SAN ANTONIO - The top-ranked cornerback in the 2025 class came off the board Saturday at the All-American Bowl and he’s going to Ohio State.
Five-star Devin Sanchez picked the Buckeyes over Alabama, Texas A&M and others as Ohio State led for a long time in his recruitment for numerous reasons.
Sanchez has a great relationship with the defensive coaches in Columbus led by position coach Tim Walton. The Houston (Texas) North Shore standout also loves the development at Ohio State and its ability to put players in the NFL.
Location was never going to be a factor for Sanchez, who said early on he was looking for the best fit wherever that might be, and he found it at Ohio State.
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WHAT OHIO STATE IS GETTING
The Buckeyes currently have nine defensive backs on NFL rosters and Sanchez has the size and ability to join those ranks down the line.
The five-star cornerback is all of 6-foot-3 so with that comes incredible length. What stands out most about Sanchez, though, is that he’s smooth in coverage, turns and runs well and then is ultra-competitive once the ball is in the air.
This commitment is also important because it continues Ohio State’s incredible success recruiting the state of Texas.
The Buckeyes do just as good a job as any out-of-state team landing elite players from there and Sanchez is now added to a long list that includes Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Jeffrey Okudah, J.K. Dobbins and so many others.
In Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, the Buckeyes signed RB James Peoples and LB Payton Pierce out of Texas, both four-stars.
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WHAT IT MEANS
“It’s always important to land high-end defensive back talent but the impact of going into Texas and plucking the country’s best cornerback prospect is hard to understate.
“The Buckeyes identified Sanchez early and Tim Walton—who gets nearly all of the credit for this commitment—left no doubt that not only did he see a top-tier football prospect in Sanchez but a young person that perfectly fits the culture that Ohio State has worked to build over the last decade.
“The connection with Walton, combined with a wide open path to playing time when he arrives in Columbus in January of 2025 makes this a perfect fit for Sanchez and his family.” - Jeremy Birmingham, DottingTheEyes.com
