Ohio State is bolstering the future of its interior defensive line, as Rivals250 defensive tackle Maxwell Roy committed to the Buckeyes on Monday.
Roy, a New Jersey native who currently attends St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia, ranks as a four-star recruit. He is listed as the No. 5 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania, No. 10 defensive tackle and No. 148 prospect overall in the 2025 Rivals250.
Ohio State originally offered Roy a scholarship in May of 2023. Now, Roy has committed to play for head coach coach Ryan Day, associate head coach/defensive line coach Larry Johnson, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and the rest of the current OSU staff.
"I fell in love with their staff during our recruiting process," Roy told Rivals about his commitment to OSU. "Ohio State has a really great relationship with my school, and getting to know the coaching staff has just been the reason why I felt like this would be the best spot for me and my family."
Roy felt a special connection with Johnson and it has continued to develop throughout his recruitment.
"It's been amazing," Roy said about his relationship with Johnson. "Ever since he first started my recruiting, I thought that's an opportunity to learn more about the game. Larry Johnson is a savant at his job and being a D-line coach. So, ever since we started the recruiting process, I've always been asking questions, trying to get better at the game. Me and him built a rapport, so I felt like why not go through another three years while I learn from one of the best coaches in the nation."
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Roy took an official visit to Columbus during the weekend of June 14 through June 16. He also took official visits to Rutgers (May 31 through June 2) and Michigan (June 21 through June 23). Additionally, Roy was considering an official visit to Wisconsin during the weekend of June 7, but did not end up making the trip to Madison.
Throughout his recruitment, Roy also took multiple unofficial visits to Columbus. Ohio State feels familiar to Roy due its similarities to St. Joseph's Prep, which helps him to feel comfortable there.
"It reminds me a lot of my high school, St. Joe's Prep, being a very well-run program," Roy explained about Ohio State. "It just felt like home as soon as I got there. The same way practice was run and everything, when I walked through there, it just felt right."
In February, Roy released a top-six of Duke, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Rutgers and Wisconsin. Ultimately, Roy decided the best thing for his future was to become a Buckeye.
In addition to the programs mentioned above, Roy received offers from Boston College, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Miami, Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Roy earned all-state honors and was voted first-team All-Catholic Red Division as a junior in 2023. He plays with power and athleticism, and is especially disruptive in the run game. He has also shown the ability to get to the quarterback.
The potential opportunity for early playing with the Buckeyes was also something that stood out to Roy.
"It's something I definitely look at," Roy said about the chance to play early for Ohio State. "I believe that I'm good enough to play wherever I go, whatever the situation, but the thought that it's going to be a great opportunity for me to be able to get on the field earlier, that definitely was a reason that pushed me toward (OSU) a little bit more."
Roy helped lead St. Joseph's Prep to a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 6A state championship in 2023. He recorded 47 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior.
He is also an accomplished wrestler, reaching 100-career wins in January and earning All-American honors in the sport.
Roy becomes the 22nd member currently committed to Ohio State's 2025 class. He joins his St. Joe's Prep teammate, three-star running back Isaiah West, as a pledge in the Buckeyes' 2025 group. As things stand, the Buckeyes have the No. 1 class in the national team rankings.
