Fresh off of winning a national title, the Ohio State Buckeyes have continued to win on the recruiting trail.
In one of the big moves of the offseason, the Buckeyes were able to get a commitment from now-freshman defensive end Zion Grady.
Larry Johnson Speaks on Zion Grady
The Buckeyes have one of the elite defensive coaches in all of football in defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
Johnson recently spoke with the media about how the team was able to get a commitment from Grady after he decommitted from Alabama.
Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson can see freshman defensive end Zion Grady helping the Buckeyes immediately. https://t.co/rDSXURuZSw
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) March 5, 2025
“Once he decommitted, we started building a relationship and I was able to get him on campus and really spend some time with him,” Johnson said. “I think that’s what sold him.”
The 6’4″, 235-pound lineman could be primed for a big freshman season in Columbus. Rated as the ninth-best edge-rusher in the country coming out of high school (via 247 Sports), he has all of the talent in the world to make a significant impact.
How Good Can the Buckeyes’ Defense Be?
With the addition of Grady and considering the way the defense performed last season on the way to a national title, the ceiling could be even higher this time around.
Even after playing 16 games last season, the Ohio State defense finished the season ranked first in the country in total defense (allowed 254.6 yards per game) and allowed only 4.19 yards per play, which was also the best mark in the nation.
Among other statistics, head coach Ryan Day’s defense finished first in scoring defense, third in sacks, third in run defense, and third in pass defense. By most accounts, this was the best defense in America last season.
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Plenty of credit should be thrown Johnson’s way for being able to attract yet another top-10 player at a key defensive position. The program also successfully received commitments from four-star safety Faheem Delane, four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn, five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez, and others.
It seems as though Ryan Day’s roster has only gotten stronger after securing a national title, which should put some fear into the Big Ten and the rest of the country.
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