With the Class of 2026 early signing period officially wrapped up, the Ohio State Buckeyes aren’t easing off the gas, especially after finishing outside the top 4. If anything, Ryan Day’s staff are already planning on a lock-in on the talents. On December 19, the Buckeyes landed a massive win on the 2027 recruiting trail, and it came straight at the expense of three playoff teams.

Ohio State locked in one of the top linebackers in the Class of 2027 on December 19: Quinton Cypher, a coveted four-star linebacker out of Raleigh, North Carolina. He also becomes the first linebacker to join Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting class.

For those of you who are not familiar with Cypher’s game, let us enlighten you. He’s a high-energy, sideline-to-sideline linebacker who always seems to be around the ball. During his junior season in 2025, he put up some impressive numbers for the Millbrook Wildcats, including 181 tackles and 48 tackles for loss.

That alone should be good enough for five-star consideration. Despite being a linebacker, he also has a knack for catching interceptions. Last season, he accounted for five picks.

Landing him was anything but easy.

Ohio State had to go toe-to-toe with three playoff heavy-hitters, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, and Miami Hurricanes, for Cypher’s signature. As things were wrapping up, the majority of folks had an idea that he would be picking either Ohio State or Georgia. He took a couple of visits, five in total, to Athens, and also visited Alabama once.

The widespread consensus was that it was Georgia’s recruit to lose until he said otherwise:

“It has been so tough,” Cypher said of the decision. “It really was a transition this fall. Last summer, I was 100 percent sure I was going to Georgia. Both schools continued to recruit me hard, and as I took my time, Ohio State started to stand out more. I couldn’t have made a bad decision with Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, or Miami, but Ohio State just felt right at the end.”

So what actually pushed the Buckeyes over the top? The coaching staff, specifically linebacker coach James Laurinaitis and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

“I love the coaching staff at Ohio State. Coach Patricia’s defense is great, and he’s a former NFL coach with Super Bowl rings and so much knowledge. Coach Day is a great head coach — he’s a winner and a great guy. Then Coach Laurinaitis is one of the best. He played the game, he played at Ohio State, and he knows the game. Playing for a guy like him will help me a lot.”

In the end, safe to say that Cypher’s relationship with Laurinaitis proved decisive. Now, with Cypher’s commitment, the Buckeyes found themselves in an excellent position.

The Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting class so far

As usual, Ohio State is putting together a fantastic 2027 recruiting class. With eight players currently committed as of today, the Buckeyes hold the No. 3 national rank in the class rankings and are leading the Big Ten pack by a good margin. The commits so far feature an exciting mix of local Ohio talent and top players from across the country.

The biggest catch is five-star wide receiver Jamier Brown from Huber Heights, who is widely considered one of the best few players in the entire nation for his class.

They are also bringing in players from some football states, including four-star safety Eli Johnson from Texas and four-star quarterback Brady Edmunds from California.

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The coaching staff is far from done. The word is that they are actively pursuing other high-level targets to round out the class, including Cypher’s own high school teammate, defensive end Rashad Streets.

The focus right now seems to be on bringing in more playmakers at running back and solidifying the defensive line. With five of the eight current commits rated four stars or higher, Ohio State has a real chance to finish in the top 3.