The Ohio State Buckeyes’ recruiting trail is showing cracks, and Ryan Day now faces the possibility of losing back-to-back elite prospects in quick succession. The initial blow came when five-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman committed to Oregon over Ohio State. But the Buckeyes’ recruiting woes don’t really stop there.

News has surfaced that they might also lose another prized recruit, Jalen Brewster, to their SEC rival, Texas. Brewster is the No. 1 defensive lineman in the 2027 recruiting class and a hometown star from Cedar Hill, Texas. The Buckeyes have been in the mix for Brewster, but rumors and family updates suggest the SEC’s allure and resources may be swaying his decision. “Texas is up there,” he said to rivals. “Texas is up there. Definitely in my top five for sure.” The other competitors in his recruitment are Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, and USC. But OSU not being there is a major nail-biter for Ryan Day.

Back in early June, Brewster made a trip to Columbus, where he got an up-close look at what Ryan Day and the Buckeyes have to offer. He even worked out at the Buckeyes’ camp and had an impressive performance. At camp, Jalen Brewster’s explosiveness off the line, honed by his running back experience, caught the eye of Ohio State’s defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who gave high praise to Brewster’s first-step quickness. So, the Buckeyes were obviously positioned well with a prospect of Brewster’s caliber. But by early July, his father, Robert Brewster, admitted to Bucknuts’ that making a return visit would be difficult.

The reasons weren’t about interest or distance but just the difficulty of logistics and timing. This cancellation creates a big wrinkle in Ohio State’s recruiting plans. Missing out on that all-important game day vibe, especially a high-profile opener against Texas, leaves Ohio State at a disadvantage. Brewster also visited Texas in early June. One key participant in making Brewster’s visit impactful was Kenny Baker, a Texas staff member deeply involved in Brewster’s recruitment. “Coach Baker is a real dude. He knows his stuff,” Brewster said. He added that the program’s culture stands out because of the way the staff rotates players to keep them fresh and ready to dominate.

Another big pull came from Brewster’s own high school roots in Cedar Hill. Two of his former teammates, Devin Coleman and Jordan Coleman, are now on the Texas roster. They played huge roles in making the Longhorns’ program feel familiar and inviting. “They always tell me I need to come home, make Austin my home,” he said with a smile. Jalen has still not discussed his second visit to Austin, but it’s definitely in the schedule. Whereas anxiety in Columbus keeps on growing.

Will Texas be his new home? Or will Jalen Brewster follow Bowman’s footsteps to Oregon?

Ohio State’s nightmare of losing Kesean Bowman to Oregon might be on the verge of repeating itself. Jalen Brewster also has Oregon on his top 5 list. “They [Oregon Ducks] are still No. 1 right now. The grip is strong. The connections we have … the connection I have with the whole defensive line there, how my coach was coached by Coach Tuoti,” Brewster said.

“It’s like everything I was taught at my school was taught by Coach Tuoti. He brought it to my school, and it’s basically the same as Oregon’s defensive line.” Brewster has already visited Eugene twice. Once during the 2024 season and again this past May. And those visits clearly left a strong impression.

The Ducks’ facilities, coaching staff, and especially the defensive line room made Brewster feel at home. It’s not hard to imagine how those advantages give Oregon a natural grip on a recruit who ranks as the No. 1 defensive lineman nationally and No. 7 overall. Meanwhile, Ohio State, which just saw Bowman flip away, is scrambling to keep Brewster interested.