Unbelievably, Brian Hartline has a little down in the 2025 recruiting cycle. There are currently three wide receivers committed to the Buckeyes, and while there is one standout player in the class, overall, it falls short of the caliber of players the position coach has been producing in recent years. The 247Sports Composite Rankings have Quincy Porter ranked No. 45 nationally, making him the best wide receiver in the class right now. De’zie Jones, a receiver presently ranked No. 289 nationally, is the next receiver in the class. Bodpegn Miller, an in-state athlete currently rated as a three-star prospect at No. 591 nationally, is the third and last player in Hartline’s haul.
You won’t find me criticizing Hartline now, as no one in the nation is better at what he does than him. It is apparent, though, that he hasn’t been securing the finest players this season. Maybe that’s because there is already a glut of excellent, young wide receiver talent in Columbus, or maybe there isn’t as much talent at wide receiver nationally as there was a few years ago.
Whatever the reason, when five-star Orlando native Vernell Brown III announces his college choice on July 21, Hartline and the Buckeyes will have an opportunity to improve upon their present holdings. The Buckeyes are one of four contenders, along with Florida, Miami, Florida State, and Brown’s in-state universities.
Brown plays receiver for Jones High School in Orlando, which is roughly 20 miles away from my house. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 170 pounds. He is currently rated by 247Sports Composite Rankings as the No. 25 player in the country. Brown is ranked as the sixth-best receiver in the nation and the fifth-best Florida athlete.
Brown’s formal visit season began in Columbus at the end of May and began in early June. He then traveled to Coral Gables, Gainesville, and Tallahassee. Being the first OV isn’t always a good thing, and it appears like the Buckeyes may have some competition in earning the commitment in just one and a half weeks.
Even though before to leaving for On3, Steve Wiltfong, the former director of recruiting for 247Sports, recorded a crystal ball in favor of Ohio State in March, the Gators have won three more forecasts since June. Tom Loy, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, made his UF forecast on Tuesday in order to highlight that point.
Not to belabor the point, but the Florida Gators have an 87.8% probability of landing Brown’s pledge according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine. At 9.2%, the Buckeyes are in second place. Even though it seems like the deck is stacked against the Buckeyes right now, I wouldn’t rule out Brian Hartline, especially with over two weeks remaining to convince him not to play in The Swamp.
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