{"id":684091,"date":"2026-06-04T15:07:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/684091\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T15:07:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:07:10","slug":"better-know-a-buckeye-favour-akih-looks-to-develop-into-three-down-running-back-at-ohio-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/684091\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Know a Buckeye: Favour Akih Looks to Develop Into Three-Down Running Back at Ohio State"},"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\tFavour Akih dealt with multiple\u00a0injuries during the latter stages of his high school career, but he showed enough as a junior\u00a0to prove that he could potentially\u00a0be a big-time playmaker and reliable running back at Ohio State, a school he grew up just up the road from.\n<\/p>\n

\t\tFavour Akih<\/p>\n

\t\t\tSize:\u00a05-11\/184<\/p>\n

\t\t\tPosition:\u00a0RB<\/p>\n

\t\t\tSchool:\u00a0Rutherford B. Hayes (Delaware, Ohio)<\/p>\n

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

\t\t\tComposite Rank: #302\u00a0(#21 RB)<\/p>\n

\tBackground<\/p>\n

\n\tAkih didn’t receive an offer from Ohio State until March 2025, following OSU’s first spring practice, but it was\u00a0a long time coming for him. The Delaware, Ohio product had been in contact with the Buckeyes for months and had already visited campus multiple times. Two days later, he announced\u00a0his college decision would be between OSU, Miami and USC.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter four more visits to Columbus that spring, including an official visit, Akih committed to the Buckeyes<\/a> on June 6, 2025, becoming Ohio State\u2019s\u00a0first running back commit in the class and the sixth in-state commitment in the cycle.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIn his first season receiving varsity snaps, Akih had 17 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tHe burst onto the scene as a junior,\u00a0notching 236 carries for 1,653 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with nine catches for 142 yards and three scores. He earned first-team All-Ohio honors despite playing only nine games,\u00a0missing two games due to injury.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\tA little bit of a look at what Ohio State RB commit Favour Akih can do on the football field. pic.twitter.com\/GsaZYa4L04<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n

\t\u2014 Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) June 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tAkih’s senior season was cut short after he suffered a high ankle sprain in his team\u2019s\u00a0season opener. He totaled just 17 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown in his final high school season.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\tOhio State RB commit Favour Akih scores his first touchdown of the year. pic.twitter.com\/7kGcWDuo60<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n

\t\u2014 Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) September 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tOff the football field, Akih competed\u00a0in track and field, where he\u00a0set personal bests of 10.9\u00a0in the 100-meter and 22.03 in the 200-meter\u00a0dash in\u00a02025.\n<\/p>\n

\tScouting Report<\/p>\n

\n\tAkih not\u00a0only has the speed to blow past opponents, but\u00a0the strength to plow through defenders. Akih also showcases a shiftiness and\u00a0quickness to redirect his momentum and feet when needed. Pairing those traits\u00a0with his pass-blocking and pass-catching\u00a0ability out of the backfield, Akih has the tools to be\u00a0a three-down running back for Ohio State.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tHe will have to have\u00a0better injury luck in college than he did in high school, but if he does, Akih has the talent to develop into a future starter.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\tDepth Chart Outlook<\/p>\n

\n\tOhio State’s running back room is quite full heading into the fall. With rising sophomores Bo Jackson and\u00a0Isaiah West, transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson and freshman Legend Bey likely leading the depth chart and Anthony “Turbo” Rogers also fighting for position on the depth chart,\u00a0Akih’s first season will be all about development off the field and on the practice field. Add in the fact that he just turned 17 late last year, and development will be even more key given how young Akih is compared to others in his class.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThat said, Akih shouldn\u2019t be completely overlooked, even as a freshman.\u00a0West was largely viewed as an afterthought to play as a freshman in 2025, but he ended up in the rotation and rushed for 310 yards and two touchdowns on 59 carries\u00a0even after missing the\u00a0spring with an injury.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAkih\u2019s best chance to start climbing the depth chart and earn a bigger role, though, will likely come in 2027 or later.\n<\/p>\n

\tPlayer Comparison: Evan Pryor<\/p>\n

\n\tPryor\u2019s Ohio State career certainly didn’t go as expected. After playing minimal snaps as a freshman, Pryor tore his patellar tendon in his left knee in the preseason of his second season as a Buckeye, an injury that forced him to miss all of the 2022 season.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter three years at Ohio State, Pryor transferred to Cincinnati, where he began to blossom and showcase his versatility as a three-down running back. The 5-10, 190-pounder totaled 132 carries for 940 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 25 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns as a pass-catcher over two seasons as a Bearcat.\u00a0He will spend his final collegiate season in Gainesville after transferring to Florida this offseason.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile Akih will hopefully have better injury luck than Pryor did as a Buckeye, his game compares well to the former Ohio State playmaker in the backfield. Like Pryor, he\u2019ll likely have to earn a bigger role as his college career progresses, and he\u2019ll attempt to do that in Columbus.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n