Ohio State this year again is leading in disrupting the course of the CFB season. They did that against Texas in Week 1 with a statement, and now Ryan Day is out to do the same in recruiting. Ohio State’s 2026 class already has 21 commits, along with a 5-star commitment from WR Chris Henry Jr., ranked 9th nationally. But that’s not the position OSU aspires to be, and nothing less than a top-5 finish will suffice for Ryan Day. The head coach is out looking for a solid defensive back with 5-star capabilities. In doing so, he may have to snatch the player from Florida State.

Lawrence Olajuwon Timmons’ name still carries a lot of weight at Florida State. Playing as a linebacker from 2004-2006, Lawrence Olajuwon recorded 126 tackles and earned All-ACC first-team honors and All-American honors. He was later picked 15th overall in the NFL draft. He’ll go on to win a Super Bowl with the Steelers. Why are we discussing him? Well, because Ohio State wants to recruit his son, Lawrence Jay Timmons, who had laid down his commitment to FSU in June, following his father’s legacy.

Jay Timmons shared the news of getting an offer from Ohio State on X and fueled widespread speculations about a potential flip. “#AGTG blessed to receive an offer from @OhioStateFB! @CoachMHunter @OGWalt_ @PR_RamsFootball @Coach_LeDonne,” wrote Jay Timmons on his X account. The Ohio State offer now comes at a time when Jay Timmons has been skyrocketing in his rankings and developing swiftly.

Earlier a three-star recruit, Jay Timmons initially committed to Curt Cignetti’s Indiana in April, after getting his first D1 offer from the team. However, within a month, FSU came calling and called Jay Timmons on an official visit to Tallahassee. The visit worked along with his father’s legacy, and the player laid down his commitment to FSU. “I wanted FSU because it’s my dream school, the school I’ve always been a fan of, and it’s where I was born,” said Jay Timmons. However, his recruiting stock is still soaring, as he is currently the 28th overall recruit in the country and a 2nd-ranked cornerback. That is one of the reasons why OSU is eyeing him as a prized asset in its future roster.

However, flipping Jay Timmons would be easier said than done. For one, the relationship that Timmons has built with Patrick Surtain, FSU’s DBs coach, goes way back, even before he got his FSU offer. Last year in June, the CB visited FSU on an official visit and was impressed by the work Mike Norvell was doing with the program. Apart from that, the DBU reputation under Patrick Surtain still makes a flip tough, not to mention his emotional ties to the program.

As for OSU, the 5’11” and 185 lb. cornerback hasn’t made any visits to the program. However, a flip will hardly be a surprise. Ohio State is sitting at the mountaintop of college football right now. That is set to continue in future.

Jay Timmons brings an elite quality to any team

Timmons is really starting to make a name for himself as a complete player ready for college football. He’s got some serious two-way talent! In 2024, his standout performances at Pine-Richland High in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, helped the team finish the season with an 11-2 record and snag a WPIAL 5A championship. He racked up 42 tackles and had an impressive 755 receiving yards with eight touchdowns. But these stats are just the icing on the cake. Timmons has a pretty varied skill set that shows he can do it all!

“Lawrence Timmons is one of the most complete defensive backs in this cycle and is someone we would consider a three-dimensional defender. He can play in the box, he can man cover, and he can play in zone. He truly excels in all of these areas and has such a strong blend of physicality and finesse. He can be fluid in coverage and stay sticky when the ball is in the air… Timmons has a case for one of the most college-ready skillsets of any back-half defender in this class,” said Rivals’ national scout, Cody Bellaire.

Ryan Day, for now, seems to be desperately looking for a defensive back and has also offered Khmari Bing, currently committed to Maryland. So far, OSU’s 2026 class has just Jordan Thomas, a 4-star cornerback from Oradell, New Jersey. Getting a commitment from either Khmari Bing, a 3-star safety, or, more importantly, Jay Timmons has become crucial.