College Football HQ

Ohio State football recruiting: 4-star 2026 safety Simeon Caldwell picks the Buckeyes

Four-star safety Simeon Caldwell gives his pledge to Ohio State in the days after the Buckeyes also secured the commitment of five-star defensive back Blaine Bradford.

James Parks

Ohio State secures another important secondary player in its 2026 football recruiting haul as Simeon Caldwell makes it official.
Ohio State secures another important secondary player in its 2026 football recruiting haul as Simeon Caldwell makes it official. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

In a matter of days, Ohio State made two important recruiting gains to help shore up its secondary in what looks to be another promising 2026 class for head coach Ryan Day and new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. 

Four-star safety Simeon Caldwell announced that he committed to the Buckeyes over finalists Notre Dame, USC, and Miami on Thursday.

Caldwell is a consensus four-star prospect and one of the more highly-regarded defensive backs in the 2026 recruiting class.

The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Fla.) product is considered the No. 8 safety in the country and the No. 13 player from the state of Florida, according to a consensus of the four national recruiting services.

Caldwell was rated as the No. 7 linebacker in the country, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, but it’s expected he will play at the safety position with the Buckeyes.

Ohio State initially offered Calwell in January and he visited with the program several times before making his commitment this week.

Caldwell’s pledge to the Buckeyes comes days after the program secured the commitment of Blaine Bradford, who Rivals calls a five-star prospect and who is the consensus No. 2 safety in the nation, according to the services’ rankings.

Ohio State 2026 football recruiting class

Chris Henry: Five-star wide receiver ranked No. 2 nationally

Blaine Bradford: The second-ranked safety from Baton Rouge.

Simeon Caldwell: No. 8 ranked safety and No. 108 overall prospect.

Max Riley: No. 8 ranked interior offensive lineman in the country.

Sam Greer: Offensive tackle ranked No. 14 at his position.

Jakob Weatherspoon: The No. 5 ranked athlete and Ohio’s 7th best recruit.

Jaeden Ricketts: The No. 44 ranked wide receiver in the nation.

Corbyn Fordham: Another Bolles School pledge, the No. 8 ranked tight end in America, according to ESPN.

Tucker Smith: Interior offensive lineman ranked No. 69 at the position nationally.

-

Read more from College Football HQ

Published
James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

Home/News