Ohio State fans are learning this lesson the hard way. Being the hometown favorite doesn’t guarantee anything in modern recruiting. For months, Kaylon Bailey looked like another Glenville-to-Columbus success story waiting to happen. The Cleveland native had the offer, the relationships, the pipeline, and even a vision from Matt Patricia that fit his skill set. But who could’ve expected Deion Sanders to walk in late and flip the script?

Colorado landed one of Ohio’s intriguing 2027 defenders, leaving Ryan Day’s staff searching for the final LB in their class. According to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals, Kaylon Bailey announced his commitment to the Buffs over Ohio State, Louisville and South Florida with a simple message that read, “BE DIFFERENT.”

The 6’2, 225-pound prospect is listed as an EDGE but had been recruited primarily by Ohio State LBs coach James Laurinaitis because of his versatility. Ranked No. 1,147 overall in the Rivals Industry Rankings, Kaylon Bailey isn’t the highest-rated recruit in the country, but his athletic profile made him someone the Buckeyes believed could become much more than a 3-star prospect.

Bucknuts reported that Colorado came in aggressively with its NIL approach and made Kaylon Bailey a significant offer. Deion Sanders extended an offer on May 18, hosted him for an official visit in mid-June, and secured his commitment just weeks later. 

Before making his decision, Kaylon Bailey also visited Louisville, West Virginia, Ohio State and South Florida, where former Buckeyes coach Brian Hartline is now building the Bulls. The Buckeyes still appeared to be in a strong position after hosting him on June 5. But Colorado got the final visit, gained momentum at the right time, and closed the deal.

It’s a nice turnaround for Colorado after missing on a couple of recruiting targets earlier in the week. For Ohio State fans, though, the news is likely to sting. Just a few days before making his decision, the recruit had spoken openly about how playing for the Buckeyes had always been the dream while growing up at Glenville.

“I mean, this is the goal. The goal every year is to get to Ohio State,” he said. “At Glenville, like that’s the goal.”

After taking his official visit, he sounded even more convinced.

“It was great,” he said. “Walking in, seeing guys like Cincere Johnson calling my name from down the hall, it feels good. It feels like home.”

That feeling came from years of relationships. Kaylon Bailey praised James Laurinaitis for being straightforward, saying the LBs coach never sugarcoated anything. Those bonds stretched across the entire coaching staff. Bailey also spoke highly of assistant LBs coach Sam McGrath, DL coach Larry Johnson and Ryan Day, while also noting Colorado had built a strong relationship with him remarkably quickly after offering.

The biggest selling point, though, was Matt Patricia’s vision. So what makes this loss sting a little more for Ohio State is the way their DC had a unique role mapped out for Kaylon Bailey before Colorado changed the story.

Ohio State’s former plans for Kaylon Bailey  

Kaylon Bailey wasn’t simply another LB target. Matt Patricia envisioned him as a hybrid chess piece. Rather than locking him into one position, Ohio State planned to move him around the defense as it has with Arvell Reese and expects to with former Glenville and current Buckeye LB Cincere Johnson.

“They plan to use me just how they used Arvell, just how they’re going to use Cincere,” Bailey explained before his decision dropped. “They don’t want to just use my talent in one spot.”

Kaylon Bailey’s ability to play both LB and edge made him an interesting fit for Ohio State’s defense. The Buckeyes already have Quinton Cypher and Prince Goldsby committed in the 2027 class, and he looked like the missing piece to round out the group. But now they have another spot to fill. It’s also another reminder that in today’s recruiting world, even strong relationships, hometown ties, and years of history aren’t always enough when another program makes a late push.