\n James Laurinaitis has found the Prince That Was Promised. <\/p>\n
\n\tThe Ohio State linebackers coach continues to establish himself as one of college football\u2019s premier recruiters. His reputation received another boost on Monday, when Missouri four-star Prince Goldsby<\/a> \u2014 the No. 7 linebacker and No. 101 overall prospect in the 2027 class \u2014 committed to the Buckeyes.\n<\/p>\n \t\tThe Goldsby File<\/p>\n \t\t\tClass: 2027<\/p>\n \t\t\tSize:\u00a06-3\/205<\/p>\n \t\t\tPos:\u00a0LB<\/p>\n \t\t\tSchool:\u00a0Blue Springs South (Blue Springs, Missouri)<\/p>\n \t\t\tComposite Rating:\u00a0\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n \t\t\tComposite Rank:\u00a0#101\u00a0(#7\u00a0LB)<\/p>\n \n\tGoldsby is the third-highest-rated recruit (.9527 247Sports composite rating) Laurinaitis has landed since taking over Ohio State\u2019s linebackers room in 2024, trailing only five-star Cincere Johnson (.9912) and four-star Riley Pettijohn (.9793). He ranks ahead of other notable linebacker additions such as TJ Alford (.9377), Braxton Rembert (.9244), Payton Pierce (.9210), CJ Sanna (.9110), Dre Quinn (.8984) and three-star Eli Lee (.8825).\n<\/p>\n \n\tA native of Blue Springs, Missouri \u2014 just 19 miles outside Kansas City \u2014 Goldsby emerged as one of the nation\u2019s top defensive prospects during his junior season at Blue Springs South. He posted 83 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 10 games, a significant jump from his sophomore year production of 25 tackles and two sacks in nine appearances.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tAGTG 100% committed.Go BUCKS! I cant wait to be apart of this unbelievable program with great coaches who teach you, great players who push you and the best fan base in college football who expect nothing less than excellence. @JLaurinaitis55<\/a> @ryandaytime<\/a> @ElmoreJ86<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/k1RKOVH93F<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Prince goldsby2027 (@PGoldsby2027) May 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tGoldsby received his Ohio State offer on Feb. 27. Laurinaitis was relatively late to the process, extending an offer after programs such as Alabama, Missouri, Oregon, Ole Miss, Penn State, Miami, and Indiana had already entered the mix. Still, Laurinaitis has repeatedly shown an ability to close on elite linebacker talent, and he did so again with one of the top defensive prospects in the country.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tGoldsby is the second linebacker commit in Ohio State’s 2027 class, joining four-star Quinton Cypher<\/a>, the No. 149 overall recruit in the cycle. He also becomes the Buckeyes\u2019 sixth defensive commitment in the cycle, joining five-star defensive end DJ Jacobs<\/a>, four-star defensive end Wyatt Smith<\/a>, four-star safety Eli Johnson<\/a>, Cypher and three-star safety Angelo Smith<\/a>, the younger brother of star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.\n<\/p>\n \t\tClass of 2027 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\tDE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDJ JACOBS<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#4 NATL | #1 DE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0235<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBlessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell, Georgia)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tJAMIER BROWN<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#21 NATL | #4 WR<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t5-11\u00a0|\u00a0192<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWayne (Dayton, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWYATT SMITH<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#78 NATL | #11 DE<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-6 | 235<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSt. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tKELLEN WYMER<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#81 NATL | #6 OT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0265<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLiberty Center (Liberty Center, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tPRINCE GOLDSBY<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#101 NATL | #7 LB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3 | 205<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBlue Springs South (Blue Springs, Missouri)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tS<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tELI JOHNSON<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#173 NATL | #13 S<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-3\u00a0|\u00a0200<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCibolo Steele (Cibolo, Texas)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tQUINTON CYPHER<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#218 NATL | #19 LB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-2\u00a0|\u00a0220<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMillbrook (Raleigh, North Carolina)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tQB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBRADY EDMUNDS<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#225 NATL | #18 QB<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0220<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHuntington Beach (Huntington Beach, California)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBRODY MCNEEL<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#313 NATL | #29 OT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0285<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tGodwin (Richmond, Virginia)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tJIMMY KALIS<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#317 NATL | #30 OT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-6\u00a0|\u00a0280<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tCentral Catholic (Pittsburgh, PA)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tOT<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDAVIS SEAMAN<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#409 NATL | #21 IOL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-4\u00a0|\u00a0290<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBishop Watterson (Columbus, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tIOL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMASON WILT<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t#534 NATL | #32 IOL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t6-5\u00a0|\u00a0295<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSt. Clairsville (St. Clairsville, Ohio)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tS<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tANGELO SMITH<\/a><\/p>\n