Looks like if Ohio State wants to hold on to one of their top recruits, they will have to fend off one of the hottest programs in the country.
Jameer Whyce, a 4-star defensive lineman who committed to Ohio State back in October, announced on social media that Notre Dame has come forward and made him an offer in hopes of an eventual flip. Whyce is one of the prized pieces of the Buckeyes’ 2028 class, and it should come as no surprise that the Buckeyes will have to continue maintaining their relationship with the recruit until signing day.
Whyce, a Trotwood-Madison standout from Dayton, committed to Ohio State on October 16, 2025. He is listed by 247 Sports Composite as the No. 34 overall recruit and No. 3 defensive lineman in his class. He stands at 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds. According to 247Sports scout Hudson Standish, Whyce “Projects as a potential difference maker with the physical tools and play style to penetrate against the run and move the pocket from the interior.”
From Ohio State’s perspective, this is less a surprise than a reminder of the recruiting environment in modern college football. The Buckeyes remain one of the sport’s most effective national recruiters and are actually tied with Notre Dame for the most five-star recruits in the 2026 class. Still, with Whyce so early in the cycle, the Buckeyes will now need to keep him engaged and ensure the relationship remains strong through the next rounds of evaluations, visits, and contacts.
For Notre Dame, this also fits a pattern. The Irish have become aggressive in their national recruiting and, in 2026, assembled one of the top recruiting classes in the country, with multiple state representations. Offering Whyce now gives head coach Marcus Freeman’s staff time to continue to build the relationship and hope that eventually he can sway the mind of the young recruit.
Ohio State has turned into arguably the best recruiting program in the country, but Friday’s offer for one of its verbal commits shows that it is not time to rest.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Ohio State football verbal gets offer from aggressive competitor
Reporting by Sunny Verma, Buckeyes Wire / Fighting Irish Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
