Ohio State has made another late addition to its 2026 defensive line recruiting class via a flip.

After flipping four-star defensive tackle Emanuel Ruffin from Colorado and adding four-star Clemson decommit Dre Quinn at defensive end earlier this month, the Buckeyes added another versatile defensive lineman to their class as three-star Louisiana prospect Darryus McKinley flipped his commitment from LSU to Ohio State.

McKinley has played primarily as a defensive end at Acadiana High School, where he recorded 72 total tackles for a whopping 27 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in his senior season, but has the size at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds to potentially grow into a defensive tackle at the next level.

Ranked as the No. 600 overall prospect and No. 73 defensive lineman in the 2026 class, McKinley committed to LSU in August. The Louisiana native planned to play for the Tigers alongside his older brother Dominick, who was also recruited by Ohio State as a five-star defensive tackle in the 2024 class.

The McKinley File

Class: 2026

Size: 6-3/265

Pos: DL

School: Acadiana (Lafayette, Louisiana)

Composite Rating: ★★★

Composite Rank: #600 (#73 DL)

Ohio State quickly became a candidate to flip McKinley, however, when it offered him on Oct. 30, just four days after LSU fired Brian Kelly. With LSU still searching for a new head coach, McKinley now plans to sign with Ohio State during next week’s early signing period.

McKinley becomes the sixth defensive lineman in Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, joining Ruffin, Quinn, four-star defensive end Khary Wilder, four-star defensive tackle Damari Simeon and three-star defensive tackle Jamir Perez. McKinley’s commitment to the Buckeyes comes after three-star defensive tackle Cameron Brickle flipped from Ohio State to Maryland on Sunday.

McKinley becomes Ohio State’s eighth commitment of November in the 2026 class, joining seven other prospects who were also previously committed to other schools: Quinn, Ruffin, cornerback Jay Timmons (Florida State), offensive weapon Legend Bey (Tennessee), offensive lineman Mason Wilhelm (North Carolina), tight end Nick Lautar (Louisville) and linebacker Braxton Rembert (Wake Forest).

Ohio State now has 28 commitments in the 2026 class. 

Class of 2026 Commits

Pos

Name

Rating

Rank

Size

School

WR

CHRIS HENRY JR.

★★★★★

#10 NATL | #1 WR

6-5 | 205

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California)

DE

KHARY WILDER

★★★★

#42 NATL | #2 DL

6-4 | 260

Junipero Serra (Gardena, California)

LB

CINCERE JOHNSON

★★★★

#50 NATL | #3 LB

6-3 | 225

Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)

OT

SAM GREER

★★★★

#51 NATL | #6 OT

6-6 | 310

Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)

CB

JAY TIMMONS

★★★★

#64 NATL | #7 CB

5-11 | 185

Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pennsylvania)

S

BLAINE BRADFORD

★★★★

#71 NATL | #7 S

6-1 | 207

Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

CB

JORDAN THOMAS

★★★★

#123 NATL | #15 CB

6-1 | 185

Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey)

WR

KAYDEN DIXON-WYATT

★★★★

#135 NATL | #21 WR

6-2 | 180

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California)

WR

JERQUADEN GUILFORD

★★★★

#137 NATL | #22 WR

6-2 | 190

Northrop (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

OL

MAXWELL RILEY

★★★★

#171 NATL | #7 IOL

6-5 | 280

Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio)

ATH

LEGEND BEY

★★★★

#175 NATL | #9 ATH

5-11 | 175

North Forney (Forney, Texas)

S

SIMEON CALDWELL

★★★★

#186 NATL | #10 LB

6-3 | 185

The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida)

DT

DAMARI SIMEON

★★★★

#194 NATL | #22 DL

6-3 | 275

St. Augustine Prep (Richland, New Jersey)

RB

FAVOUR AKIH

★★★★

#244 NATL | #17 RB

6-0 | 190

Rutherford B Hayes (Delaware, Ohio)

DT

EMANUEL RUFFIN

★★★★

#247 NATL | #29 DL

6-4 | 290

Bessemer City (Bessemer, Alabama)

LB

CJ SANNA

★★★★

#252 NATL| #15 LB

6-3 | 225

Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio)

LB

BRAXTON REMBERT

★★★★

#358 NATL | #22 ED

6-6 | 200

Mill Creek (Hoschton, Georgia)

DE

DRE QUINN

★★★★

#365 NATL | #36 EDGE

6-4 | 228

Buford (Buford, Georgia)

S

KHMARI BING

★★★★

#395 NATL | #35 CB

6-0 | 190

St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland)

WR

JAEDEN RICKETTS

★★★★

#424 NATL | #62 WR

6-0 | 187

Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio)

TE

NICK LAUTAR

★★★

#542 NATL | #29 TE

6-5 | 230

Lebanon (Lebanon, Ohio)

OL

TUCKER SMITH

★★★

#572 NATL | #45 IOL

6-5 | 280

Sandra Day O’Connor (Phoenix, Arizona)

DL

DARRYUS MCKINLEY

★★★

#600 NATL | #73 DL

6-3 | 265

Acadiana (Lafayette, Louisiana)

WR

BROCK BOYD

★★★

#601 NATL | #84 WR

6-2 | 183

Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)

QB

LUKE FAHEY

★★★

#629 NATL | #39 QB

6-1 | 185

Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California)

DT

JAMIR PEREZ

★★★

#766 NATL | #86 DL

6-4 | 330

Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)

OT

LANDRY BREDE

★★★

#855 NATL | #77 OT

6-5 | 280

Mentor (Mentor, Ohio)

OL

MASON WILHELM

★★★

#998 NATL | #80 IOL

6-4 | 285

St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)

Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite