Ohio State Gets Good News This Week on Highly Touted Playmaker
The Ohio State Buckeyes could have a revamped backfield as the program attempts to repeat as national champions in 2025. But the Buckeyes could also add another elite runner into the fold next year. Four-star running back Ezavier Crowell told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Wednesday that he has Ohio State in his final six schools for his college football recruitment. On3’s Keegan Pope wrote that, in addition to Ohio State, Crowell is considering the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida State Seminoles, Texas Longhorns, and Auburn Tigers. However, Crowell has a visit scheduled with the other five schools and not the Buckeyes. He doesn’t currently have a visit set for Ohio State. “The Buckeyes, meanwhile, will be looking to make a move to get their own visit from him,” wrote Pope. Crowell will visit Georgia during the weekend of May 30. The other four schools in Crowell’s final six will host him for a weekend in June.
Clearly, the Buckeyes have some work to do in Crowell’s recruitment. But it’s still a good sign Ohio State is among his top six.
The 247Sports composite rankings placed Crowell as the No. 2 running back in the 2026 recruiting class. Those rankings also consider the running back a top 30 recruit in the class. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound prospect will play as a senior this fall at Jackson High School in Jackson, Ala.
The Ohio State Buckeyes continue to search for a starting quarterback with Will Howard heading to the NFL draft. Incumbent quarterback Julian Sayin is set to compete with five-star quarterback and early enrollee Tavien St. Clair this spring.
One source recently summarized to On3.com’s Pete Nakos that the advantage Sayin might have in the competition.
“The real deal,” the source said to Nakos on Monday while describing Sayin’s arm strength.
During the same feature, another source told Nakos that Sayin has “continued to impress the [Ohio State] staff.”
Sayin mostly spent the 2024 season on the bench behind Howard. Yet, in the 2024 recruiting class, Sayin was a five-star prospect, originally joining the Alabama Crimson Tide.
In addition to his five-star status, the 247Sports composite rankings rated Sayin as the No. 3 signal-caller and No. 20 overall recruit in the 2024 class.
Howard is a big fan of Sayin’s as well. Howard described Sayin as “one of the most accurate quarterbacks I’ve been around,” per On3.
