The 2028 Miami Hurricanes recruiting cycle under Mario Cristobal is already hot with the sort of buzz you’d anticipate from a program attempting to regain its swagger. The Hurricanes are using their South Florida ties, Miami glamour, and Cristobal’s player-development reputation to make a strong case to the next level of stars. The 2028 class will be a war, as Miami firmly battles for blue-chip prospects and looks to build another top-10 class under Cristobal’s tenure.

And talking about blue-chip prospects, that brings us to one of the most scorching hot names in the 2028 cycle: wide receiver Brysen Wright. If you haven’t heard the name yet, you will. Coaches sing Wright’s praises for being able to perform under pressure. He is also the recipient of the MVP of the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl tag, following his dominating performance. LSU, Miami, and Texas have been eyeing the prospect for quite some time and have dished out offers. But just when it seemed like the suspects were running around in circles, Ohio State burst onto the scene after Brysen Wright’s June 10 visit to Columbus.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound wide receiver felt like he was visiting a stage where coaches mold future generations of star wide receivers during his trip to Ohio State over the summer, rather than just attending a regular recruiting visit. From the moment Wright stepped into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, he had the appearance of belonging—both among the other campers and as a future Buckeye. “The relationship with the coaches,” Wright said to On3. “Definitely, when I first got there, it was amazing, and the atmosphere around it and seeing the college players getting along and pushing each other is something I want to be in when I’m in college.”

Wright was caring for a groin strain from the previous week, something that would have bench most kids his age. But Brysen doesn’t fall under any formula. He pushed through drills and didn’t let the injury get the better of him. That sort of resilience and determination is what Ohio State coaches thrive on, and it didn’t escape notice. Even operating at less than 100%, he was one of the best performers at the camp, displaying the sort of hands and route-running smarts that have made Brian Hartline‘s receiver corps the envy of the college football world. Hartline, the Buckeyes’ receivers coach, is a recruiting legend. He has turned Ohio State into an NFL talent factory, and Wright resonated with him.

“His vibe is very cool,” Wright said of Hartline. “Coming out here, I thought it was going to be like a first time, it felt like my fifth or fourth time. It was just a very good vibe with Coach Hartline… All the coaches are very good. The staff is cool. All of the counselors are cool.” Wright was also motivated by the recent success of Jeremiah Smith, the freshman sensation who led Ohio State to a national championship. He got excited watching another Florida kid succeed in Columbus. Ohio State was Wright’s first stop this summer, a clear indication of where his focus is. He has already accumulated offers from Florida, Georgia, FSU, and others. But after the visit, obviously, the Buckeyes have left a big impression.

Ohio State’s strong 2028 recruiting game

Ohio State got the 2028 recruiting class off and running with a bang, snaring their first commitment in the person of Tampa (Fla.) Blake running back Elijah Newman-Hall. This isn’t a typical early commitment—it’s a message that the Buckeyes commit to being ahead of the recruiting game, even when the rest of the nation is still working on 2026 and 2027. Newman-Hall announced his choice on June 13, shortly after a strong performance at one of Ohio State’s camps for the summer, in which he caught the attention of running backs coach Carlos Locklyn.

He’s 5-11, 195 pounds, and during the last fall he had 829 rushing yards and eight scores for Blake High School’s varsity team—nice, crazy figures for a kid who just finished his first year of high school football. Recruiters who saw him in Columbus said he was the most physically imposing back there, and he’s only going to improve. Newman-Hall had a lot on her plate—Miami, Florida State, UCF, and Florida Atlantic had offered, and Wake Forest was among those showing interest—but Ohio State’s tradition and the atmosphere in Columbus won out.