\n Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class has shrunk by one. <\/p>\n
\n\tIn a move seemingly out of nowhere, four-star Ohio State cornerback commit Jakob Weatherspoon<\/a> flipped his commitment from the Buckeyes to\u00a0Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday. Perhaps he’s the player to be named later for North Carolina\u00a0following Beau Atkinson’s transfer from Chapel Hill to Columbus?\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tBREAKING: Four-Star Safety Jakob Weatherspoon has Flipped his Commitment from Ohio State to North Carolina, he tells me for @rivals<\/a><\/p>\n The 60 180 S from Avon, OH had been Committed to the Buckeyes since January<\/p>\n SCO Tar Heelshttps:\/\/t.co\/ithgf5qBjl<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/wyYgg0t5n6<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tThough the move was out of left field, it makes sense when you factor in context that Weatherspoon was seen by many in the recruiting industry as primarily a safety, and OSU has two elite safety commits in Blaine Bradford<\/a> and Simeon Caldwell<\/a> and potentially another one on the way in Bralan Womack<\/a>, who’s set to commit on Aug. 22.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tWeatherspoon originally committed to OSU on Jan. 2 and is considered the be the No. 178 prospect and No. 14 safety in the 2026 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings. With the Avon product now out of the class, OSU’s 2026 recruiting cycle sits at 20 commits total.\n<\/p>\n \n\tRegardless of whether Weatherspoon was considered a safety or cornerback by the recruiting industry, with his absence, Jordan Thomas<\/a> is the lone cornerback committed to the Buckeyes in the current cycle, though Thomas has long been thought to be at the top of Tim Walton’s recruiting board for this class.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIt’s possible they could still add another before signing day if they find an intriguing senior standout this fall or are able to flip someone like Danny Odem<\/a>. If neither of those options pan out, the Buckeyes could be in the market for a cornerback in the transfer portal this offseason.\n<\/p>\n \t\tClass of 2026 Commits<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tPos<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tName<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tRating<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tRank<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSize<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSchool<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCHRIS HENRY JR.<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#15 NATL | #3 WR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0205<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMater Dei (Santa Ana, California)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tS<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBLAINE BRADFORD<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#26 NATL | #3 S<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-1\u00a0|\u00a0207<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCatholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCINCERE JOHNSON<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#71 NATL | #8 ED<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3\u00a0|\u00a0225<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tGlenville (Cleveland, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tS<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSIMEON CALDWELL<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#106 NATL | #6 LB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3\u00a0|\u00a0185<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tThe Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tKAYDEN DIXON-WYATT<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#108 NATL | #13 WR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-2\u00a0|\u00a0180<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMater Dei (Santa Ana, California)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSAM GREER<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#109 NATL | #7 OT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-6\u00a0|\u00a0310<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tArchbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMAXWELL RILEY<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#127 NATL | #8 OT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0280<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tAvon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tRB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tFAVOUR AKIH<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#167 NATL | #14 RB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-0\u00a0|\u00a0190<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tRutherford B Hayes (Delaware, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tJORDAN THOMAS<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#176 NATL | #16 CB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-1\u00a0|\u00a0185<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDAMARI SIMEON<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#201 NATL | #26 DL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3\u00a0|\u00a0275<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSt. Augustine Prep (Richland, New Jersey)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tKHARY WILDER<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#241 NATL | #23 ED<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-4\u00a0|\u00a0260<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tJunipero Serra (Gardena, California)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tJAEDEN RICKETTS<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#269 NATL\u00a0|\u00a0#45 WR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-0\u00a0|\u00a0187<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWatkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCJ SANNA<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#296 NATL| #19 LB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3| 225<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOlentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tQB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLUKE FAHEY<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#357 NATL\u00a0|\u00a0#24 QB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-1\u00a0|\u00a0185<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBROCK BOYD<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#381 NATL\u00a0|\u00a0#58 WR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-2\u00a0|\u00a0183<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSouthlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tAARON THOMAS<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#440 NATL\u00a0| #36 OT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-7\u00a0|\u00a0300<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMountain Pointe (Phoenix, Arizona)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tTE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCORBYN FORDHAM<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#482 NATL | #24 TE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3\u00a0|\u00a0215<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tThe Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCAMERON BRICKLE<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#538 NATL | #62 DT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-2\u00a0|\u00a0305<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tIMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tTUCKER SMITH<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#665 NATL | #57 IOL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0280<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSandra Day O’Connor (Phoenix, Arizona)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tJAMIR PEREZ<\/a><\/p>\n