The Ohio State Buckeyes have made sure that one of the top offensive lineman in the nation will stay home.
On Monday, four-star interior OL Max Riley announced his commitment to Ohio State. Riley held a total of 26 offers from the likes of Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Texas A&M. In the end, Riley chose the Buckeyes over Clemson.
The 6-foot-5 product of Avon Lake, OH has thrived at left tackle during his high school career but projects as an interior lineman in the Big Ten. He is currently ranked as the No. 4 player in Ohio and 114th overall in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite.
Riley is now the fifth commit for Ohio State in 2026 and third in-state, joining four-star cornerback Jakob Weatherspoon and four-star wide receive Jaeden Ricketts. He is also the second-highest rated recruit, trailing only four-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. of Mater Dei in California.
Ohio State brought in Tyler Bowen to be its new offensive coach ahead of the 2025 season. He last coached offensive lineman in 2017 at Maryland. Since then, he has served as tight ends coach and offensive coordinator for Penn State while also coaching tight ends with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bowen was brought in to take over a major role for the Buckeyes and has landed his first big recruit in Riley.
The product of Avon Lake was on hand to watch the Buckeyes celebrate their National Championship victory against Notre Dame in January. Pair that with being able to remain in his home state and Ohio State put together the perfect recruitment strategy for Riley.
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