For months, multiple programs have been keeping their eyes locked in on 4‑star LB Prince Goldsby. In‑state Missouri stayed heavily involved while Oklahoma and Nebraska pushed for him as well. Alabama offered back in November and scheduled an official visit for late May. Then, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his staff showed up late and left with the No. 1 player in Missouri.

That ‘No. 1 in Missouri’ tag isn’t just about rankings. It reflects how hard power programs chased Prince Goldsby: Alabama, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Oregon, Penn State, Miami, Indiana, all in by the spring. When Ohio State entered the race late, it was jumping into a battle already stacked with blue‑blood offers.

Prince Goldsby announced on X that he’s 100% committed to Ohio State. 

“I can’t wait to be [a part] of this unbelievable program with great coaches who teach you, great players who push you, and the best fan base in college football who expect nothing less than excellence,” he wrote. 

Prince Goldsby’s commitment is another huge boost for Ohio State’s defense. He’s the No. 114 player in the nation and the top 9 LB, per Rivals. The interesting part is that Ryan Day didn’t offer him until late February, but that delay did not stop Ohio State from winning him. Goldsby’s primary recruiter, LBs coach James Laurinaitis, has already helped reshape the linebacker room since taking over in 2024, and that recent momentum mattered more than being first.

James Laurinaitis keeps proving that the development pitch still wins over longer connections. Now, the Blue Springs South standout is the third-highest-rated LB he has landed since taking over Ohio State’s room in 2024. Only 5-star Cincere Johnson and 4-star Riley Pettijohn rank higher. 

Prince Goldsby is already gifted physically at 6’4 and 200 pounds. But maybe his jump from 25 tackles and two sacks in 2024 to 83 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, and 13.5 sacks in just 10 games as a junior made multiple major programs want him. 

Alabama hosted him for spring practice and A-Day, spent months building the relationship, and still lost the battle. Missouri had the hometown advantage, sitting just outside Kansas City. But it took barely three months and one official visit to Ohio State before the decision came.

Anyway, Ohio State’s current defensive structure makes the fit obvious. The Buckeyes have moved toward defensive flexibility lately. Sonny Styles becoming a hybrid LB-safety piece changed the conversation around what Laurinaitis wants defensively. 

Ohio State now has 13 commitments in the 2027 cycle and sits inside the top 10 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. On defense, there’s 5-star EDGE David Jacobs, the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect. Earlier this month, the Buckeyes also landed 4-star EDGE Wyatt Smith out of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Then there’s Quinton Cypher, the 4-star LB from Raleigh who committed back in December. With Prince Goldsby beside him, Ohio State’s future LB room already looks promising. Still, the Buckeyes aren’t slowing down.

Ohio State is trending for another defense player

Ohio State will welcome its first major wave of official visitors this weekend, with more than 30 expected throughout June. Multiple commitments are likely coming out of that, and one name already high on their radar is 5-star DL Marcus Fakatou. For a while, Notre Dame looked like the favorite there, but things have changed. 

“The number two-ranked defensive lineman in the country for the Rivals Industry rankings is trending towards Ohio State,” Steve Wiltfong said on Wiltfong Whiparound. “Colleagues Adam Gorney and Greg Biggins have been reporting as such. Yesterday, Gorney and I moved our prediction from Notre Dame to Ohio State to reflect the current pulse of this recruitment.”

That doesn’t mean it’s a lock for Ryan Day because Notre Dame is still there with the last visit. But again, Ohio State’s defensive player development intrigues recruits. That’s why Prince Goldsby is more than happy to join the Buckeyes in Columbus.