Alabama has never really been a recruiting hotbed for Ohio State football.

Before adding Mississippi transfer running back Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State’s most recent player from Alabama was walk-on wide receiver Willie Salter in 2001. The Buckeyes’ most recent scholarship player from Alabama dated back even further to defensive tackle Donte Wheat in 1981.

Kaorie Offord said he knew this reality as his son, five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord, had the attention of nearly every college football program in the country out of Parker High School in Birmingham.

“Ohio State doesn’t come to Alabama often and offer kids,” Offord said. “It’s one thing because they think, ‘Oh yeah, they are not going to leave Alabama.’ When (Alabama coach Nick) Saban was there, they for sure thought that all the top guys in Alabama, Saban’s not going to let it out.”

But between Ohio State and Na’eem Offord, something was different. Kaorie said his son wanted to be a part of something special and play his part in history.

And after returning to Columbus for a visit during the first weekend of February, Na’eem Offord took that next step, committing to Ohio State and joining the Buckeyes as the No. 1 cornerback in the 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ composite rankings.

With the commitment, Ohio State has an opportunity to sign the top two cornerbacks in the 2025 class in Offord and Devin Sanchez for the first time since 2017 where the program signed Jeff Okudah and Shaun Wade. 

But a full room, Kaorie Offord said, is what Na’eem wants. He wants to prove he’s the best.

“That’s what I think kind of drew him to that university because it’s about competition, compete, compete,” Kaorie said. “Because when you go there, you’re going to be in a loaded DB room, you've got a loaded wide receiver room. So you can’t do (anything) but get better competing against the best guys in the country every day.”

Why Na'eem Offord picked Ohio State

Frank Warren saw that potential when Na’eem Offord first arrived at Parker.

In Offord, Warren, Parker High School football coach, said he saw a “big corner that can run” and use his physicality to his advantage, calling him “one of the best tacklers on the field” who can play anywhere from outside cornerback, safety or nickel.

“He’s one of a kind,” Warren said.

During his junior season at Parker, Offord recorded 17 tackles, four pass breakups and five interceptions. He also added 518 all-purpose yards on offense as a wide receiver and running back with 10 touchdowns, and returned two punts for a touchdown.

Kaorie Offord said Ohio State assistant defensive backs coach Gerren DuHart opened communication between Ohio State and his son, who first visited the Buckeyes last July at a summer recruiting event.

At the visit, Kaorie said he and his son spoke with cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and head coach Ryan Day, who showed the Offords what Ohio State had to offer.

"They check every box," Kaorie Offord said he remembered feeling after that initial visit.

From there, Kaorie said, Na’eem’s and Walton’s relationship grew. And paired with the experience Walton brought and his track record of development — including Na’eem’s favorite NFL player, Jalen Ramsey — Ohio State became a player in Na'eem's recruitment.

“He felt the love that they was giving him and how hard they recruited him,” Kaorie Offord said. “They recruited him harder than any school as far as communicating with me, his mom, just showing the interest. I know Ohio State goes after elite guys, so they are not just going to offer anybody. If they want you, they want you.”

But even over the course of Na’eem's recruitment, Warren said, Walton never sugarcoated the reality of what it means to join Ohio State’s defensive backs room.

For those closest to Offord, this proved to be the top selling point that led to his commitment.

“He said nothing is going to be given to you,” Warren said of Walton. “Everything you have to do is going to be earned. And that’s something that he wants anyway. He’s never had a handout in any way. He’s always earned it. So he’s not scared of competition and to prove that he’s one of the best corners in the nation.”

Could Na'eem Offord start for Ohio State as a freshman?

Na’eem Offord’s path is already set.

Offord is on a path to enroll early once he signs. Until then, Kaorie said, his son needs to continue what he’s been doing on the field and in the weight room, already looking that part at 6-foot-1 and nearly 190 pounds.

To Warren, it’s easy to see the kind of player Na’eem will become.

“Number one corner on the field,” Warren said. “And an NFL guy. First rounder.”

But Kaorie takes it a step further, comparing Na’eem Offord to a recent Ohio State transfer.

“Caleb Downs is that alpha male,” Kaorie Offord said. “He’s one of those alpha male type of guys. Not too many kids can come from high school and start right away, especially in the SEC, big boy ball.

“(Na’eem Offord is) one of those types that can do it. Him and Caleb Downs and a few other guys. You don’t have too many guys that can come in right away and be ready. And that’s the main goal is that he stays ready and checks every box.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why OSU made CB Na'eem Offord a priority in the 2025 class