Ohio State adds OLB Pettijohn to top-ranked class

Eli Lederman, ESPN Personnel WriterJul 6, 2024, 12:36 PM ET

Close

Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He signed up with ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.After missing out on a pair of top-100 prospects this week, Ohio State landed another high-profile defenders for its top-ranked 2025 class with a dedication from four-star outdoors linebacker Riley Pettijohn Saturday afternoon.Pettijohn, No. 48 in the ESPN 300, signs up with the Buckeyes as the fifth-ranked outdoors linebacker in this cycle and chose Ohio State over finalists Texas, USC and Texas A&M. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defender actions in as the program’s 16th ESPN 300 promise and the eighth top-100 commit on defense in 2025. Pettijohn, who revealed his dedication on Instagram, is entering his senior season this fall at Texas’ McKinney High School, where he likewise contends

in track and field. He is the kid of previous Syracuse defensive lineman Duke Pettijohn, a two-time All-Big East selection with the Orange from 1997 to 2000. Pettijohn’s promise is available in the same week top-100 outside linebacker Justin Hill chose Alabama over Ohio State and follows No. 1 pass receiver Dakorien Moore’s dedication to Oregon in a hotly objected to recruiting battle.With a list of nearly 30 Power 4 offers, Pettijohn narrowed his recruitment this spring to 4 schools and paid official sees to each of Ohio State, USC, Texas and Texas A&M before making his decision. In the end, he’ll land at

Ohio State, swayed by a recruiting process led by Buckeyes protective organizer Jim Knowles and linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.Pettijohn has shown himself over the course of his high school career as an athletic tackler capable of playing both on the edge and in linebacker functions. After tallying 42 tackles in his sophomore season in 2022, Pettijohn exploded as a junior, signing up 125 overall tackles with three sacks and an interception last fall. He forecasts firmly as a linebacker at the next level with high advantage as a member of maybe the most talented protective class in the country in this cycle.With Pettijohn, Ohio State’s No. 1 class is now up to 22 promises. On defense, that group includes the country’s top set of cornerback in Na’eem Offord and Devin Sanchez, No. 1 safety Faheem Delane and trio of top-10 defensive ends in London Merrit(No. 4 DE in 2025 ), Zahir Mathis( No. 6)and Zion Grady (No. 10). No. 7 outdoors linebacker Tarvos Alford has actually been devoted to the Buckeyes given that March.