Ohio State has suffered another hit to its 2027 recruiting class. Despite being in the month of high recruitment activity, the Buckeyes have not won a commitment in about two weeks and are on the verge of losing another. This time, they have lost the race for four-star wide receiver Cadee Cooper to an SEC rival.

Four-star wide receiver and Ohio State target Cade Cooper has committed to the LSU Tigers, per Rivals‘ Hayes Fawcett. His decision comes after his visit to Baton Rouge last weekend. The Tigers had offered him only last month. But as soon as wide receivers coach George McDonald got involved and visited him in Pennsylvania, the program became more likely to win his commitment.

“I ended up going down there, and I loved Baton Rouge,” he told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “I loved the people, the food. Everything just felt like a good vibe. Getting on that campus, and taking everything in—it made a big impact on me and my decision.… LSU was what I thought it would be, but it was also better. I knew it was the place for me.”

Cooper is the eighth commit of the Tigers’ 2027 class, and his commitment has elevated LSU’s recruiting class to No. 22 nationally. He also joins Ah’Mari Stevens as the second wide receiver in the class. Ohio State had offered him just a week (May 13) after the LSU Tigers.

Per Rivals Industry Ranking, Cooper is the No. 366 overall prospect, No. 52 wide receiver, and No. 12 player from the state of Pennsylvania in the 2027 class. Since Sunday, LSU has added four new commitments. The three others are four-star edge K.J. Green, the nation’s No. 48 prospect; Frisco (Texas) three-star running back Brennen Lacey; and three-star Opelousas (La.) cornerback Markez Davis.

Cooper, the Malverp High School wide receiver, recorded 44 receptions for 644 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He was described by his high school head coach, David Geuriera, as a “combination” of several remarkable qualities, per Irish Sports Daily. But most importantly, he has an insane work ethic that keeps him dedicated to his craft.

Ohio State’s 2027 class recruiting activity

The Buckeyes, despite not losing any commitment, have seen their ESPN 2027 class drop out of the top five. Their inactivity during a time of heavy recruiting, such as June, has taken their class from No. 5 to No. 8. The UCLA Bruins, Clemson Tigers, and Miami Hurricanes are the three programs that have leaped ahead of the Buckeyes lately.

The class still has 13 commits, which include 11 blue-chip talents. Nine of these prospects are four-star talents, while the other two are five-star recruits. Jamier Brown, the No. 2 wide receiver in the class, and DJ Jacobs, the No. 1 defensive end in the class, are the two five-star athletes, and neither of them was recruited this year. Four of the blue-chip talents are offensive linemen, while two are linebackers. The class has just one QB commit, and that might change at any time.

Four-star QB Brady Edmunds, who had been committed to the program since December 2024, has been going on official visits and is now being heavily pressured by other programs to flip. His most recent visit was to UCLA, a program he claimed surpassed his expectations. As a result, he suddenly has no idea of where he is going, with UCLA having the proximity advantage for the California native. The only hope for the Buckeyes is his planned official visit to Columbus on June 19.