Maxwell Hiller is the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the country, and every other blueblood program wants to win him over. Ohio State got into the race in 2024 and has been giving programs like Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee a tough fight. But after Hiller recently visited OSU, Columbus seems to be growing a lot on the Pennsylvania native.

Hiller told On3 that the tour had Ohio State “[standing] high” in his recruitment, which gives a major boost to the program. He also confirmed that OSU will get an official visit from him in the future. Ryan Day and OL coach Tyler Bowen’s plans also fit with Hiller’s own outlook for his future.

“They said they will develop me and I’m a priority for them,” the IOL told On3. “I have a chance of playing early, but it’s not a given. You have to work, which is great. I feel like that’s real because whoever tells a high school offensive lineman they’re gonna start right away is BC you know, because it’s a developmental position. You gotta work!”

Maxwell Hiller’s numbers are a big reason why he is one of the most sought-after offensive linemen. Standing at 6’5” and 300 lbs, Hiller is a must-have addition in the OSU offensive line. Racking up 132 pancake blocks this season and helping his team finish 10-3, the OL earned first-team All-American honors from MaxPreps. He also won the Big Man MVP title in the 2025 Under Armour Future 50 event. No wonder Hiller has 35 programs vying for his commitment. But Ohio State is a special one.

Maxwell Hiller visited Columbus after quite a long time, but Ohio State has always been a target school. According to Bowen, the IOL reached out to him when he was a sophomore, despite the program not being allowed to contact him. But it had OSU looking at him, kicking off a relationship that has now become a priority for Ohio State. Ryan Day has to use this momentum to lock Hiller down for OSU, because even new P4 SEC head coaches are making an impression on the OL.

Why Florida is a school to watch out for in Maxwell Hiller’s recruitment

Florida is under a major rebuild at the moment, as Jon Sumrall begins work on the program’s course correction in his first year as head coach. His efforts are paying off, as UF hosted many elite prospects at Florida’s Junior Day, including Hiller. Now, the Gators are becoming the competition that Ohio State has to beat.

“This visit 100% sort of cemented Florida being one of those top schools for me,” the OL told Gators Online.

A big reason why Florida has surged up the favorites list for Hiller is the presence of Phil Trautwein, the new OL coach. He essentially tried to recruit the star lineman for Penn State when he was still at Happy Valley. Hiller, a local prospect, was a big advantage for Trautwein, strengthening their bond. The OL told Gators Online that the coach’s presence was “one of the main reasons” why he wanted to visit Florida. Had Trautwein remained at Penn State, Hiller would have been a done deal for the Nittany Lions.

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Jon Sumrall has only one commit in an unranked 2027 class, but Ohio State sits at the top, with nine total commits. Hiller firmly keeping Florida in the mix despite a very empty roster is yet another example of Sumrall’s recruiting prowess. But Ryan Day is a veteran in this landscape and won’t go down without a fight. We have to wait to see if the Buckeyes’ head coach is able to bring home the massive win.