these five, it could be the class that defines the next generation of Buckeye dominance. For now, Columbus waits—but the future might already be walking its halls.
Let me know if you want a version with real current prospects or a specific class year (e.g. 2025, 2026).
