In the wild world of high school football recruiting, CJ Sanna is quickly becoming the name on everyone’s lips for the 2026 class. This linebacker from Olentangy High School in Lewis Center, Ohio, isn’t just turning heads—he’s capturing hearts with his grit and talent. Now a junior stepping into the spotlight of his recruiting journey, CJ’s got this rare mix of size, speed, and pure football smarts that’s got college coaches across the country dreaming of what he could do for their teams. As of today, February 27, 2025, let’s dive into CJ’s story and see how this Ohio kid is lighting up the 2026 recruiting scene.

The Guy on the Field

Picture this: a 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior barreling through the line, chasing down quarterbacks, and stuffing runs like it’s nothing. That’s CJ Sanna on game day. He’s got the kind of build that makes you go, “Yep, that’s a linebacker,” but it’s his heart and hustle that really set him apart. In his 2024 junior season, CJ was everywhere—97 tackles, 11 of them for a loss, seven sacks, and a couple of fumble recoveries over 11 games, according to MaxPreps. Whether he’s crashing into the backfield or chasing down a receiver, he plays with this fire that’s impossible to miss. Michigan State’s defensive coordinator Joe Rossi put it perfectly when he called CJ “long, athletic, and smart”—the kind of player who seems built for today’s fast, tricky college game.

The Recruiting Buzz

CJ’s not just a local hero anymore—he’s a national name. The recruiting folks are all over him, and it’s fun to watch his star rise. ESPN and On3 see him as a four-star kid, ranking him around No. 250 in their top-300 lists for 2026. Meanwhile, 247Sports and Rivals give him three stars but still put him high up as the No. 26 or 27 linebacker in the country and a top-20 player in Ohio. The numbers might differ, but everyone agrees: CJ’s on his way up, and by the time his senior year rolls around, he could be shining even brighter.

Colleges Come Calling

Back in September 2024, CJ’s phone started lighting up with offers, and it hasn’t stopped since. Iowa State was the first big Power 4 school to say, “We want you,” followed by Iowa, Purdue, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Michigan State jumped in too, and then Minnesota got in on the action after a chat with their coach Mariano Sori-Marin in January 2025. Smaller schools like Liberty and Toledo chimed in early, but the real game-changer came on January 31, 2025, when Ohio State—the team every Ohio kid grows up watching—offered him a spot. That’s when things got real.

Ohio State’s offer hit close to home, literally and figuratively. CJ’s from their backyard, and the Buckeyes love keeping Ohio’s best right where they belong. Posts on X from recruiting gurus like Steve Wiltfong and Alex Gleitman are buzzing with Ohio State vibes, and On3’s giving them a whopping 97.4% chance of landing him. Plus, CJ’s teammate, four-star safety Kaden Gebhardt, is also on Ohio State’s radar—imagine the two of them sticking together in Columbus. But CJ’s keeping his options open—he’s got an official visit to Wisconsin lined up for June 12, 2025, and four unofficial trips planned to Ohio State, with Iowa State, Michigan State, and Minnesota still hanging around, hoping to steal his heart.

Why Ohio State Feels Like Home

For Ohio State, CJ’s the kind of player they dream about. Under head coach Ryan Day, they’ve got a knack for snagging Ohio’s toughest, most athletic kids, especially linebackers who can do it all. CJ fits that mold perfectly, and when he visited Columbus in January 2025 to celebrate their national championship win, you could tell it clicked. The offer came soon after, and it’s hard not to picture him in scarlet and gray, joining stars like five-star receiver Chris Henry Jr. and four-star defensive back Jakob Weatherspoon in their 2026 class. Keeping CJ in-state wouldn’t just be a win for the team—it’d be a point of pride for Buckeye Nation.

What’s Next for CJ?

Spring and summer 2025 are about to get wild for CJ. He’s got camps to show off at, visits to take, and a senior season ahead that could turn heads even more. That trip to Wisconsin in June? It’s a chance to see what life could be like outside Ohio. Those four stops at Ohio State? They’re a sign he’s seriously thinking about staying home. Wherever he lands, one thing’s for sure: CJ’s got the talent and drive to make a mark. If he keeps balling out like he did last fall, he might just lock in that fourth star across the board and climb even higher up the recruiting ranks.

Buckeye fans, listen up! You might not know Jake Cook yet, but this Westerville North star is making a name for himself. He's been putting in the hard yards, hitting up all the Ohio State camps, basically doing everything he can to play for the Buckeyes in that awesome scarlet and gray uniform.

The Audition

This summer, Jake got his shot and headed to the Ohio State football facilities. He totally impressed the coaches twice, showing off his moves, his strength, and how much he wanted it. But even though he crushed those workouts, that dream offer from the Buckeyes is still out there waiting. Jake's heart, however, remained unwaveringly set on the Buckeyes.

The Call That Changed His College Plans

Then came that life-changing call. Justin Frye, the offensive line coach, reached out to Jake. The Buckeyes had evaluated his film, dissected his performance, and were ready to extend an offer. Jake's dream was finally within reach. His emotions swirled—a mix of relief, pride, and sheer excitement. The seven-year-old boy who once dreamed of playing for Ohio State was now on the brink of realizing that dream.

Proving His Worth

Jake's journey wasn't without challenges. After a demanding sophomore season, he lost 40 lbs., honed his skills and proved a force on the field. Coach Day acknowledged Jake's transformation, admitting that he had "shocked the hell out of them." The offensive line board was reevaluated, and Jake's name was etched prominently.

The Private Workout

Coach Frye invited Jake back for a private workout. Center reps awaited him, and Jake seized the opportunity. Under Frye's watchful eye, he absorbed every lesson, every nuance of the position. The disappointment of not receiving an immediate offer faded as Jake focused on growth. He knew he belonged here, among the Buckeyes, and he was determined to prove it.

There's a football player tearing it up down in Orlando, Florida. You might not know him yet, but Vernell Brown III, a wide receiver from Jones High School, is already a big deal for college scouts countrywide. With his blazing speed, slick moves, and all-around athleticism, Brown is primed to make a serious splash in college football.

When the Journey Began

Football's been in Brown's blood since he was a kid. Growing up surrounded by the game (his family probably bleeds team colors!), he fell for it hard and fast. It wasn't just love, though – Brown's a natural athlete with tons of grit. By high school, he was already a standout, leaving everyone impressed.

High School Stars

Brown has been a standout at Jones High School. His explosive speed allows him to stretch the field, causing defenders to follow him. Whether it’s a deep shot or a quick slant, Brown has the ability to make big plays. His accuracy and strong hands make him a reliable choice for quarterbacks.

College Suiters

As a member of the Class of 2025, Brown has received interest from more than 40 college programs. But he recently narrowed his options down to 11 schools.They include perennial powerhouses like Alabama, Florida and Tennessee. But it was Ohio State that caught his eye.

Ohio State: Exactly right?

Brown is scheduled to visit Ohio State in March, and Buckeye fans are buzzing with excitement. On horseback, under the lights, cheered on by thousands of passionate fans, his charm is hard to resist. Coach Ryan Day and his staff have made it clear that Brown will be an integral part of their offense.

What Vernell Brown II Brings to The Table

Brown isn't the biggest dude out there, 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds. But what he lacks in size, he makes up for in pure speed and focus. He's a master at shaking off defenders and keeping his eye on the ball no matter where it is thrown. Deep throws, short passes – it doesn't matter. Brown can turn any play into a wow moment for his team.

Who is C.J. Hicks?

C.J. Hicks is a high school senior football recruit from Archbishop Alter High in Dayton Ohio. Weighing in at 190 lbs., this 6 foot 4 inch young man caught the attention of colleges across the country with many recruiters trying to get him to commit. His skills include playing defense and offensive positions and excelling in all of them.

Hick’s talents have made him so widely known that he had received 28 scholarship offers from around the country before making his decision. These offers included Penn State, Notre Dame, Iowa, Cincinnati, Virginia, West Virginia, Purdue, Tennessee, Ohio State and many more. The choice was extremely difficult for him with the different scholarship packages and perks he was offered to attend some of these schools.

Which Colleges has CJ Hicks Visited?

In an interview, he mentioned visiting Purdue, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, and Ohio State for games in previous years, and had had great times at all of them. Alabama did invite him this year, however had prior engagements and was not able to attend that event. He mentioned enjoying Cincinnati, Purdue and Columbus Ohio for reasons such as their atmosphere, great football seasons, nice friendly people, and amazing crowds.

C.J. Hicks Commitment Choice

C.J. Hicks has ultimately decided to attend Ohio State University, and was recruited by Al Washington and Kevin Wilson. He stated he chose the OSU Buckeyes because of the incredible culture there. He also believes that going to Ohio State will help him to become the man he wants to become along with aiding his football career. He admitted the choice was hard, but after a discussion with his mother he knew what he wanted. He is already trying to recruit for the Buckeyes with friends, and other players he believes are a good fit.

With his long and lean body, this player is able to take long strides allowing him to cover more ground faster. Hick’s has had experience as a safety and sometimes as a cornerback, along with other defense positions. In high school he was even utilized as an offensive player, making him more versatile in how he played. College being the different ballgame it is, he will most likely have to bulk up to increase his strength, endurance and stamina. If you watched this past season you can see he is almost where he needs to be to be considered college football ready.

What does he offer Ohio State University?

With his experience in various positions on the field, he offers the Buckeyes a recruit who will be effective just about anywhere they place him. This can be a rare trait, most athletes excelling in offense or defense. His physique allows him to be fast and yet take a hit when needed, which is essential when playing this sport. He is also very determined to be the best, and his competitive nature helps ensure his dedication and motivation to achieving his football goals.

Hopewell Virginia running back TreVeyon Henderson committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes tonight over offers from Oklahoma, Georgia, Penn State, Michigan and others. A 5’11” 195 lbs. prospect, Ryan Day has a great piece of his 2021 class settled tonight.

Considered the top player in the country by many, his motivation comes from his desire to help his hard working mother.

Running Back TreVeyon Henderson

Henderson was great on the field last year, winning a state championship with 2,424 yards and 45 touchdowns, as well as in the classroom, earning a 4.0 grade point average. He averaged 12.2 yards/carry during his junior season.

Henderson is the current Gatorade Player of the Year in Virginia. He went from being a defensive back prospect as a sophomore to a 20 lbs. heavier running back with better speed as a junior.

He is able to change direction quickly and increase speed while breaking away from entire backfields.

TreVeyon Henderson Visits

Henderson was unable to visit Ohio State as he had planned in April due to the world-wide pandemic (the NCAA on-campus and off-campus visit suspension), but felt great about the coaches and the program at OSU. He mentions running backs coach Tony Alford as a reason that he feels very comfortable with the team today. Expectations were for Henderson to take his time with recruiting, but all that changed with the visit restrictions. Al Washington and Ryan Day were also pivotal in Henderson’s recruitment.

Many are comparing Henderson to JK Dobbins, who also never visited Ohio State before committing. He grew up watching Ezekiel Elliott and the Buckeyes during their great 2014 and 2015 seasons.

TreVeyon Henderson: 5-star running back commits to Ohio State

Written By Connor Patterson

Evan Pryor Commits

Ohio State added running back Evan Pryor to its 2021 class.  Pryor knew what he was entering when he joined in and knew all the stars.He choose Ohio State over Georgia and North Carolina.When Pryor enters he will be with the running backs Master Teague III, Marcus Crowley and Steele Chambers.  Due to the Buckeyes recruits they will be ahead of the competition.

The Effects Of Evan Pryor

3 commitments in the month of March for the Ohio State Buckeyes.  Pryor is the 124 overall prospect in nation. Because of Pryor, Ohio State has the most ESPN Junior 300 commitments in all FBS programs. Which is more than Florida, Clemson, Oregon, Notre Dame, and North Carolina. Pryor is a 5-foot-11, 190-pound back from from Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina.

Some Struggles for Ohio State

Pryor has became the 13th commitment to the Ohio State roster already locked and loaded for the 2021 roster and is the first RB to join the group.  The buckeyes entered the cycle of recruit after missing the previous class and desperatly needed some top tier running backs that is where they got Evan Pryor.  They are still on some good guys that are the No.2 and No. 3 which is TreVeyon Henderson and Donovan Edwards.

Some Issues With Evan Pryor

One big problem with Pryor is his blocking ability.  Because Pryor is so used to using his passing ability and usually in the pocket and getting better leverage.  In the film of him he is using his upper body to block which is not going to help him against the big ten line backers. He will need to work on his lower body strength and using a block only using lower body strength.

 Evan Pryor Highlights 2021 4 Star Running Back OSU Commit

His Relationship With The Other OSU Players

Ohio State was unexpected for his choice because his sister went to Penn State.  But he thought that it felt like a family and he loved the people.  Due to the voice chat he became friends with his future teammates and he thought they were great.  In a few days he is going to actually come to Columbus.  He has already met the team in Columbus and just like the voice chat he felt like a family.  He is very exited to come to OSU and wants to find out about his new home.      

Ohio State football already had one of the top 2020 recruiting classes in the country, and just a couple weeks ago they added to it by recruiting Jacolbe Cowan, a 4-star defensive end. You might say the rich got richer. Cowan was a highly sought after senior, and his commitment makes him one of now 23 recruits for Ohio State's 2020 season.

Jacolbe Cowan is in his senior year at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC. Cowan stands at 6'5'', weighing 262 pounds. He's ranked by 247Sports as the No. 163 overall prospect and No. 15 defensive tackle in the country, and the No. 7 overall prospect in the state of North Carolina. He's been a quarterback's nightmare, racking up 10 sacks last year as a junior, and quickly recording three this year in his first four games.

He will be joining Cincinnati Princeton defensive tackle Darrion Henry and defensive end Ty Hamilton from Pickerington Central. This trio will give Ohio State substantial depth up front.

Jacolbe Cowan chose to make his announcement on the corner of his high school's football field following Providence Day's loss to Arden Christ School. He even had a video presentation prepared to go with his announcement. Cowan was recruited by Kevin Wilson, the recruiter for his area, and defensive line coach Larry Johnson. He will play the position of defensive end.

RCS CLT: Jacolbe Cowan interview

The Consequences of Teradja Mitchell's commitment to Ohio State in 2018

Identifying the best players for college football programs is not simply about what occurs during the game, but what occurs away from the field too. Ohio State recently made a key acquisition. How will this affect the team going forward?

Earlier today, the Buckeyes received a commitment from one of America's most sought after defenders when Teradja Mitchell, the inside linebacker from Virginia, confirmed his desire to join Ohio State during his high school ceremony.

Let us examine what Mitchell, who is the number thirty-eight prospect for the 2018 class, can bring to Columbus.

Many recruiting followers were surprised when Ohio State stopped their efforts for the in-state recruit, Joel Honigford, who currently held 29 offers from various other schools.

It became clear this week, however, when the Buckeyes announced that they had received a commitment from OL Wyatt Davis from St. Bosco High in Bellflower, Ca. This commitment surprised many who had not anticipated this news.

Davis, who is a 5-star recruiting prospect, listed his top recruiting school considerations 2 months ago and Ohio State was not included or mentioned by him as a school he was considering.

Last weekend, however, the situation changed quickly after Davis took a visit to Ohio State and the Buckeyes were suddenly included in his new Top-8 list.

JK Dobbins, the all-purpose back from La Grange, TX has committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Although this announcement was a surprise to many, Dobbins confirmed the commitment on his Twitter page.

Most people thought that this 5'10 200 pound high school player was going to commit to the Texas Longhorns or either the Oklahoma Sooners. So, when it comes to committing to the Ohio Buckeyes, no one saw this coming. However, Dobbins had already said that he was making an early decision. Also, the head coach Urban Meyer did not offer JK Dobbins until a couple of weeks ago. This is even stranger to say he hasn't made recent trips to Columbus. His last known trip to Columbus was back in May.