Ohio State hoping to flip in-state DL from Florida

The Ohio native remains committed to Florida, but hints at news coming on Friday.

With the recruiting dead period underway, Ohio State isn’t able to host prospects or be out on the road visiting what they hope will be future committed players. Seeing several targets come off the board the last week or so, it’s commitment season for the 2026 class, and the Buckeyes are looking to add to their current cycle in a major way.

Lots of talk has been surrounding this Ohio State class, and while it ranks in the top five nationally, you wouldn’t know it by gauging a large part of the fanbase on social media. Definite causes for concern when it comes to the defensive line — and specifically edge rusher — the Buckeyes have some work to do, and it’s looked as if NIL is the culprit for why they are being beat out.

Avoiding that debate, the Buckeyes simply need to take care of business. Opportunities are getting more slim, but you have to trust this staff has a plan as one of the best programs in college football not only on the field as defending national champions, but on the recruiting front as well.

Looking good for a flip on in-state target

If there’s one high school Ohio State can’t lose recruiting battles with, it’s in-state prep program Cleveland Glenville. Arguably the program that has given Ohio State the most in-state players over the years, Glenville continues to churn out top prospects and the Buckeyes seem to bring them in more often than not.

In this 2026 class, defensive line prospect Jamir Perez has had a different storyline to his recruitment. Not receiving an Ohio State offer until this past April, the three-star defensive lineman chose Florida as his destination in May. Since then, Ohio State and Larry Johnson have ramped up their efforts to keep the Ohio native home, and the momentum has trending in favor of the Buckeyes doing just that.

The No. 677 player nationally and 73rd best defensive lineman, Perez may not have the four or five-star grade Ohio State fans have grown used to expecting, but offers from the likes of Alabama, Cincinnati, Florida, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and 20 others should give enough reason to believe that the ranking isn’t the most important feature to this recruitment.

A 6-foot-4, 360 pound athlete, Perez is the ideal body type to play nose at the next level. Being able to rush the passer is an added bonus, but with his size and frame, Perez is the perfect candidate to plug the gaps in the run game freeing up linebackers while being able to shed blocks from the interior of the offensive line.

The most positive development, Perez took to his social media earlier this week to share he has a big announcement coming this Friday. With several crystal ball predictions in Ohio State’s favor this week, it’s looking more and more likely that the Buckeyes get him to flip from his Florida pledge.

What would make the third interior defensive lineman in class if he does in fact flip to Ohio State, the Buckeyes are going all in on this one late into the process, and are hoping they’ve done enough to keep yet another Glenville product at home for the next three to four years.