5-Star LB Riley Pettijohn Commits to Ohio State Over Texas A&M

The Texas A&M Aggies missed out on a big time target on Saturday.

Riley Pettijohn on his Texas A&M visit / @rileypettijohn7 on Instagram

The Texas A&M Aggies were hoping to make a big splash on the recruiting trail on Saturday.

However, in what has become a rare occasion so far in the 2025 cycle, the Aggies missed their mark.

Per On3's Hayes Fawcett, five-star 2025 linebacker Riley Pettijohn has committed to Ohio State among a final group that also included Texas A&M, USC and Texas. The McKinney, Texas product had also received offers from programs like Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon and Florida, along with many more. 

Riley Pettijohn on his Texas A&M visit / @rileypettijohn7 on Instagram

For weeks, it has seemed like the Aggies were in a great position to land the talented defender, especially due to his relationship with the coaching staff. However, it appears that what the Buckeyes had to offer was too much for the Aggies to overcome.

He took his official visit to Texas on June 21, which was preceeded by trips to Texas on June 14, USC on June 7, and Ohio State on May 31.

Fortunately for the Aggies, the loss of Pettijohn comes at a position where they already have a major talent in four-star linebacker Noah Mikhail.

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Pettijohn stands as a five-star recruit, while holding his spot as the No. 4 overall linebacker in the class and the No. 9 player in Texas. His father, Duke, played on the defensive line at Syracuse from 1997-2000 and was a two-time All-Big East selection before the Orange made the move to the ACC.

Over the past two years, Pettijohn posted 162 total tackles -- which included 120 last season -- to go along with 15 tackles for loss, six sacks, five pass breakups and one interception.