The Ohio State Buckeyes are off to a flying start on the 2027 recruiting trail, sitting atop On3’s rankings with nine commits already in. But Ryan Day isn’t slowing down. He’s bringing defensive coordinator Matt Patricia along to push the pedal even harder. 

“#gobucks” wrote the 2027 offensive tackle target Brody McNeel, posting a picture on his Instagram story with Day and Patricia. The Buckeyes have already landed the commitment from Rivals’ No. 5 2027 interior offensive lineman prospect back in November 2025.

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound McNeel picked Day and the Buckeyes over a stacked offer list that included Penn State, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Not just McNeel, Day, and Patricia travelled to Raleigh to meet their linebacker commit, Quinton Cypher.

“Do you have any idea how much I’m fan-girling right now?!?!!❤️❤️⭕️🙌🏻❗️⭕️🌰#InthePresenceOfGreatness @CypherQuinton @OhioStateFB,” Quinton’s mother, Alicia, shared her feelings on X after posing with the coaching duo. 

Definitely, Day is enough to pitch the players, but tagging Patricia along with him just strengthens the Buckeyes’ outlook. Patricia spent 19 years in the NFL, including six Super Bowl appearances and three rings. Despite a two-and-a-half-year stint as the Detroit Lions’ head coach that didn’t pan out, his 14 seasons with Bill Belichick in New England still make him stand out among other coordinators. Patricia was the DC when Malcolm Butler had that famous interception in Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks.

Few expected the Buckeye defense to stay as good as they had during their championship run under Jim Knowles. Once Knowles went off to Happy Valley, everyone was expecting Ohio State to regress. But Ryan Day’s masterstroke in hiring Matt Patricia paid off. They were a top-three defense all season long, ranked No. 1 nationally in both points and yards allowed per game. They gave up only 8.2 points and 213.5 yards per game.

Before stepping into Day’s staff, Patricia hadn’t recruited in over two decades, dating back to his Syracuse tenure from 2001-03. Despite the changes in college recruiting, he was poised and confident in his ability to lure talented young men to the Buckeyes.

“I love the recruiting process. I’m in the deep end right now, [and] I’m trying to swim to get caught up as I dive in,” the Buckeyes defensive coordinator said in an interview back in March 2025. “Building those relationships and having conversations with parents, telling them what and how we can help develop and grow their son, that’s really important.”

A year later, Patricia is maintaining the same recruiting pace, helping Day. The efforts have paid off as the Buckeyes landed the 5-star Blessed Trinity product, EDGE David Jacobs.

They also sealed the commitment of Jeremiah Smith’s younger brother, Angelo Smith. The younger Smith earned his Ohio State scholarship in June after shining at one of the Buckeyes’ summer camps. 

Even though Day and Patricia are rolling on the 2027 trail, the transfer portal hangover won’t go away soon.

Ohio State gets hit with transfer portal turbulence

As per On3’s transfer portal ranking, Day’s Buckeyes stood at No.34 at the end of the window. They gained 16 players while losing 32, of whom the 16 who left resulted in a gaping void in the defense. 

Day has seen five defensive linemen leave via the portal. Dominic Kirks is still uncommitted, Jarquez Carter transferred to Miami, and Trajen Odom moved to Arkansas Razorbacks. Eric Mensah committed to Virginia Tech Hokies, while Maxwell Roy joined UCLA Bruins.

To fill the gap, Day could bring in only two defensive linemen: John Walker from the UCF Knights and James Smith from the Alabama Crimson Tide. But in no way is Day willing to see a demotivated program moving ahead in 2026. There are still players within the depth of the roster that can step up and shine.

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Former four-star prospect Zion Grady could be a rising star. He played 104 defensive snaps as a freshman, collecting 13 tackles and a sack. He will compete for a starting spot. Eddrick Houston had a disappointing sophomore year despite playing 324 snaps in his freshman year. But he could have a bounce back year if given the right coaching and support.

“The Buckeyes reloaded in the transfer portal the best way possible,” BuckeyesFansOnly shared about the program’s transfer portal report card. “Ohio State lost 32 career starts in the portal. Ohio State added 147 career starts.”

Ryan Day used the portal like a chessboard, swapping low-experience pieces for battle-tested veterans. With a football brain trust like Matt Patricia in his corner, Day looks primed to keep Ohio State’s fortunes trending up for years to come.