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The hits keep coming for Ryan Day and Ohio State.
Five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord committed to Oregon on Wednesday. He had originally committed to the Buckeyes in February.
Offord is the No. 2 corner and No. 11 overall player in 247Spots’ composite rankings for the 2025 class.
Wednesday’s announcement wasn’t a total shock.
Auburn and Oregon both pursued Offord long after his initial commitment. The Tigers seemed to even gain the upper hand based on 247Sports’ crystal ball projections, and the fact he put on an Auburn hat before donning a Ducks cap seemed to indicate they were the two finalists.
But losing Offord is nonetheless another setback for the Buckeyes on the heels of their dispiriting 13-10 loss to Michigan.
Ohio State is still on track to qualify for the College Football Playoff, and they seemingly have the talent to match up with almost any team in the country.
But coming up short against the Wolverines for the fourth straight year has raised big questions over Day’s future in Columbus. The fan unrest has certainly reached a fever pitch and an early playoff exit might leave the school with no other choice.
Whenever there’s uncertainty surrounding the head coach, there’s always the risk of a ripple effect on the recruiting trail. In the case of Offord, he may have made up his mind weeks ago. There’s no question the Michigan game at the very least didn’t help Ohio State’s standing in the race to sign him.
With the addition of Offord, the Ducks are fourth in 247Sports’ composite team rankings. They have three other 5-star players either signed or committed: wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Dallas Wilson and safety Trey McNutt.
Meanwhile, all is not lost for Ohio State. The Buckeyes still have the fifth-best class, which is anchored by blue-chip quarterback Tavien St. Clair. Five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez has signed his letter of intent as well.
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