Ohio State Beats Out Texas for 5-Star LB Riley Pettijohn

The Texas Longhorns have suffered another recruiting battle loss to an elite Big Ten team.

Riley Pettijohn on his Texas visit / Riley Pettijohn on X

After coming up short in the sweepstakes for five-star receiver Dakorien Moore, the Texas Longhorns have missed out on another key in-state recruiting target. 

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

He took his official visit to Texas on June 14.

Riley Pettijohn on his Texas visit / Riley Pettijohn on X

The swings and misses in the 2025 cycle continue to pile up for the Longhorns as of late, but Texas’ class as a whole remains full of talent with a real chance at adding more down the line. The Longhorns’ 2025 class already features four-star talents like defensive lineman Lance Jackson, linebacker Elijah Barnes, quarterback KJ Lacey, tight end Emaree Winston and running back James Simon. 

Five-star receivers Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench along with five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi have yet to announce their commitments, meaning Texas — which is a finalist for all three — could soon be adding some of the top talent in the nation

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.