Ohio State Finalists for Another Four-Star Linebacker

The Ohio State Buckeyes continue to contend for some of the top talent in the 2025 recruiting class.

Sep 23, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day celebrates Chip Trayanum (19) game winning rushing touchdown against Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the fourth quarter of their game at Notre Dame Stadium. / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA

The Ohio State Buckeyes find themselves as a finalist for yet another elite linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class.

Per reports from On3's Hayes Fawcett, the Buckeyes are one of six teams that four-star IMG Academy linebacker Gavin Nix will choose from as he makes his commitment.

Oct. 14, 2023; Lafayette, In., USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day pumps his fast after a touchdown by Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Devin Brown (33) during the first half of Saturday's NCAA Division I football game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium in Lafayette. / Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch

Nix will be deciding among a final group of six teams that includes Ohio State, Oregon, Stanford, Notre Dame, Florida State and Miami. The Buckeyes had originally offered him in January.

On Saturday, four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn announced Ohio State as one of his four finalists.

A four-star recruit out of IMG in Bradenton, Fla., Nix, who stands 6-0, 225 pounds, is the No. 11 linebacker in the class and the No. 88 player overall. He had also received offers from programs Alabama, Auburn, Colorado, Michigan, Texas and Texas A&M among others.

He has official visits set with Miami (June 7), Oregon (June 14) and Florida State (June 21).

Last season at IMG, Nix posted 42 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and a sack across eight games. He arrived to the prestigious athletic academy ahead of the 2022 season.

The Buckeyes have 12 commitments for 2025 after the recent decommitment of cornerback Blake Woodby. Ohio State's class still features five-star cornerbacks Devin Sanchez and Na'eem Offord along with three-star safeties DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. Sanchez and Offord are currently listed as the two top CBs overall in the entire 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports rankings.

However, adding Nix to the fold would give Ohio State its third commitment at linebacker alongside four-star Tarvos Alford and three-star Eli Lee.