Ohio State makes the cut for a 2026 receiver who has a major OSU commit as a teammate

Four-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt keeps the Buckeyes in the mix.

Being on the road this weekend brings Ohio State to their second top-five road contest of the season. It will surely be another stellar television ratings performance, and all eyes will be on Ohio State and Penn State.

Though winning is the first priority, it never hurts to look at the part as recruits are taking notice. Whether via TV screen or on Penn State’s sideline, the Buckeyes have a huge opportunity this weekend to impress prospects. Hopefully this time around they make the most of it.

Buckeyes make the cut for a top 2026 receiver target

In the 2025 recruiting class, the Buckeyes are pretty much set besides hoping to add a few additional players to fill specific spots of need. The 2026 class, however, is another story. Ohio State currently only has one commit locked in thanks to five-star receiver, Chris Henry Jr. and while that’s not super alarming, it is a noticeably slower start than normal.

This nearly empty class is not for a lack of trying, the coaching staff has sent out more than enough offers to land a few top commits, but, hopefully, those will come as the cycle becomes Ohio State’s first priority after signing day and the postseason. The fortunate part of the slowdown is that the Buckeyes are already impressing several top players from around the country and at multiple positions. Like the current cycle, the next should present a ton of talent as those top targets get closer to decision time.

Keeping with the trend of 2026 receivers, the Buckeyes got some good news from another top player at the position on Wednesday from Mater Dei product, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. The No. 139 player nationally and the 24th best at his position per the 247Sports Composite grades, Dixon-Wyatt holds offers from 30 schools but is now down to just 10 after releasing his latest top schools list.

Making the cut for the California native are Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Ohio State. An interesting aspect here, as Kayden is a Mater Dei product, he is also a teammate of the aforementioned Henry Jr. and you’d have to think the two have talked about Ohio State and the potential of being Buckeyes together.

Brian Hartline typically doesn’t need much help when it comes to landing elite receiver targets, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a current commit in his ear just a little. A position that should do nothing but continue its recent success, Hartline will have plenty of options to land, but Dixon-Wyatt is one worth keeping a close eye on, knowing the consistent presence Ohio State has in his life via his teammate and future Buckeye.

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Quick Hits:

A hoops commitment is on the agenda for five-star, Darryn Peterson, who is set to announce this coming Friday night via 247Sports. The No. 3 player in the 2025 class and top combo guard in the class per the 247Sports Composite grades, Peterson is down to just four schools with Ohio State joining the likes of Kansas, Kansas State, and USC as the finalists.

Per the 247Sports crystal ball feature, Peterson is pegged to end up with Kansas as the likely pick, but Ohio State is keeping up with some of the premier programs in the country for these top players as they continue to make the cut. Now, the goal will be to land one of these top targets and they’ll at least be in the running Friday night.