Ohio State lands in-state four-star OT Max Riley
Ohio State landed a very important piece to the 2026 recruiting class on Monday. That’s because four-star offensive tackle Max Riley announced his commitment to the team.
The in-state standout from Avon Lake picked the Buckeyes over Clemson. The top-100 prospect held close to 25 scholarship offers from around the country. Riley is the fifth commitment in the class for the Buckeyes and the second Ohio native joining wide receiver Jaeden Ricketts.
WHAT RILEY MEANS TO OHIO STATE
This is an enormous win for Ohio State on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes are in such a tricky position when it comes to recruiting. The team recruits at an elite level every single year. But there is a real perception out there that the team does not do enough to recruit in-state talent. So, keeping the in-state product home is enormous.
Riley also plays a position of need for the Buckeyes. The team will look to take multiple offensive linemen in this cycle. With him in the class, the team can now focus it’s efforts on five-stars Jackson Cantwell and Felix Ojo. The Buckeyes will also try to keep four-star Sam Greer inside the state too.
WHAT RILEY BRINGS TO THE BUCKEYES
Riley (6-5, 280) is a highly-rated prospect that will give the program a lot of versatility. At this stage in his development he’s probably best suited for guard. He can win in a phone booth and is agile enough to be an effective puller too. If Riley continues to get taller than he could give the Buckeyes some snaps at tackle as well.
But at his current size Riley could be a player that could plug in anywhere along the line. That type of player is extremely valuable especially since we know the Buckeyes routinely play deep into the season and need depth.