BOOM!!! Four-star CB Jordan Thomas commits to Ohio State

The Buckeyes added a four-star CB to their 2026 recruiting class on Monday.

Ohio State and the college football world are deep into the offseason. That doesn’t mean there is a shortage of Ohio State football headlines this time of year though, as on Monday we learned the Buckeyes’ first game of the 2025 season, a top five matchup with Texas, will be the first Big Noon game of the year.

Ohio State has also been dominating the college football recruiting headlines as of late. The Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting class now sits at No. 3 in the 247Sports class rankings, and just added another big name to the list.

Position coach Tim Walton started off the week landing his top remaining cornerback target in the class when four-star CB Jordan Thomas (Oradell, NJ / Bergen Catholic) committed to the Buckeyes over schools like Auburn, Michigan, Notre Dame and Texas A&M.

Thomas is the 13th verbal commitment for Ohio State, and he is also the fourth commitment for the Buckeyes in the secondary. Ohio State is putting together an impressive haul at the group holding commitments from four-star safeties Blaine Bradford and Simeon Caldwell and fellow four-star cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon.

At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Thomas gives Ohio State a lengthy cornerback who could end up playing on the outside or in the slot. He is the No. 17 CB in thew 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 176 overall recruit in the 2026 class. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of New Jersey.

Ohio State offered Thomas in April 2024 and the Buckeyes remained in constant communication with him, as he quickly became a top-target for Walton. Thomas made a pair of spring visits with the Buckeyes, and following those seemed ready to make a commitment.

For more on what Ohio State is getting in Thomas’ commitment, 247Sports national recruiting analyst Hudson Standish had the following to say in his scouting report:

“Physically imposing cornerback prospect verified hovering around 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with a 78-inch wingspan. […] Owns the physical toolset to bully in press-man coverage and the between-the-ears nuance to force incompletions and takeaways working bail coverage. […] Will likely start his career on the outside, but should offer plenty of versatility to move to other spots in the back five. Should be viewed as a high-floor defensive back with an ideal frame and the coverage instincts to develop into a reliable starter for a College Football Playoff contender.”

Ohio State dishes out a pair of scholarship offers

The commitment of Thomas was not the only recruiting headline the Buckeyes made on Monday. The Ohio State coaching staff was hard at work hitting the recruiting trail, which resulted in the Buckeyes offering a pair of targets in the 2027 class.

Ohio State is off to a quick start in the 2027 recruiting class, already holding two verbal commitments. The Buckeyes are still heavily invested in the 2026 cycle, but obviously would not hate to continue to add on in future cycles as well.

• Four-star OT Carter Jones

Hometown: Poquoson, PA / Poquoson
Size: 6-foot-6 / 280 pounds
Offer list: Auburn, Duke, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, NC State, North Carolina, Penn State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, West Virginia, etc.

• S Kaleb Elkins

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN / Warren Central
Size: 6-foot-3 / 185 pounds
Offer List: Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue, Tennessee, Toledo, Wisconsin, etc.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State will hope to keep the momentum going in its 2026 recruiting class as five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell (Nixa, MO / Nixa) is set to make his commitment later today. Cantwell has a group of finalists including Georgia, Miami, Oregon and Ohio State. The Buckeyes are big underdogs in this one, as the other three schools have all been rumored to be the favorites recently in his recruitment, with Georgia likely atop the list.