Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren’t satisfied with just securing two four-star running backs in the Class of 2026. Now they’re going after arguably the best tailback in the nation for 2027. We’re talking about a five-star phenom who holds a staggering 63 Division I scholarship offers. His name is Landen Williams-Callis, and pulling him away from Texas won’t be easy.

Williams-Callis is rewriting the Texas high school record books. Through his first three varsity seasons at Richmond Randle, the 5-foot-8, 190-pound back has racked up 7,543 rushing yards and 125 touchdowns. Those numbers are absurd. In his 2025 junior campaign, he torched defenses for 3,491 yards and 59 touchdowns. That performance earned him Sports Illustrated’s 2025 High School Football Offensive Player of the Year award. He is currently ranked as the No. 3 running back nationally in the 247Sports Composite.​​

The junior is currently ranked as the No. 3 running back nationally in the 247Sports Composite and holds the distinction of being the most-offered prospect in Texas, regardless of classification.​​ The Longhorns have positioned themselves as a major threat in Williams-Callis’ recruitment. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke made a high-profile visit to his high school in Richmond in late January 2026. 

Williams-Callis posted his appreciation on social media, writing “I appreciate y’all for pulling up and showing love 🤘🏾💯 #Blessed @CoachSark @CoachJuluke” alongside a photo with both coaches. The relationship between Williams-Callis and Juluke appears especially strong, as the prospect told Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins, “I like coach Juluke a lot, I mess with him, we’re real cool.” 

For Ohio State, landing Williams-Callis would be a massive recruiting victory. Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has extended an offer to Williams-Callis as part of the Buckeyes’ aggressive pursuit of 2027 running back talent. Ryan Day’s primary recruiting pitch will centre on Ohio State’s track record of developing running backs for the NFL. The Buckeyes are hoping a critical spring visit to Columbus will give them face time with Williams-Callis and a chance to showcase their player development infrastructure.​

But while Ohio State battles to get in the door, Texas A&M has positioned itself as the team to beat, according to recruiting analysts. Rivals insiders Steve Wiltfong and Sam Spiegelman both logged “expert” predictions for the Aggies to land Williams-Callis after he visited College Station during Texas A&M’s 31-9 victory over Mississippi State in October 2025. 

The Aggies’ momentum in running back recruiting has been building, having already secured two top running back prospects in the 2026 class and developing a strong reputation under head coach Mike Elko and running backs coach Trooper Taylor. 

For the Buckeyes, overcoming both in-state Texas powers is a daunting task. But Ryan Day knows that landing a back with Williams-Callis’ rare combination of power, speed, and production could be transformative for Ohio State’s offense. Williams-Callis plans to announce his commitment sometime between June and July 2026. It gives Ohio State a few more months to make its case that Columbus, not Austin or College Station, is where he should take his talents.

Ohio State’s running back room enters a crucial 2026 season

The Buckeyes’ backfield for 2026 looks pretty straightforward on paper. Bo Jackson is the guy after a breakout true freshman campaign with 1,090 yards. Behind him, Isaiah West solidified himself as a reliable backup late in the 2025 season. The plan is to keep that “thunder and lightning” rotation going, just like Ohio State did with Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson before them.

But both Jackson and West will miss all of spring practice due to surgeries. This means running backs coach Carlos Locklyn won’t get a chance to work with his top two guys until summer arrives. That’s not ideal when you’re installing a new offensive system under coordinator Arthur Smith. 

To address the depth concerns after losing James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon to the transfer portal, Ryan Day has made a smart move by bringing in seventh-year senior Ja’Kobi Jackson from Florida. 

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The veteran back rushed for 509 yards and seven touchdowns for the Gators in 2024. But an upper-body injury knocked him out for most of 2025. With Arthur Smith’s offense expected to lean heavily on the run game, this group will have every opportunity to prove its worth.​