Over the last five years, Ohio State has been recruiting every position exceptionally well except one: the running back department. The Buckeyes have failed to lock down the nation’s top RB since TreVeyon Henderson in the 2021 class, a rare miss for a program that usually lives at the top of the recruiting food chain. According to insiders, the Buckeyes are looking to change that, as they plan to roll out the red carpet this spring for the nation’s top running back with 50+ offers, with the intention of locking him up.

On March 30th, Buckeyes insider’ Kaleb Longhurst hopped onto his X hand shared the 4-stars’ visit: “VISIT: #2 RB in 2027 and Four-Star RB Landen Williams-Callis is set to visit Ohio State in April, per sources 👀🌰” Insider tweeted.

Landen Williams-Callis became the nation’s most sought-after high school recruit right now. Even as a 15-year-old freshman, he was playing against grown men in Texas’ second-highest division and absolutely shredding them. Now as a 2027 prospect, he’s sitting on an absolutely absurd 70+ scholarship offers.

He recently narrowed that mountain of mail down to a Top 15. It includes the likes of Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and the hometown heroes at Texas and Texas A&M. Since Ohio State has been relying on transfer RBs lately, the Buckeyes will most definitely put in some extra hours to keep this one away from home.

So, what makes this merely a 5’9 and 190 pounds RB so special? It starts with gravity. Landen’s built like a literal bowling ball. He’s got this super low center of gravity that makes him harder for anybody to tackle. He compared his playing style to USC legend Reggie Bush and 2024 Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty:

“I feel like I’m a Reggie Bush type of back who is shifty and fast that can break off tackles like Ashton Jeanty,” Williams-Callis compared. “I’m not concerned about rankings and all that because I know I’m a good back and that’s just about politics and my film speaks for itself.”

Obviously, with the numbers he’s been putting up in the last 2 years, it’s actually a fair take. In his junior season alone, he rushed for a staggering 3,491 yards and 59 touchdowns. To put that in perspective, he was averaging nearly 220 yards every single time he graced the field. He’s already sitting on over 7,500 career rushing yards and 125 touchdowns. The Texas RB needs about 3,835 yards in his senior year to shatter the all-time Texas high school rushing record (11,377 yards).

The football greatness literally runs in his family. The Randle product’s the cousin of former NFL and Oregon State stars Jacquizz and James Rodgers, and his uncle, Michael Lewis, was a Pro Bowl safety. He’s also played in the invite-only Polynesian Bowl back in January in Honolulu. He’s already been named the Gatorade Texas Player of the Year.

Since he’s Texas-born and bred, the Aggies are the current favorite to land him with over a 95% chance, according to On3’s RPM. However, the Buckeyes are relying on their RB coach Carlos Locklyn. He has a receipt of pulling elite talent out of the South (flipping Anthony ‘Turbo’ Rogers from Alabama). Landing Williams-Callis would be anything but easy, especially with every Texas-based program likely to double down once he breaks the state’s all-time rushing record. If the Buckeyes pull it off, it’s going to change the trajectory of the RB position in Columbus.

The Spring recruiting sketch for the Buckeyes

The Buckeyes are turning Columbus into a massive recruiting hub this April, especially around the Spring Game on April 18. While Landen Williams-Callis is the five-star headliner, he’s definitely not the only superstar hopping on a plane to Ohio.

Coach Ryan Day and his staff have meticulously stacked the calendar with elite talent from all over the country to show these young stars exactly why “The Brotherhood” is the premier destination for NFL development.

One of the biggest names to watch is Kesean Bowman, a top-10 national wide receiver from Tennessee who is scheduled to arrive early in the month. The Florida native Eric McFarland III is another name to watch after reclassifying from the 2028 class to 2027. He’s set to soak up the atmosphere on April 10.

Wyatt Smith, a towering 6-foot-6 pass rusher from Florida, is making his highly anticipated first trip to Ohio State on April 17. We’re also keeping a very close eye on Adryan Cole, a heavy-hitting safety from Georgia. He’s currently caught in a high-stakes tug-of-war between staying home with the Bulldogs or heading North to join the Buckeyes.

Finally, keep a sharp lookout for some “under-the-radar” prospects who could officially become household names by the end of the spring. Grant Haviland, a physical 6-foot-4 tight end from Georgia. Jayden Miles, a top-tier running back from Louisiana, have both been sitting right at the top of Coach Carlos Locklyn’s wishlist for some time now. If these visits go according to plan and the Columbus weather cooperates, the Buckeyes might actually even get their first No. 1 recruiting class in years.