Pair of 2026 OL put Ohio State in top schools, Buckeyes complete massive visitor weekend

Recruiting is in full swing in Columbus.

Columbus, Ohio was the place to be this past weekend, as a large number of highly regarded prospects flocked to Ohio State’s campus for both official and unofficial visits to kick off what should be a loaded summer of recruiting for the Buckeyes.

Before we get to that, Ryan Day’s group — and more specifically Tyler Bowen’s position group — got things started on Friday as a pair of 2026 offensive lineman cut down their lists and included Ohio State among their top schools.

First up, offensive tackle Chancellor Campbell narrowed his focus from over two dozen scholarship offers down to a final five, with the Buckeyes among the smaller group alongside Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Penn State.

A Florida native, Campbell is currently listed as the No. 37 OT and No. 55 player out of the Sunshine State in the 2026 class, per 247Sports’ rankings. A three-star prospect, Campbell is listed at a whopping 6-foot-8, 295 pounds, and is a multi-sport athlete, competing on the hardwood as well for Lakewood High School. Bowen will get a chance to further impress the big-bodied tackle during his official visit to Columbus, which is scheduled for June 13.

Elsewhere, another Florida native offensive lineman gave an update on his recruitment as four-star IOL Micah Smith also cut his list down on Friday afternoon, trimming things to a final six schools which included the Buckeyes in addition to Alabama, Illinois, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCLA.

Smith ranks as the No. 10 IOL and No. 165 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, in addition to the No. 23 prospect in Florida in this cycle. The 6-foot-5.5, 325-pound lineman has made official visits to both Illinois and UCLA, and with a commitment date set for June 7, it looks like the Bruins will ultimately be the destination for Smith.

Even if Smith chooses the West Coast school over Ohio State, there is a ton of time between now and when pen meets paper in December. Look for Bowen and the Buckeyes to remain active in this recruitment and attempt to get Smith on campus sometime before the door is officially closed.

A star-studded weekend on campus

As previously mentioned, this past weekend functioned as Ohio State’s first big recruiting weekend of the summer, with a number of high four and five-star prospects in attendance over the past few days. Below are some of the big names in the 2026 class who made the trek to Columbus.

All rankings are via the 247Sports Composite.

• Five-star OT Felix Ojo (No. 2 OT, No. 7 Natl.)

• Four-star EDGE Jake Kruel (No. 4 EDGE, No. 31 Natl.)

• Five-star LB Xavier Griffin (No. 2 LB, No. 27 Natl.)

• Five-star RB Savion Hiter (No. 1 RB, No. 17 Natl.)

• Three-star OT Aaron Thomas (No. 50 OT, No. 8 AZ)

• Three-star TE Corbyn Fordham (No. 23 TE, No. 473 Natl. – Ohio State commit)

• Four-star TE Mack Sutter (No. 6 TE, No. 81 Natl.)