Ohio State does have a potential advantage: Cooper attends the same high school as former Buckeye and current star wideout Jeremiah Smith. Still, there is ground to make up, and the Buckeyes may ultimately need to circle back to other targets if Cooper chooses elsewhere.

Several programs saw a commit or two jump up the list, including Notre Dame, Georgia, Oregon, Florida State and others, but no program has more to celebrate than Ohio State. The Buckeyes are, once again, reloading with the 2026 class.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have been one of the best recruiting machines over the last decade since Urban Meyer transformed their approach into a nationwide effort. Being able to draw in top athletes from across the country has led to two National Championships,