{"id":656740,"date":"2026-05-21T16:26:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T16:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/656740\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T16:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T16:26:08","slug":"better-know-a-buckeye-emanuel-ruffin-has-quickness-explosiveness-to-be-dynamic-run-stopper-in-middle-of-ohio-states-defensive-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/656740\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Know a Buckeye: Emanuel Ruffin Has Quickness, Explosiveness to Be Dynamic Run Stopper in Middle of Ohio State\u2019s Defensive Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Better Know A Buckeye is our look at every member of Ohio State\u2019s 2026 recruiting class and how they became Buckeyes as they prepare to begin their OSU careers this fall. <\/p>\n

\n\tOne of three defensive tackles to sign with\u00a0Ohio State in the cycle, Emanuel Ruffin\u00a0changed his mind multiple times throughout his recruitment \u2013 both with his commitment and his finalists \u2013 but the mutual interest between Ohio State and Ruffin ultimately won out in the end to bring the four-star defensive tackle from Alabama to Columbus.\n<\/p>\n

\t\tEmanuel Ruffin<\/p>\n

\t\t\tSize:\u00a06-3\/282<\/p>\n

\t\t\tPosition:\u00a0DT<\/p>\n

\t\t\tSchool:\u00a0Bessemer City (Bessemer, Alabama)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t247 Sports Composite: \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\tComposite Rank: #251\u00a0(#27\u00a0DL)<\/p>\n

\tBackground<\/p>\n

\n\tOhio State started recruiting Ruffin late in the process, as the Buckeyes offered the defensive lineman in May 2025, but Larry Johnson made it up in no time.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter an official visit to Columbus last June that was sandwiched between OVs to LSU and Alabama, Ruffin announced that he would make his decision on July 4. But that got pushed back by four months after he decided he wasn\u2019t ready to commit. With the delayed commitment date, Colorado offered Ruffin on Sept. 16 and the four-star prospect committed to the Buffaloes on Sept. 23.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tEven with that commitment, Ohio State continued to make Ruffin a priority target, and Johnson and Co. did enough to flip the former Colorado pledge to the Buckeyes, as Ruffin committed to OSU<\/a> on Nov. 9. He was the third commitment in four days for OSU, joining cornerback Jay Timmons and offensive lineman Mason Wilhelm.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter originally having Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Texas as his original finalists, the Buckeyes were the only school to remain a finalist from the original group after he pushed his commitment back four months. Ruffin ultimately chose OSU over Colorado, Missouri\u00a0and Ole Miss.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tRuffin had a productive high school career, recording more than 160 tackles over his final three seasons at Bessemer City.\u00a0As a sophomore, Ruffin had 52 tackles (five tackles for loss) and a sack. In his junior season, he recorded 51 tackles (two tackles for loss)\u00a0and a fumble recovery. Then, as\u00a0a senior, Ruffin totaled 60\u00a0tackles (four TFL), three sacks\u00a0and two fumble recoveries in 11 games.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\tBessemer City 2026 DL Emmanuel Ruffin @emanuel_ruffin<\/a> has been a stand out at Under Armour Nashville.<\/p>\n

Ruffin has official visits to Alabama and Tennessee locked in. pic.twitter.com\/t0GzIiUmtf<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n

\t\u2014 Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) March 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\tScouting Report<\/p>\n

\n\tTime and time again, Ruffin used his quickness off the snap and explosiveness off the line\u00a0to get into the opponents’ backfield in high school, becoming a dominant run stopper. While he will go against bigger and quicker offensive linemen in the Big Ten, Ruffin has shown the ability to use a variety of moves to get past opponents and disrupt plays at the line of scrimmage. And if a play gets passed him, he has the pursuit ability and speed to make a play downfield.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tRuffin must continue to develop as a pass rusher to become a three-down defensive tackle and needs to improve\u00a0on his pad level to reach his ceiling, as he tended to just overpower his opponents without needing to bend much in high school.\u00a0That said, the 6-3, 282-pounder has plenty of tools in his skill set to be a menace at defensive tackle for Ohio State as he develops his game early on as a Buckeye.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\tDepth Chart Outlook<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile he played all over the defensive line for\u00a0Bessemer City, Ruffin will be an interior defensive lineman for the Buckeyes, likely a nose tackle. With that, he\u2019s competing\u00a0with fellow freshmen\u00a0Damari Simeon\u00a0and Jamir Perez for the sixth DT spot on the three-deep this season\u00a0behind James Smith, Eddrick Houston, Jason Moore, John Walker and Will Smith Jr.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tWith a good first year of development, Ruffin will have\u00a0a chance to compete for a spot in the regular rotation in 2027 and\u00a0a possible starting job as an upperclassman in 2028.\n<\/p>\n

\tPlayer Comparison: Davon Hamilton<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter\u00a0playing in only one game in his first season as a Buckeye in 2015 (a redshirt year), Hamilton gradually improved as he gained more and more snaps throughout his five seasons in Columbus. In his final four years at Ohio State, the 6-4, 320-pounder totaled 66 tackles (21 for loss), seven sacks, three fumble recoveries and one touchdown.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tEven though it took him some time to reach his full potential with the Buckeyes, Hamilton dominated in the middle of Ohio State’s defensive line as a fifth-year senior, notching 28 tackles (10.5 for loss), six sacks and a fumble recovery, leading to a third-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tRuffin’s career trajectory at OSU could resemble Hamilton’s\u00a0as long as Ruffin continues to develop his skill set and add muscle to his frame. He likely won\u2019t play much as a freshman, but has the tools to emerge as a high-level starter in his later years for the Buckeyes.\n<\/p>\n