Ohio State hoping for BOOOOMing Thursday with pair of targets set to announce commitment

Luke Wafle and Cincere Johnson are set to announce their college commitments today.

Another busy week for Ohio State’s coaching staff, the midway point through June is here and recruiting continues to be the top priority. Looking to close out the last two weeks with some huge success in their 2026 class, it could start today as multiple commitments are on the brink.

A topic of major interest this week, New Jersey native, Luke Wafle continues to be a theme with his commitment announcement coming later today. A player the Buckeyes have wanted for sometime now, Ohio State has seen a rollercoaster of ups and downs concerning his recruitment as of late, and Thursday they’ll find out if they won out over other serious contenders, mainly USC.

Wafle visited Ohio State officially on May 30 and came away seeing all he needed to in Columbus. Growing optimism that the Buckeyes did enough to put their name atop of the list, it was the more recent visit to USC that snatched all of the momentum per multiple reports. NIL value being the leading factor here, it looked as if the Trojans jumped the Buckeyes as the favorite to land his commitment.

On Wednesday, the momentum swung back in favor of Ohio State, with several predictions submitted in favor of Wafle choosing the Buckeyes. Whether it be from Steve Wiltfong or other national analysts, Wednesday brought multiple bits of news pegging the Buckeyes, but into the later hours of the night, talk continued that USC was still doing what it could to further increase their NIL offer if that’s what it took.

Penn State and Texas also doing their due diligence, the wait will soon be over to see who comes out on top as his commitment is live this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. ET.

The No. 55 player nationally and the sixth best edge rusher in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Wafle would give Ohio State their second pledge along the defensive line in a class that really wants that position group to catch fire. Stay tuned, as today could bring not one, but two major defensive additions to this Ohio State recruiting class.

Much like the aforementioned Wafle, Ohio State is hoping to hear good news in their favor today for in-state target Cincere Johnson as well. The No. 71 player nationally and the eighth best at his position per the 247Sports Composite, Ohio State has long been the favorite for the top linebacker.

Not only being from Ohio, but a Cleveland Glenville product, that pipeline leads to the Buckeyes more times than not, and hopefully that continues to be the case. Several crystal ball predictions rolling in on Wednesday, it would be a surprise to see Ohio State not win this battle, but Alabama and Penn State have also heavily been in the mix as a real players for his services.

All signs do point towards the four-star athlete staying close to home joining several others to do the same from his prep program. A 6-foot-3, 240 pound prospect, Johnson is a linebacker at the next level, but with his frame and length, it wouldn’t be a shock at all to see him continue to grow and play a role similar to what CJ Hicks will play this season if he does in fact pick the Buckeyes.

Quick Hits

• Doing what they have all month long, the staff continued this week to host recruiting prospects from all over the country. The one-day positional camps in the books, this staff will once again focus on visits, and Jaden Carey was a priority on Wednesday, making the trek from Florida.

Another talented St. Thomas Aquinas product, Carey is the No. 346 player nationally and 37th best cornerback in the 2027 class per the 247Sports Composite. Already an Ohio State offer to his name, the Buckeyes are heavily involved in this recruitment and his latest trip is just another chance to further grow their relationship.