Where does Ohio State football stand in 2025 defensive line recruiting?
Ohio State has been busy on the recruiting trail, adding nine of 21 total commitments during the month of June.
And for assistant coach Larry Johnson and his OSU defensive line, it's been no different. Two of the Buckeyes' four defensive line commits happened in June in Alabama four-star defensive end Zion Grady and North Carolina four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom, who joined Philadelphia four-star defensive end Zahir Mathis and IMG Academy four-star defensive lineman London Merritt in the class.
As Johnson builds Ohio State's 2025 defensive line class, where does it stand in comparison to past classes he's built?
Here's a look at where Ohio State recruiting stands with the defensive line:
When was Larry Johnson's best Ohio State recruiting class?
Johnson can’t do much better than he did in 2021.
In Ohio State’s second-ranked 2021 recruiting class, Johnson landed two of the top three defensive linemen in the country in J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. But each of the Buckeyes’ defensive line commits were in the top 200 with defensive tackles Michael Hall Jr. (No. 53) and Tyleik Williams (No. 166).
Ohio State’s 2021 class is one of two classes in Johnson’s tenure in which the average defensive lineman was better than a top 100 player. The other was in 2022, when Johnson landed four four-star defensive linemen Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Omari Abor, Caden Curry and Hero Kanu, each of which were ranked in the top 130.
Since 2021, Johnson has landed one five-star in 2024 defensive end Eddrick Houston.
And while Johnson has landed linemen Jason Moore, Joshua Mickens and Dominic Kirks in the past two classes, Ohio State has been more known for its high-profile misses on players such as five-star defensive ends Keon Keeley (Alabama) and Damon Wilson Jr. (Georgia) in 2023, five-star defensive end Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) in 2024 and five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott in 2024, who was committed to Ohio State before he flipped to Miami.
Where does Ohio State defensive line 2025 recruiting stand?
Ohio State seemingly has close to a full 2025 defensive line class.
Johnson and the Buckeyes started the class with Mathis, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound defensive end out of Philadelphia. Mathis committed to Ohio State Jan. 10 and has become the No. 60 player nationally and the No. 5 edge rusher in the class.
Merritt followed Mathis on March 29. Standing at nearly 6-3 and 250 pounds, Merritt could play opposite Mathis on the edge, but could also develop as an interior lineman.
Grady became the Buckeyes' second true defensive end in the 2025 class on June 24. The Enterprise, Alabama, native is the No. 66 player nationally and the No. 6 defensive end.
Ohio State added its fourth defensive lineman June 28 in Odom, the No. 283 player in the country who chose the Buckeyes over Oregon and Southern California.
What's next for Larry Johnson, Ohio State in 2025 class?
In Ohio State's past 10 recruiting classes, Johnson has averaged nearly four defensive line signees. And he has not had more than four signees since 2018 when he landed Taron Vincent, Tyreke Smith, Tommy Togiai, Tyler Friday, Antwuan Jackson Jr. and Alex Williams.
Ohio State's 2025 class will likely break that mold.
Heading into the 2025 season, the Buckeyes are losing all four starters on the defensive line in Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Williams and Ty Hamilton. Ohio State has four others who will be draft eligible in Mitchell Melton, Curry, Kanu and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Even if Curry and Jackson return, it will be to lead a young room headlined by Houston.
With Mathis, Grady, Merritt and Odom in the 2025 class, Ohio State remains a player for four-star defensive end Justin Hill, who is projected to play the Buckeyes' jack position, and four-star defensive tackle Maxwell Roy.
After 2025, Ohio State turns its attention to 2026 five-star defensive end Jahkeem Stewart, who camped with the Buckeyes this summer after earning an OSU offer in November. The 6-6, 270-pound end is the No. 2 player in the class behind five-star Ohio State wide receiver commit Chris Henry Jr.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State recruiting 2025: Where OSU stands on the defensive line
