Ohio State gaining momentum for 2026 tight end target, set to host top safety next weekend

The Buckeyes may have the inside track to land a 2026 tight end out of Florida.

The 2026 recruiting class has been a topic of discussion at times due to the slower start the Buckeyes have had landing commitments for the upcoming cycle. Just one player locked in so far thanks to Chris Henry Jr., Ohio State is hoping they’ll see some action in the class sooner rather than later, and this past weekend may have helped that cause as one visitor left very impressed with all that the program has to offer.

Making a trip for the Purdue game, Florida native tight end Corbyn Fordham came to see the Buckeyes for an unofficial visit. The No. 323 player nationally and 15th best at his position per the 247Sports Composite, the visit for Fordham may have just confirmed all of his positive thoughts that he had regarding Ohio State, considering the news that has come since he left and headed back home.

Corbyn has now been pegged to Ohio State multiple times from some of top analysts the recruiting world has to offer, such as Steve WIiltfong. Logging crystal ball predictions in favor of the Buckeyes landing the 6-foot-4, 215 pound athlete, this would be a big time get for position coach Keenan Bailey, and his efforts seem to be one of the leading reasons as to why Fordham is so high on the Buckeyes.

Holding offers from nearly 30 schools, some of the top programs in the mix include Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and several more. However, right now Ohio State looks to be the one in control of the momentum and that ‘s all you can ask for as this staff looks to not only land their next 2026 commit, but also take care of position needs with top players at their spots. There’s still plenty of time before a final decision needs to be made of course, but the latest rumblings have the Buckeyes on the right path towards landing their next commit in upcoming class.

Visit date to Ohio State locked in for 2026 athlete

Keeping with the trend of the 2026 recruiting class, Ohio State only has one more regular season road game before two major recruiting opportunities in terms of being able to host top targets from all over the country. With Indiana and Michigan on the agenda to close out the regular season, these two games are sure to bring in some elite talent as the Buckeyes look to not only get to the Big Ten title game, but also make lasting impressions on the players they’re looking to add to their various recruiting classes across multiple years.

New names sure to be added to the upcoming guest lists until these games finally get here, the coaches are going to be putting in the work to make these visits worthwhile for these top-caliber players. Certainly not the last name to be added to the lists, Louisiana native Blaine Bradford is one of the latest to arrange plans to visit Ohio State in the coming weeks.

Set to be on campus on Nov. 23 for the Indiana game, Bradford’s visit to Columbus is a big one for the staff. The No. 16 player nationally and top safety per the 247Sports Composite, Bradford holds just under 30 offers and from many of the country’s best schools including Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, and plenty more.

Right away, seeing his Louisiana roots may be a cause for concern considering the Buckeyes have never really recruited that state super well. That being said, Ohio State’s safety recruiting has been successful as of late, and certainly has the benefit of having Caleb Downs on their roster as the prime example of the Buckeyes being able to house the best player at the position in college football. Either way, getting Bradford on campus is a win for this staff and one visit they’ll go out of their way to make sure goes well.

Quick Hits

• One of the more prestigious accolades a high school athlete can earn, on Wednesday current Ohio State commit Tarvos Alford was awarded his All-American Bowl jersey and took time to share what it means to him.

The No. 103 player nationally and ninth best linebacker in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Alford like many Buckeyes before him is one of the latest future Ohio State players to play his last prep contest in this game that has seen incredible talent over the years.