The rich get richer as Ohio State lands a commitment from the No. 1 ranked inside linebacker in the 2025 class.

Riley Pettijohn, out of McKinney (Texas), has announced his pledge to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Pettijohn, the No. 33 overall prospect in the Rivals250, joins a Buckeyes class that already ranks No. 1 in the 2025 Recruiting Team Rankings.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound plus linebacker chose the Buckeyes over Texas, USC, Texas A&M, and numerous others.

This recruitment was one that seemed fairy simple just a few months ago, but turned out to have some twists and turns along the way.

Texas was once considered a massive favorite to land Pettijohn as the Dallas-Fort Worth area prospect frequented Austin and sported a Texas backpack for much of the offseason. USC even had some buzz throughout the process as the Trojans revamped their defensive staff and Pettijohn had a former McKinney teammate and friend, Bryan Jackson, on the roster.

But as decision day moved closer, the confidence around Ohio State being the pick gained.

The official visit to Columbus went a long in helping the Buckeyes land his commitment.

"They've been stressing how much they want me to come be a part of Ohio State, how I can win national championships if I go there," Pettijohn recounted recently. "It was overall a solid visit. I liked meeting with coach (James) Laurinaitis, talking football with him and coach (Jim) Knowles, getting to sit down and dig into their defense, their schemes and things like that."

Pettijohn joins an Ohio State class that already has two blue-chip linebackers committed in four-stars Tarvos Alford and Eli Lee.

Pettijohn, who ranks as the No. 1 inside linebacker prospect in the country, is an athletic and violent playmaker in the middle of the defense. Ideal size at 6-foot-3 and in the range of 215-pounds and possesses legit, verified 10.7 speed in the 100-meter on the track. The speed shows on tape as Pettijohn is a sideline to sideline defender and can cover down the field comfortably. Racked up 125 tackles in junior season.

An exceptional open field tackler to go with being a quick diagnoser of plays as they develop. Fits a number of off ball backer positions, able to play both downhill and freely in the secondary. Has real value rushing the passer, around the edge as well as through up the middle. Utilizes his speed but also a heavy hitting style of play to get through blocks and finish tackles.

His body makeup and style of play match perfectly with the modern style of linebacker both college football and the NFL are looking for. Inside linebackers have become a rare take in the first round of the NFL Draft, but if one is to go, it is the style that Pettijohn is bringing to Ohio State.