Why the Buckeyes Need 2025 DL Target Brandon Caesar

While Buckeyes fans are focused on who will start under center on Saturday, Coach Ryan Day and Co. are still working hard behind the scenes to land one of the biggest "gets" for the class of 2025.

It's game week, and maybe even more importantly, it's Indiana week. The Buckeyes travel to Bloomington to take on the Hoosiers on Saturday, but recruiting never stops, especially in-state recruiting. Winning the battle for your own, local talent gives a program a huge boost for potential future recruits, and sometimes even more so for out-of-state targets.

While Buckeyes fans are focused on who will start under center on Saturday, Coach Ryan Day and Co. are still working hard behind the scenes to land one of the biggest "gets" for the class of 2025.

On Monday, the team offered 2025 in-state defensive lineman Brandon Caeser, from Cleveland Heights High School. While Casar is rated as a three-star recruit by On3, the importance of landing local talent cannot be overstated.

The 6-4, 235-pounder is still developing, and his star rating is expected to increase before he moves on to the next level, hopefully in Columbus. Day is on record as saying the program places a prime on keeping the best in-state players home. And while Caesar was just offered by Ohio State on Monday, the Buckeyes appear to be the early favorite for his services.

So far for the 2025 cycles, the Buckeyes hold just one commitment, and that's from three-star (per On3) quarterback Tavien St. Clair. Caesar is listed as the Bo. 14 recruit from Ohio, the No. 40 defensive lineman in the cycle, and the No. 425 recruit nationally.

Also in the running for his services are West Virginia, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Alabama, among others. Caesar has received offers from 29 programs across the country so far.